By Tabora Bojang
Journalists were yesterday denied access to cover the testimony of the Financial Intelligence Unit in the National Assembly inquiry into the suspicious importation of petroleum products worth $30 million from a Russian ship
The enquiry already heard from a National Assembly Member Sainey Jawara and acting Registrar of Companies, Marie Therese Gomez, whose testimonies were covered by the press.
However, when journalists arrived for yesterday’s session, the director of committees said the session was a meeting not open to the media and requested that they leave the session.
He explained that the joint committee consisting of FPAC and PEC have resolved that the session be held behind closed doors.
The director described the session as a “consultation” between the FIU and the committee. Even when journalists pleaded to cover the session without disclosing identity of any witness, they were refused entry.
A senior member of the Assembly said all FIU reporting to the Assembly including the FPAC is normally conducted behind closed doors.
The chairman of FPAC, Hon Lamin J Sanneh, said the session was held behind closed doors as requested by FIU because of the sensitive nature of their work.
The inquiry is looking into allegations of bribery and tax evasion by three companies, Apogee FZC, Creed Energy Limited, and Ultimate Beige Logistics suspected of importing and selling petroleum products in The Gambia without paying taxes.
The Lower Saloum NAM Sainey Jawara who had tabled the motion for parliament to open inquiry into the case was also reportedly denied access at yesterday’s session.
A committee official explained that the lawmaker was himself a witness in the inquiry and may come back to testify before the committee.
NAM Jawara told The Standard that he and the general public are “dissatisfied” with the current handling of the proceedings. “Everyone must know the full story,” he said,
During his testimony, Jawara cited a report from FIU stating that the manner in which these companies [Apogee FZC, Creed Energy Limited, and Ultimate Beige Logistics] opened sub-accounts at Access Bank and Ecobank are “not in line” with the provisions of the Anti-Money Laundering and Combating Terrorist Financing Act 2012.
According to Jawara, the FIU had also said that the products were shipped into the country without due processes.
