By Baba Sillah
The Commission of Inquiry into the financial dealings of the former President Yahya Jammeh, close associates and family members has imposed an interim order on the assets of the former governor of the Central Bank, Amadou Colley.
A public notice issued by the Commission on 31 May argued that the evidence adduced before the commission showed that Amadou Colley was the immediate past governor of the Central Bank of The Gambia from 3 December 2010 to 8 May 2017 and during his tenure, he approved irregular withdrawals from the International Gateway [Vision 2016] Account by General Sulayman Badjie and other military and protocol officers without written approval from the sole signatory to the Account [Ex- President Jammeh].
According to the statement, instead Mr Colley created documents [not on any letterhead] on which General Sulayman Badjie, military and protocol officers signed, acknowledging receipt of monies from CBG purportedly on behalf of Jammeh or Saul Badjie.
“Amadou Colley also approved and facilitated withdrawals requested by text messages received from General Sulayman Badjie who purported to be acting for the Ex-President. One of the text messages from General Sulayman Badjie indicates the Ex-President gave him D200, 000.00 for Amadou Colley. [The Commission is investigating this matter]. The commission hereby declares Amadou Colley a close associate of Ex-President Jammeh,” the statement signed by Chairman of the commission revealed.
“Meanwhile the Commission hereby orders that, Amadou Colley be restrained whether by himself or his officers, servants, agents or any of them or otherwise howsoever from, selling, assigning, mortgaging, charging or otherwise disposing of any of the moveable or immoveable assets whether directly or indirectly owned including land, shares, stocks, debentures or other interest in any of their companies or businesses in The Gambia or outside The Gambia pending further order of this Commission or the outcome of the inquiry.
“The inquiry ordered that the assets of Mr Colley within the jurisdiction are hereby frozen pending further orders of the inquiry and members of the public are invited to provide any information they may have regarding the assets owned by Mr Colley in or out of the country and such information will be treated as confidential,” the statement added.
The statement however reminded Mr Colley of his right and liberty to appeal.
