By Baba Sillah
Wureh Njie-Ceesay, the managing director of Kanilai Group International, one of the many companies associated with former President Yahya Jammeh, has revealed to the Janneh Commission of Inquiry that the exiled close military confidant of Jammeh General Saul Badjie had requested KGI to make several payments to individuals including payments for air tickets for a delegation from The Gambia to Equatorial Guinea.
Ceesay was testifying at the Commission last week shortly before the break.
She further told the inquiry that General Badjie on 17 March and 22 March, 2017 while still in exile instructed her to pay a total sum of D3million to one Musu Ndure of APRC bureau while another payment of D100, 000 and D45, 000 was meant for Matarr Jarju and Lamin J Badjie respectively, again on Saul Badjie’s orders.
She recalled that another request for D250, 000 for air tickets for former protocol officer, Buba I Demba and former NAM Seedy SK Njie. Ceesay further said Badjie requested a payment of D79, 000 for one Yahya S Colley for the purchase of CFA francs, while some D50, 000 was to go to one Corporal Yankuba Colley, a soldier.
Mrs Ceesay also explained how she became the managing director of KGI and how shares were offered to her and General Badjie by the former president.
She testified that she was appointed as MD in March 2014 by the then Secretary General, Momodou Sabally.
Mrs Ceesay, a trained banker said she used to work at FIB before she was appointed as the managing director of KGI.
According to her, she took over from Pa Bojang when one Saja Camara was the finance director, who also left two weeks after her appointment, adding that the company is under the receivership of Augustus Prom Firm.
When shown an amended memorandum and article of association of the company dated 8 August, 2016 and asked by Commission Counsel, Amie Bensouda to explain how shares were transferred to her and exiled General Saul Badjie, she said Saul Badjie has 60% shares while the remaining 40% was hers.
However, she said she has no other document to prove that she has the said share in the company, stating that she used to communicate directly with Saul Badjie with matters relating to KGI who was also a member of the board.
The board of the company according to her, comprised herself, Saul Badjie and President Jammeh but neither herself nor Saul Badjie bought their shares rather it was Jammeh who offered them in a bid to separate the company from politics.
Mrs Ceesay confirmed that the company is under receivership after the change of regime but since the former President Yahya Jammeh went into exile, she was not in contact with him but again confirmed that they received requests from Saul Badjie while he was in exile, which they rejected.
