By Assan Bah
The Inspector General of Police, Seedy Muctar Touray, has told the National Assembly’s Joint Committee on Finance and Public Enterprises (FPAC) and Public Enterprises Committee (PEC) that he was never officially briefed on the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) report regarding the alleged sale of $30 million worth of petroleum products in The Gambia. The IGP disclosed that the report was not included in the handing-over notes from his predecessor nor discussed with him by the police high command upon assuming office.
Despite his admission that the Office of the Inspector General of Police was indeed privy to the FIU report, the current IGP said he only became aware of the investigation after a motion on the matter was tabled at the National Assembly. His appearance before the Joint Committee followed a formal summons.
In response, the IGP said consultations within the police hierarchy revealed that an investigative panel was previously established under his predecessor to look into the matter. He confirmed that persons of interest and company representatives mentioned in the intelligence report were invited for questioning, although the process was far from conclusive.
During the hearings, the Commissioner of the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) informed the committee that a representative of Apogee FZC, Aurimas Steiblys, was not cooperative. The Commissioner said that because of Aurimas’ uncooperative attitude, investigators issued him a questionnaire and requested supporting documents. These were reportedly filled with assistance from his legal counsel, Haddy Dandeh Jabbie.
When the committee pressed the SIU Commissioner on whether the use of questionnaires aligns with standard investigative procedures, he explained that depending on the case, suspects may submit written statements either by themselves or with the help of legal representatives. He added that due to Aurimas’ non-cooperation, he was cautioned, and the questionnaire served as a tool to obtain necessary documents and statements.
The SIU further told the committee that Aurimas was summoned to police headquarters, briefly detained, and released on self-bail following the STR (Suspicious Transaction Report) from the FIU. However, no formal charges were filed against him.
In addition to Aurimas, the police identified several entities and individuals as part of their investigation:
- Apogee FZE – Aurimas Steiblys
- Ultimate Biege Logistics – Nana Kofi Amoako
- Creed Energy Ltd – Clemen N.A. Koranteng
- Ecobank and Access Bank – The Management
- Gam Petroleum – Yerro Jallow (General Manager)
Statements from the banks and Gam Petroleum are reportedly still pending. The committee inquired about Aurimas’ current whereabouts, and the police responded that they did not know.
The SIU stated that Nana N.A. Koranteng responded after several months and promised to submit relevant documents, which the police have yet to receive. Investigators found explanations from both Nana and Aurimas unsatisfactory and unreliable.
When asked whether identifying the origin of Apogee FZC helped determine the source of the petroleum products in question, the SIU responded in the negative. The police also said they did not freeze any suspicious accounts due to a lack of sufficient evidence of criminality, arguing that the FIU report was only based on suspicion.
The committee noted that Ultimate Biege Logistics and Creed Energy were reportedly trading petroleum products without valid licenses, suggesting potential money laundering. The SIU Commissioner agreed with this assessment.
The IGP told the committee that the investigation panel initiated by his predecessor was discontinued before he assumed office. When asked who halted the probe, Commissioner Pa Alieu Jawara responded, “an order came from the top.”
Pressed further, Jawara clarified that the directive came from the former IGP. This disclosure raised concerns within the committee, especially since it appeared that the high command directed the investigation to be stopped before any substantial progress was made.
The committee’s review found that despite Aurimas being cautioned, no charges were filed against him, and no bail bond or passport seizure was recorded to ensure his availability. The cautionary statement itself lacked a date, signature, or independent witness, and displayed inconsistent handwriting.
Furthermore, the statement from Yerro Jallow, Gam Petroleum’s General Manager, was obtained one year after Aurimas’ questionable cautionary statement. Similarly, Access Bank only submitted a joint statement from its Head of Compliance and Managing Director on November 22, 2024—a year after the police first engaged Aurimas.
Ecobank, through its Head of Compliance, Dominic Mendy, submitted its response on December 5, 2024, following a request dated October 5, 2024. Yet the police’s own investigation report from November 1, 2023, indicated they were instructed not to engage Aurimas further, confirming that their probe was prematurely terminated.
The committee also noted that Officer Pa Alieu Jawara later retracted his earlier testimony and claimed that the panel merely advised the former IGP to keep the investigation “in view” (KIV). However, this contradicts statements made by several other officers, including OC Sanusi Darboe, DASP Alagie Sanyang, and the police attaché at the FIU.
The committee observed that no witness statements were obtained from the banks, and the questionnaire supposedly filled by Aurimas was never produced. Moreover, his signatures on different documents appeared inconsistent.
It concluded that the investigation into the $30 million petroleum product scandal was compromised by procedural lapses, conflicting testimonies, and possible political interference.
The committee made the following recommendations:
- The National Assembly should initiate censure proceedings against the Minister of Interior, Abdoulie Sanyang (former IGP), for halting the investigation or failing to maintain oversight.
- The Attorney General and Minister of Justice should set up an independent panel to probe Officer Commanding Pa Alieu Jawara’s role in the investigation and report within 90 days.
- The Attorney General and Minister of Justice should also establish a separate independent panel to investigate the entire process followed by the police in handling the STR report involving Aurimas.
The report has not yet been adopted by the National Assembly. A motion was moved to allow lawmakers time to review it before opening a debate.
