A Lebanese-Gambian businessman who made D15 million from the sale of a Banjul City Council (BCC) property admitted on Wednesday that he paid no more than D2 million for the land and held no official ownership documents at the time of the transaction.
Sharbel Elhajj appeared before the Local Government Commission of Inquiry on July 3, 2025, for a second day of testimony over the controversial sale of public land to EMK Stores, owned by businessman Nandu. The Commission, led by Chairperson Jainaba Bah, is investigating financial and administrative conduct in local government from May 2018 to January 2023. The witness claimed that he wanted the land for a warehouse after having a verbal agreement with a business company in Nigeria that deals with Hisense goods. The witness said he paid D2 million into the BCC account before he was allocated the land. He only discussed with the Mayor of BCC, who told him to pay D2 million, and he proceeded to pay the money before the BCC allocated him the land. The Nigerian company rejected the land, and this was when the witness began engaging Nandu. The witness later changed his statement, saying the two million he paid was from Nandu. He admitted that he did not use his money to pay for the land.
Elhajj admitted he received a total of D10.8 million from Nandu and identified his signature on two 2020 cheques issued by EMK Stores. Asked by Gomez how much he invested in the land, Elhajj said: “The money used to pay for the land came from Nandu.”
The core of the dispute is a 100×100 meter land behind the National Assembly, which Elhajj applied for in 2018. His April 2019 letter to the BCC, titled “Transfer of Allocated Land,” instructed the Council to transfer the land to EMK Stores. Gomez noted that the Council’s prior letter did not amount to an allocation or lease.
“You don’t have evidence of allocation,” Gomez said. “That was why you wrote to the BCC to allocate to EMK Stores.”
Elhajj responded that the transaction was a “matter of interpretation,” acknowledging that no agreement was signed and no official deed existed. Despite this, Elhajj sold the land to Nandu for D15 million.
Gomez confronted Elhajj with claims of deception. “You don’t have land. You don’t have anything to sell,” he said.
In a prior appearance on June 2, Elhajj testified that the land was initially meant for a Hisense appliance warehouse. He paid D2 million into the BCC’s BSIC account before receiving any formal allocation. Gomez questioned the logic: “Who does that? You pay first before you see the land?”
Former BCC CEO Mustapha Batchilly joined the session to confirm that Elhajj had paid D2 million but no lease was issued in his name. Instead, Batchilly admitted the Council accepted a letter from Elhajj requesting transfer to EMK Stores, mistaking it for a power of attorney.
“The letter is not a power of attorney,” Gomez stressed. Batchilly responded: “We just used the letter to do the transfer in the name of EMK Stores.”
Evidence tendered included letters from the Lands Department, lease documents, and a business agreement dated 14 April 2019 between Elhajj’s firm C-Consulting and EMK Stores. Under that agreement, EMK would pay C-Consulting D15 million. A bank receipt showed C-Consulting deposited D2 million into BCC’s account six days later.
Batchilly testified he was unaware the land had been resold. “Were you guys tricked?” Gomez asked.
“Yes,” Batchilly replied.
Batchilly later messaged the Mayor to express his surprise. The Mayor, he said, denied any knowledge of the resale. Yet, Gomez argued the Mayor and Elhajj colluded in fraud. “You cannot walk to the office of the Mayor without providing her evidence that you have partners and she gives you land. Is that how it works?”
Elhajj insisted the Council never asked for documentation. He claimed the initial land was rejected by his supposed Nigerian partners, but ultimately admitted: “From the monies I made, I paid agents and lawyers. Everything came from Nandu.”
The Commission tendered additional letters from lawyers representing EMK Stores, including a demand for D35 million reimbursement for investment and documentation delays.
“Where did you get the D2 million that you paid the BCC from?” Gomez asked.
“From Nandu,” Elhajj replied.
Gomez concluded: “There was no partner from day one. Nandu was in the picture all through.”
The session ended with Batchilly instructed to produce all land allocations approved under his tenure. The Commission will resume hearings on the matter in the coming days.
