Gambia: Breaking News: American Lobbyist Debunks Kapu Cham’s Testimony; As EAW Group CEO Set The Record Straight!
John Aycoth former lobbyist for the exiled Gambian dictator Yahya Jammeh, has debunked claims made by Abdoulie Cham, AKA Kapu Cham, the former Financial Controller at the Central Bank of The Gambia, who claimed in his testimony before the Janneh Commission that on August 24th, 2001, the sum of $800,000 dollars was paid to Mr. Aycoth’s EAW Group Lobby Firm bank account on the instructions of Yahya Jammeh. Setting the record straight during a Freedom Radio Gambia interview on Saturday, Mr. Aycoth said he is not denying that $800,000 dollars was paid to his account, but was quick to point out that neither Mr. Cham, nor the Central Bank of the Gambia were involved in the said transaction. He said the funds were wired directly to his company’s account by the Central Bank of the Republic of China on Taiwan. The funds were meant for the purchase of 36 trucks SUVS, a bullet proof BMW, and spare parts for the former dictator. What Mr. Cham is saying is partially true. The $800,000 dollars was wired, and I have discussed this before in previous radio interviews. And, the document came out of the trial in 2005, when I sued president Jammeh and the government for nonpayment for the year of 2002, which as you may know; I was hired by the president and terminated; which he cannot do,” Mr. Aycoth said
“Mr. Cham said in his statement that on 24th of August 2001, that $800,000 dollars was paid to my company EAW Group on the instructions of the former president. I just want to clarify to both you, your viewers and listeners, and to the people, who make up this commission; I was paid $800,000 dollars then to purchase a number of trucks SUVS and bullet proof BMW; but the president and the Central Bank never paid that from the Republic of the Gambia. That money was transferred directly to me, from the Central Bank of the Republic of China on Taiwan. So, that thing I want to clarify; the appearance of what Mr. Cham is saying is that; that he and the Central Bank paid it of Gambia and that is not true. And I think he is supposed to be truthful when he testifies. So, that’s my response. The money was sent directly to me, from the Republic of China on Taiwan Central Bank, and we have the documents to proof that it came from Taiwan; not the Republic of the Gambia,” Mr. Aycoth clarified.
According to Mr. Aycoth, the Embassy of the Gambia in Washington DC was involved in the purchase of the vehicles. The late John P Bojang was the Gambian Ambassador to the United States at the time. He described the late Mr. Bojang as the president’s cousin.
Mr. Aycoth therefore vehemently dismissed Mr. Cham’s claims. He said the only person he dealt with from the Gambia during the procurement of the vehicles was Yahya Jammeh.
“My understanding from what the president told me, is that he told the Taiwan Ambassador that he needed the money transferred. So, there was no involvement from the Central Bank of the Gambia; that’s my understanding. The president told me, at the time that he has given the invoice for the vehicles and the spare parts to the Ambassador of Taiwan; and he said he would transfer the money; and then the president called me, and told me, it would be coming from Taiwan; that Taiwan agreed to pay,” the American lobbyist tells Freedom Radio.
“And, you got to understand the additional money between the vehicles purchased and the $800,000, also included the funds to ship all of that out of the port of Baltimore to Banjul.There were no funds transferred to me, from the Central Bank of the Gambia to me at all. The only time that funds were paid to me directly was from the Taiwanese government,” he posited.
When asked whether he has ever dealt with Abdoulie Cham, John replied in the negative. “I never heard of the man. The only person I dealt with concerning the contract between my company EAW Group and the Republic of the Gambia, was with the Finance Minister Famara Jatta. That was the only person I have ever dealt with and that was with the presence of the president; I had meeting with him at his office, or he will come see me at my room at the hotel; I was staying at the Coconut hotel,” he said.
Further asked as to whether there was any impropriety in regards to the $800,000 dollars that was transferred to his account by the government of Taiwan; whether he has done anything wrong? Mr. Aycoth had this to say: “Well I didn’t do anything wrong. The president asked me to get him these trucks SUVS on behalf of the government; on behalf of the office of the president; and I think 36 vehicles; and all the spare parts; and the spare tires; and then of course we had included the shipping fee, which was quiet substantial; and remember that was not part of my job description under my contract with the government; that’s outside of it; and of course in the judge’s ruling; the Federal judge in our case against the Gambia; she ruled that I was repeatedly asked to do things that were outside my contract on behalf of the Gambia by the president.”
Aycoth said the Embassy uses its tax-exempt status to ship the vehicles from the US to the Gambia. He said he will be more than willing to testify via a video conference call to the Janneh Commission if subpoenaed.
Aycoth has over the years led an aggressive campaign to name and shame the former Gambian despot. He said Jammeh should be arrested and extradited to face trial in the Gambia for financial crimes and crimes against humanity.
Read the full interview we had with Mr. Aycoth in our subsequent edition.
Written By Pa Nderry M’Bai
December 2nd, 2017.
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