By Mamadou Dem
ASP Delo Baldeh of the Gambia Police Force and member of the investigation team of the ‘Janneh’ Commission, yesterday continued to give more details on the numerous properties acquired by the former president, Yahya Jammeh.
Officials of the Departments of Lands and Surveys, Physical Planning, Gambia Tourism Board, also continued to give details of more properties owned by the former President.
A power point presentation made by Bunja Janneh, depicted 53 properties acquired by the former president and his business enterprise Kanilai Family Farm (KFF), within the Kanifing Municipality and the larger West Coast Region.
ASP Baldeh explained how the former president acquired a plot of land in Talinding which he said was acquired from the community; that there was a letter addressed by the Alkalo of Talinding Alhajie Ebou Bajie, to the former president, following his consent for the allocation of the said plot of land to him.
ASP Baldeh further revealed that the building located at the Kanifing Industrial Estate occupied by Kanilai Family Farms along the Banjul highway, was also acquired by Jammeh as well as the Maintenance Service Garage in the same location, which formerly belonged to one Mbye Njie and Sons, for maintenance services, which was assigned between AMRC and KFF.
The Commission also heard from ASP Baldeh that Jammeh bought a property of land belonging to Baba Jobe for D5million after an assignment between one Momodou Fofona and KFF.
According to ASP Badeh, one of Mr. Jobe’s properties located at Kotu West was also acquired by the former president through a deal between him and Tida Jaiteh-Jobe, the wife of Baba Jobe, who said she was forced to sell the property.
Baldeh at that point explained that all the properties they had come across, were acquired through the authority of the former president including that of the late Baba Jobe’s.
Continuing with the list of properties within the KM, Mr. Baldeh told the Commission that there was another property owned by the former president situated opposite the Kotu property, noting that one Marian Omar Sallah owned the property and allocated it to Baba Jobe, but was also taken by the former president despite the fact that it was not assigned to him.
According to Baldeh, there was an authority from the former president for one Pa Bojang to transfer all his (Jammeh’s) properties to KFF including Baba Jobe’s properties; that the president had a land situated at Kololi which was occupied by one Haruna Tamba and assigned to Baba Jobe’s daughter.
On the property at Cape Point, he told the Commission that it was owned by Baba Jobe and assigned to one Fatou Ceesay but was taken by the former president while the property at Bakau (a Super Market) was also owned by the former president and there was a title deed of the property. He testified that the property was sold for D8, 000,000.
Further testifying, he revealed that Ndeban Clinic was owned by the former president; that it measured 30,000 square metres, noting that it was sold by the High Court for $150,000 and is currently occupied by one Bully, but that the clinic is not operational.
On the property at James Baker’s Street in Bakau, ASP Baldeh said it was bought by KFF for D3,000,000 and was occupied by one Sierra Leonean; that the property at Bakau Newtown is an empty land and there is a deed of assignment; that it was sold to KFF for D2,000,000.
On the property at Fajara South Atlantic, he stated that it is an empty land sold to KFF for D2.7 million, noting that at Cape Point around Sunwing Hotel, the former president had a property measuring 11.9 hectares.
According to him, at Cape Point, there was a certificate of purchase for the land owned by the former president with 1000 square metres and was bought for D4,000,000 through the Sheriff Division. ASP Baldeh added that there was an assignment between Ansoumana Kujabi and KFF and further informed the Commission that the former president had another land at Cape Point in the name of his mother, which was purchased from Ismaila Kabba Sambou and measuring 1500 square metres.
ASP Baldeh further testified that there was another property owned by the former president assigned to Abdou Assan Kaira which was owned by Baba Jobe but taken by the former president; that it is now a developed property and occupied as well.
At this juncture, documents relating to the properties owned by the former president were tendered and admitted as exhibits.
Dwelling on the Kombo South / East properties owned by the former president, ASP Baldeh said the Njambai Forest property belongs to the former president but was formerly owned by Dr. Lenrie Peters who sold it to KFF.
On Siffoe Garden property, the witness told the Commission that it was allocated by Alagie Malick Demba to the former president and is situated at the sea side but not fenced; that the Gunjur property owned by the former president is fenced and the length is from Medina Salam to Gunjur.
Mr. Baldeh further revealed that there was another Medina Salam property owned by the former president which he visited and showed interest in but that the community denied him; that when he gave them money, he acquired it.
He said the former president, had a property at Sambuyaa, further stating that he also had another property at Sanyang Kairaba.
Other properties, according to him, are Scan Gambia, Santamba at Sanyang, Sanyang quarry, Tanji River side property as well as another property in Kombo South which the former president acquired after demolishing some compounds in the area.
Sittings continue today.
