Commission Probing Into Former Gambian President Jammeh (Part 3)

The Commissioner General of The Gambia Revenue Authority (GRA) has told the three-member Commission of Inquiry headed by Surahata S. Janneh that GRA had no hand in the opening and operations of the two tax recovery accounts at the Guaranty Trust Bank (GTBank) and Trust Bank Limited.

Yankuba Darboe made these testimonies after an invitation by the commission to give evidence about the opening and operations of two tax recovery accounts, one of each held at GTBank and Trust Bank Ltd.
He stated: “We have nothing to do with their opening, operations and we do not know the signatories to these two accounts mentioned. The monies paid to these accounts were never transferred to the GRA accounts at Central Bank.”
He recalled that he was aware of a tax commission instituted in 2011 to cover from the period of 1999 to 2011, likewise its recommendations.
However, when asked by Counsel Amie N.D. Bensouda as to whether his office had anything to do with the implementation of the recommendations?, Commissioner Darboe responded that: “There was a tax commission and then later, there was a task force that was set up to revise the tax commission finding.”
He made it clear that after the completion of the tax commission, defaulters were to pay what was recommended by the commission and during the course of that process GRA had no hand in it, because it was set up by the Office of the President and the attorney general chambers.
“My office had nothing to do with that, however, due to the complaints of those that were called to the commission, the Ministry of Justice in consultation with the Office of the President set up another task force to review the recommendations of the already completed Tax Commission,” he added.
Commissioner Darboe continued; “during the course of that, my office was consulted to provide the expertise in order for them to do the review and my office identified someone to lead the task force.”
After the review, he went on, a report was sent out to offices including his office, and they were later informed that an account was opened were those affected could pay the monies into and this account was the one at GT Bank, but he said did not know who opened the account.
He maintained that it was not normal to open this account because at the level of the GRA, they have two main accounts in which any revenue collected from domestic tax, there is an account at the Central Bank of The Gambia opened in the name of Commissioner of Domestic Taxes were the money is paid and if it is international trade, they also have an account at the Central Bank opened in the name of Commissioner of Customs were all the monies are paid.
“Consequently, the funds recovered from the findings of the tax commission were not directed to the GRA accounts at Central Bank,” he stated.
The GRA boss added that as far as technology is moving, GRA decided to do away with collecting physical cash as tax payments which they used to do.
He said they had anMoU with some commercial banks where they opened transit accounts through which accounts the money would be collected on their behalf by the commercial bank and then it goes to the Central Bank within a week.
by Fatou Sowe -Daily Observer
August 14th, 2017

Gambia Pays 3 Million For Interior Ministry.

A source familiar with the Ministry of the Interior has revealed that government is paying up to 3 Million dalasis to house the building, which the Ministry of the Interior (MOI) is occupying along the Bertil Harding Highway annually.

A senior government officer, who made this disclosure on Friday during the Permanent Secretaries Mid-Year Retreat 2017 held at a local hotel in Brufut said: “I think it is very important for government ministries and agencies to find land and build it, so as to ensure that the government is not spending huge amount of money in paying rents.”
Reacting to the issue, a participant at the forum lamented that; “the government needs to look at these issues critically. The economic of the country is not stable at the moment, so I don’t think it is wise for the government to be paying 3 million dalasis just for rent.”
Others at the forum called on the ministries and government institutions that are renting to work with the Ministry of Lands and Regional Government to secure lands for them, in which they can build their offices rather than government paying huge amounts of money on rent.
Readers could recall that the minister of the Interior Mai Ahmed Fatty in his interview with the Daily Observer’s Omar Wally; he was asked that The Gambia government complains of inheriting a bankrupt economy, yet the Ministry of the Interior moved from Banjul to an expensive complex along Bertil Harding Highway.
Mai said; “Gambia today is not the same Gambia yesterday. This is Security Ministry, you go down where Ministry of Interior was, the place was very tide, and some of our staff had to put their laptops on their laps to work because there is no work space”.
The Interior minister added that some of the staff had to use the conference room and when the conference room is in use then the staff had to go out.
Mai added that another consideration is the location itself, is inappropriate and it is in the middle of residencies. He said even when foreign dignitaries or partners comes, when climbing the building, you see children taking bath, people are cooking next door and food meals is around.
The building, he said, is the wrong place for the Security Ministry to be placed. “In fact, I wonder how previous minister’s work in such an environment. The Security Ministry should give you an indication about our seriousness towards security but that was very wrong representation,” he defended.
 by Momodou Jawo - Daily Observer, 
August 21st, 2017

Buhari Returns Home Today.

President Muhammadu Buhari returns to the country later today after receiving medical attention in London, the presidency has said.
 
The president is set to return after over 100 days in London for medical treatment.
 
He left the country on May 7 after handing over power to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, who has functioned as Acting President since then.
 
Mr. Buhari is expected to speak to Nigerians in a broadcast by 7 a.m. on Monday, Femi Adesina, his spokesperson told PREMIUM TIMES.
Prenium times of Nigeria.

Commission.

Friday, August 11, 2017

The Commission of Inquiry into the Assets and Financial transactions of the former President, Yahya Jammeh, commenced on 10 August, 2017 at the Njembeh Hotel.

It was chaired by lawyer Suruhata Janneh while lawyer Amie Bensouda was the lead counsel. Surahata Janneh welcomed the media and told the journalists to be accurate in their reports.

He said they are going to have the first sittings into the assets and financial transactions of the former president and associates, adding that they should be addressed as “your honour.”

Journalists should ensure that justice is seen to be done, further stating that there was no space for dealing with the sittings.

Amie Bensouda said she was appointed by the Attorney General and the Chairman was appointed by the president, adding that funds have been withdrawn under the instructions of the former President, and that they wanted to know whether due process was followed in the withdrawal of funds.

Testifying before the Commission, the Managing Director of Guaranty Trust Bank Gambia Limited (GTBANK), Bolaji Ayodele, informed the commission that Alhamdulilah Petroleum and Mineral Company (APAM) were holding both a dollar and dalasi accounts with the bank.

According to him, the dalasi account was opened in August 2015, adding that he had the mining licence agreement between the then Government and the said company.

When asked by lead counsel Amie Bensouda whether he was willing for the documents to be put before the Commission, he responded in the affirmative.

At this juncture the licence agreement and statements of accounts together with other relevant documents were admitted and marked accordingly.

Mr Ayodele further explained that the Mining Company did not finish up with their documentation required in opening an account as there was no certificate of registration and certificate of incorporation respectively.

This, he said, warranted his bank to write several letters to the company, asking them to produce an MOU together with other necessary documents.

The letters dated 10 October 2016 and 8 February 2017 were also admitted into evidence, adding that despite the demand from the bank, the company never provided them with business registration certificate.

He said APAM’s account was opened by Antouman Jammeh and on 19 October, 2015, there was an additional signatory to the account by one Isatou Sallah and on 3 October 2015, one Toni Ghattas was also added as a signatory to the same accounts.

He said both accounts (Dollar & Dalasis) were closed on 8 February 2017 upon receiving a letter seeking its stoppage.

He added that Samwuna Aza of Jammeh Foundation for Peace was also one of the signatories to the account 20320436110.

The banker further disclosed that the information he gave on the dalasi account applied to the dollar account as well.

At that point, the statements of account from the dalasi account revealed that the sum of D61,369, 621.77 (Sixty-one million three hundred and sixty-nine thousand six hundred and twenty-one dalasis and seventy-seven bututs were deposited while the sum of D61,179, 270.22 (Sixty-one million one hundred and seventy-nine thousand two hundred and seventy dalasis twenty-two bututs.

With regard to the dollar account, he revealed that the sum of $660,377. 45 (Six hundred and Sixty thousand three hundred and seventy-seven dollar forty five cents) was deposited. No amount withdrawn in dollar was explained to the Commission.

Mr Ayodele said the source of the sixty-one million one hundred and seventy-nine thousand two hundred and seventy dalasis twenty-two bututs is from minor cooperations but was quick to add that he doesn’t directly manage the account. He added that on 24 February 2016 there was a deposit of seven million seven hundred and thirteen thousand seven hundred and fifty dalasis (D7,713,750).

Momodou Musa Njie, Managing Director of First International Bank (FIB), informed the Commission that it’s correct that he was subpoenaed by the state in respect to Alhamdulilah Petroleum and Mineral Company Limited (APAM).

He said the said company opened both a dollar and dalasi accounts in their bank on 16 November 2016.

Documents showing the transactions of the account i.e. inflow and outflow of monies, were all admitted and marked accordingly.

Prior to the admission of the said documents Mr Musa indicated that one Wureh Njie and Toni Ghattas were the signatories of the said account.

He said that at the time of opening the account, there was no certificate of incorporation, Memorandum of Article or Certificate of Business Registration. 

According to him, the sum of D13.7 million was deposited and D13.4 million was withdrawn from the account thereby living a current balance of D5,000.00.

He added that in respect to the dollar account, the sum of $27,000.4 (Twenty seven thousand and four cent) was deposited and the depositors intimated to the bank that they were involved in sand mining.

Therefore the source of the twenty-seven thousand dollars, four cent is from sand mining.

He said the sum of $25,800 dollars and $1200 were deposited on 28 November 2016 and both were withdrawn on the following day.

At that point, both correspondents from FIB to the Company were admitted into evidence and marked accordingly.

Yankuba Darboe, Commissioner General of Gambia Revenue Authority (GRA), testified that he was appointed in the said position on 8 March 2015 and his institution was not involved into the Tax Recovery Accounts of both FIB and Guaranty Trust Bank respectively.

He said he heard the said banks received directives from the Office of the President to open tax recovery accounts but his office did not have any knowledge as to who opened the account.

Mr Babou Awe testified that he works at the Corporate Department of Trust Bank and that he was not operating the account. He pleaded with the commission to give them time to regularize their documents. He adduced that they have special people who deals with accounts, adding that the Managing Director told him that he never knew he was supposed to appear before the Commission.

The witness then stated that he was the one who received the summons from the Commission for the MD to appear.

At that juncture, the lead counsel told the witness that the MD has to appear on 14 August 2017.

The accounts of Events Planning and Management (EPM) and Foni Carpentry and Construction were dealt with and some tax recovery accounts from Trust Bank dated 17 September 2013 and 5 April 2017 were admitted by the Commission. 

Mr Awe said Mr Sheriff Sawaneh’s account was 1,947,346 on 7 October 2013.

According to him, D75,000.00 was debited from Sawaneh’s account; adding that 4,485,000.00 also reflected on Mr Sawaneh’s account. He alleged that 1,396,740.00 was in the statement of Mr Sawaneh. 

At this juncture, Omar Gibril Sallah’s statement of account was admitted, which was dated 5 December 2013.

He adduced that on 14 May 2014, there was a transaction by the Defence Planning Management of the former president’s office; adding that F.M.S. Enterprise had D500,000-transaction and there was no name on the account.

Mr Awe further adduced that on 19 May and 23 June 2015 there were payments of D974,070.00 and D417,175.00 to Foni Carpentry and Construction respectively. 

Dawda Faye , The Point newspaper

August 11th, 2027

Commission Probing Into Former Gambian President Jammeh (Part 4)

Managing Director of Guaranty Trust Bank, Bolaji Ayodele, Monday continued testimony before the three-man Commission of Inquiry where he revealed that a total of forty-three withdrawals were made from his bank from 2nd November, 2015 to 9th December, 2016.

Headed by Surahata Semega Janneh, Gambia’s president, Adama Barrow himself presided over the swearing-in of Commission members on July 13th with a three-month mandate from July, to act on the financial activities of public bodies, enterprises and offices as regards to their dealings with the country’s former President, Yahya Jammeh.
When the lead Counsel, Amie N Bensouda asked whether he has supporting documents for every withdrawal on the dollar and dalasi accounts of Alhamdulilah Petroleum and Mineral Company (APAM), Mr. Ayodele said all the receipts of transactions were intact. Lead Counsel Bensouda applied to tender the transaction documents into evidence which were admitted in bundle and marked as exhibits.
Mr. Ayodele also told the commission that nine transfers were made from the dollar account and he has all the transfer details with him. This also prompted lead Counsel Bensouda to apply for the GTBank account details, cheque withdrawal details and deposit of the dollar currency sales catalogued in bundle to be admitted and mark as exhibits.
The witness said he has the statements of both the dollar and dalasi accounts from 2nd November 2015 until the day the accounts were frozen.
The GTBank boss explained in detail that Tony Ghattas made withdrawal of 122, 31500 CFA, 64,800 dollars and 19, 863 Euros on numerous occasions from transfers in the APAM dalasi and dollar account.
He also explained to the Commission how huge amount of foreign currencies were transferred to Senegal and Eco Bank Gambia Limited from the dalasi account on different dates in 2016, and on 22nd October, 2015, 600, 000 dalasi was transferred from the APAM account to Kanilai Family Farm account.
Mr. Ayodele also told the Commission that on 12th January, 2016, a cash withdrawal of 5 million,  dalasi was made by one Alpha Jallow but not reason was given for the withdrawal and on 4th February, 2016 another D1, 921,783 was withdrawn from GTBank into one of the Office of the President Central Bank accounts.
He said adduced that the amount outstanding in the dalasi account is now about 26, 000 dalasi, saying an amount of D3, 6605 was also transferred to Toni Ghatta’s account.
The APAM dollar account statement and letter for the transfer, dated November 2nd, 2015 were tendered and admitted as exhibits.

by Lamarana S Jallow -Daily Observer
August 16th, 2017

Commission Probing Into Former Gambian President Jammeh (Part 2)

Managing directors of Guaranty Trust Bank and First International Bank Thursday appeared before the three-member commission of inquiry that was launched last month to probe into financial dealings of Gambia’s former President Yahya Jammeh.

Bolaji Ayodele and Momodou Musa testimonies were in relation to the Alhamdulilah Petroleum and Mineral Company (APAM) that, according to sources was involved in sand mining.
President Adama Barrow presided over the swearing-in of commission member on July 13th with a three-month mandate from July, to act on the financial activities of public bodies, enterprises and offices as regards to their dealings with the country’s former President, Yahya Jammeh.
During his testimony, the GTBank managing direcor, Mr. Ayodele said the Alhamdulilah Petroleum and Mineral Company (APAM) were holding dollar and dalasi accounts at his bank. He said the dalasi account was opened in August 2015.
The opening form of the dalasi account, reference form, the mining license agreement between the government of The Gambia and APAM and the managing director’s appointment letter issued from the Office of the President were all admitted into evidence.
Mr. Ayodele told the commission that APAM name indicates that it is a company but the bank does not have its memorandum of articles of association. He said when the admitted documents were presented to the bank, there was an agreement that they were going to bring the memorandum of articles of association after registration but the bank never received those documents.
He said the bank later wrote several letters to remind them about the pending document. He said the first letter was written on 10th October 2016, and the second one was written on 8th February 2017.
According to Mr. Ayodele, it was Ansumana Jammeh who opened the account and on 19th October, 2015, the name Isatou Sallah was added as a signatory to the account, whose passport copy, he said is with the bank. He said on 3rd October, 2015, one Toni Ghattas’ name was also added as the incoming managing director of APAM.
The Nigerian born Mr. Ayodele said both accounts were closed after the bank’s 8th February, 2017, letter of reminder about the pending document. He said the same account opening documents were also applied to the dollar account, which one Sameena Azam, CEO of Jammeh Foundation for Peace was the referee for the accounts.
The printouts of statement of transactions of both the dalasi and dollar accounts, from the date of opening to closure were also admitted in evidence and marked as exhibits.
He told the commission that it was Mr. Toni Ghattas who opened the dollar account and there were sole signatories at different times. When he was asked whether that was appropriate for a corporate account, he said it depends on how the owners of the account wanted it or who they want to run the account.
Mr. Ayodele was also asked about the source of the funds in the accounts, which he said he was informed that the source of funds in the account were deposits that are drawn from mining operations that the company does on daily basis.
According to him, a total amount of $660, 370.45 was deposited in the dollar account and D61, 369, 621.77 was deposited in the dalasi account.
Mr. Ayodele seeks for the commission’s permission to allow him to bring the supporting documents for every withdrawal on a later date, which was granted, to him and he was given up to Monday to do that.
Also testifying before the commission, Momodou Musa, managing director of First International Bank (FIBank), also informed the commission that APAM Company had a dalasi and dollar accounts with the bank. He said both accounts were opened on 16th November, 2016.
The information documents of the opening of the accounts were handed to Counsel Amie N.D. Bensouda, who later applied to admit them.
Mr. Musa further revealed that Woreh Njie and Toni Ghattas opened both accounts on 16th November, 2016, and there were no change of signatories. He said both were current accounts but they were suspended on 16th January, 2017, long before the court give orders to freeze the accounts because there were some account opening documentations they failed to submit.
According to Mr. Musa, no memorandum of articles of association, no business registration and no certificate of incorporation were provided when opening the accounts, saying the only document provided was a tin certificate and that was done after they wrote the letter.
When he asked whether an account can be open without those documents, Mr. Musa said sometimes they can waive that condition for clients and give them time to bring the needed documents.
In separate bundles of documents, the transaction statements of both accounts were also admitted as exhibits.
According to Mr. Musa, D13.7 million was deposited into the dalasi account and D13. 4 million was withdrawn. He said the balance in that account now is not more than D5, 000.
“On 28th November, 2016, there was a deposit of $25, 800 and another $1, 200 into the dollar account and it was withdrawn on 29th November, 2016.” The counsel raised a question of abnormality but Mr. Musa said the account was a current one which allows the holder to deposit today and withdraw the next day.

by Fatou Sowe -Daily Observer
August 14th, 2017

Commission Probing Into Former Gambian President Jammeh (Part 1)

The chairperson of the Commission of Inquiry, Surahata Semega Janneh has issued a stern warning to the Managing Director of Trust Bank (Gambia) Limited to appear before the commission on Monday 14th August 2017 or a bench warrant will be issue against him.

This development followed the appearance of one Babou, who works at the Corporate Affairs Department of Trust Bank Limited and informed the panel that he was without all the required documents regarding the opening of the Tax Recovery Account.
This prompted question from Lawyer Amie Bensouda as to the whereabouts of the managing director of the bank and the witness said he was asked to come and ask for time on behalf of the managing director in other for the bank to bring a complete complied set of the documents requested.
Then the commission’s chairperson Mr Janneh went on to emphasize, “You have the responsibility to tell your MD that he has to be here on Monday, failure of which a bench warrant will be issued against him.”
The witness further told the commission that only special people at the bank have access to view information on the tax recovery account and these people are in the senior management team.
He was asked numerous questions regarding the transactions in which monies were debited from the tax recovery account to private individuals and businesses, such as Mr Sheriff Sawaneh, Mr Ansumana Tamba, Mr Omar Gibril Sallah, Events Planning and Management, Foni Carpentry and Construction Company and FMS Enterprise.
It could be recalled that the commission was recently set up to probe into assets owned by the former president Yahya Jammeh and it commenced sitting yesterday, where several banks appeared before it, to give evidence about banks accounts related to businesses dealing with the former president or his associates.
Read the full the details of other proceedings in our subsequent edition.

by Fatou Sowe -Daily Observer
August 11th, 2017

Numukunku Darboe, Lawyer Ousainou Darboe's Father.

During the course of the Cherno Baldeh trial, P.S Njie stayed in the small but emerging town of Bansang where he forged strong bonds with prominent members of the town. Amongst these men was Numukunda Darboe, a man of repute, an erudite Islamic scholar who never went through the formal education process, but through his will, passion, and persistence learned to read and write English in adulthood under the tutelage of his great friend, the late Foday Sidibeh. The strong bond between him and P.S Njie, a young Ousainou Darboe was entrusted to the foster care of the Banjul Lawyer under whose guardianship he completed his education in Banjul.

 In 1959, P.S. Njie needed a candidate to represent the United Party in Fulladu constituency. He call his loyal friend Numukunda Darboe. Numukunda’s move was risky and highly controversial especially at a period when partisan politics in Bansang and the country was decided largely along tribal lines. It did not matter to Numukunda P.S Njie was not a Mandinka. It did not matter Pierre Njie was not from the provinces.

 Numukunda contested his first elections in 1960, which he lost to Kebba Leigh and the PPP. He accepted defeat with grace and humility. Despite the endless taunting, discrimination, and intimidation launched against prominent opponents of the PPP in the country, Numukunda Darboe never buckled. In fact, Ousainou Darboe will see the first case of his father’s bravery that sunny morning when loaded his shotgun and laid in wait for the PPP caravans that rolled through Bansang, Among reports of all the arsons, plundering, and physical abuses PPP militants meted out on perceived opponents across the country, it is safe to say that Bansang was one town that was spared the nuisance – go figure. Sanjally Bojang who Lawyer Darboe once defended in a court case will fondly remind Ousainou Darboe about the valor and upright character of his father Numukunda Darboe

Numukunda will recover from the electoral defeat of 1960 to launch his campaign across Fulladu on his bicycle, knocking on doors and selling the agenda of the United Party to anyone willing to listen. He would eventually win Fulladu and the subsequent parliamentary elections against Alieu Marong of Georgetown, and Kebba Jawara of Bansang. The fact that Numukunda Darboe would defy the Mandinkas to side with the other tribes and become the only Mandinka opposition member in the house of representatives

 By Sheriff Kora (Guest opinion piece freedomnews paper, July 29th, 2016)

Gunmen Attack Pharamacy In Essau, The Gambia.

Tuesday, August 08, 2017

Seven people armed with gun have robbed Hajo Jarra Pharmacy in Essau village early hours of Friday morning, between the hours of 02:00 to 03:30, residents said.

The pharmacy is located opposite Essau health centre along Barra-Amdalai Highway.  It is just about 200 metres from the military base in Essau and approximately 150 metres from the Essau police checkpoint. 

The pharmacy owner, Jimmy Coker, said though no one died, the watchman was “seriously beaten” and currently admitted at Essau health centre.

Also, the armed robbers broke the safe in the pharmacy and went away with cash amount of at least D10,000, he said.

Momodou Jallow, the watchman, said the armed robbers came to the pharmacy on foot and it was seven of them.

“One of them scaled over the fence, entered the compound and called out my name, saying ‘Momodou Jallow be prepared for us because today we will kill you’.  He (the robber) started to kick me at my ribs but I also managed to stab him with my knife at his ribs and that was when the others rushed to me and started to hit me.

“I managed to escape and ran to the army camp when the armies arrived and they started to exchange gunshots.”

Jallow sustained series of injuries on his head and other parts of his body.

Mr Coker, the pharmacy owner,  said: “I was not around when the armed robbers came; I was at Serekunda health centre but my daughter, Anna Coker, who was in the compound in Essau called me, saying ‘dad please help me alarm the police; I can’t talk that much, there are armed robbers in the compound right now.’”

“I phoned Barra police station but could not get through the line.  I then called one of my friends who is an immigration officer at Denton Bridge to help contact Barra station.

“But he called back to say Barra police said they did not have fuel to go to the scene. Later, my daughter managed to call one of her ECOMIG (Ecowas soldiers in Gambia) friends who, together with some Gambian soldiers, came to rescue them but the moment they arrived, they started to exchange gunshots with the armed robbers.”

‘Swift police response’

However, the public relations officer of the police said as soon as Barra police station received information about the armed robbery, the men prepared and left for the scene.

“When Barra station got the information, some officers prepared and left for the scene but when the robbers saw them coming, they fired at them,” PRO Inspector Foday Conta said.  “Because the police had no gun, they had to take cover, meaning they hide so that the bullet would not hit them.  They then called the military.”

However, he confirmed that by the time the police arrived, the armed robbers were apparently done – they had broken the safe and taken the money already.

He continued:  “But the coming of the police delayed the departure of the armed robbers, they could not go out because maybe they were not sure whether the police were armed or not.  When the police took cover, they called the army and when the soldiers came, there was exchange of fire between them and the armed robbers. 

“But unfortunately, because of the darkness of the night, the robbers left the scene and the army could not trace them.” 

Conta said at the scene, the police recovered unspecified number of empty bullet case of single barrel gun (local gun) which was used by the armed robbers and empty bullet case of AK47 that was used by the men of the armed forces.

One of the robbers, he said, was injured as evidenced by the bloodstain after the attackers left. 

“The police tried to follow the bloodstain but it could not lead them to anywhere and so far, no suspect has been arrested,” the police PRO said.

Author: Lamin Jahateh & Ousman A Marong

Gambia Truth, Reconciliation And Reparations Commission (TRC) Launched.

The launching of Gambia’s much talked about Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRC) suffered a major setback due to overbooking at the Djembe Hotel. In order to avoid the cancellation of the launching ceremony, the event was hosted at a bedroom space, according to sources. Guests to the event congregated into the master bedroom, where the event is currently taking place.
 Djembe beach hotel is owned by Mr. Malleh Sallah, the number two man at the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC). The Justice Ministry booked for a conference room to host the event at Malleh’s hotel, but sadly officials of the Fisheries Ministry have already occupied the conference room. There is a Fisheries conference taking place at the conference room for the past two days, sources familiar with the story said.
Earlier on, guests attending the launching of the TRC waited for hours before the Justice Minister would arrive at the event. The program stared late, according to sources.
Frustrated event attendees have described the venue for the launching of the TRC as a “holding cell.”  The venue has been over congested with guests, sources said.
In another development, the event has been abruptly suspended, pending the completion of the Fisheries conference so that the TRC event can be relocated to the hotel’s conference room.
“They have just stopped to wait for the Fisheries officials to finish for them to move into the conference room. It is impossible to use the bedroom for the launching.  We are running two hours late,” said one guest attending the launching ceremony.
Written By Pa Nderry M’Bai   August 4th, 2017

72 -year old man dies in the hands of the police

 By Mustapha Jallow
A 72-year-old, one Ebrima died while in the custody of the police on Wednesday 26 July 2017.
According to a police source, on that fateful Wednesday, the Police had executed an arrest warrant for Ebrima after a report was filed to them that the said deceased has been engaging on blackmailing people.
The source added that the body was later transported to the mortuary at Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital (EFSTH) in Banjul for postmortem to be taken.
However, a source says that the case is now under Criminal Investigation Department (CID) for a preliminary investigation to ascertain the cause of the death.
Faji Kunda Police Post
During a visit to the station, relatives and friends of the deceased were seen giving their statements to the CID and uniformed police officers. They told this reporter that they are not aware of anything that relates to the man’s death. Attempts to obtain information relating to Ebrima’s death from the health centre where he is said to have been pronounced dead was unsuccessful.
Police spokesperson, Inspector Foday Conta told Foroyaa that the incident started when a case was reported at Faji-Kunda Police Post by one Ahmed Samba Kah, a 21-year-old petty trader.
A dispute over money between Ebrima and Samba ensued and Samba went to the nearest Police station in Faji-kunda and reported the matter to them. He said that the police on duty went for the old man and picked him up.
‘‘As he was waiting for the officers to obtain his statement and while interrogating him, the deceased started shaking and suddenly collapsed, then the police picked him and took him to Faji-kunda hospital. Upon arriving at the hospital, the nurse later realized that he passed away’’ he said.
PRO Conta said that investigation in to the matter is still going and the body is currently at the mortuary as he has no family around and the family has to give consent for a postmortem.
‘‘We’re still waiting for the family members for a postmortem to be conducted to ascertain the cause of death,’’ he said