By Baba Sillah
Former Justice Minister Edward Gomez has denied any relationship with the exiled former president Jammeh when he appeared before the Janneh Commission yesterday to clarify documents relating to the sale of Kairaba Beach Hotel.
Beginning his evidence before the enquiry, Mr Gomez said he has been a legal practitioner for 38 years and was the Attorney General and Minister of Justice from 2010 to 2012.
Testifying on the documents which he was summoned to clarify after careful perusal, he said the documents were brought to him by someone from the State House which he said were urgently needed at the time.
He said he was only given the documents to endorse them but he could not tell the Commission who gave him the documents.
Mr Gomez, who had filed an election petition on behalf of the exiled former president at the Constitutional Court after losing the December presidential election in 2016, said he did not have any relationship with the former president, stating that he was not acting as a lawyer for the former president.
He however claimed that circumstances at the time dictated him to do what he had done, noting that nobody instructed him to sign the documents while denied knowing Catherine Tamba.Mr Gomez acknowledged making deed of gift for Jammeh when he [Jammeh] needed a property at Sukuta.
According to him, his understanding was that the former president was going to establish an estate but sold it to an estate company. He revealed that he did not receive a single butut for signing the documents, stating further that he had no connection with Kairaba Beach Hotel nor did he meet the parties.
Mr Gomez posited that he did not know the reason he was selected to sign the documents, indicating that the signing of the documents was not proper because it indicated that it was endorsed purportedly by him as a legal practitioner.
He said he never saw again those who asked him to endorse the documents.
Isaac Mendy, Modou Nying and other staff of Gamtel also testified on the gateway management.
Sittings continue today.
