By Baba Sillah
Mobicell Blue Company boss, Bala Jassey, returned to the Janneh commission regarding the management of Gamtel international gateway contracts which his company had given technical support to.
Commission Amie Bensouda began asking Jassey to confirm a letter dated 3 February 2014 written by one Muhammed Lamin Jaiteh from the Office of the President.
He also testified that he spoke to the former First Lady in French through Saul Badjie’s phone but did not know why the first lady spoke to him in French while he was in Dakar. He said his interaction with General Saul Badjie was based on instructions.
He confirmed carrying out works at State House in 2012 costing $316,469.
Asked whether he was instrumental in connecting MGI with The Gambia, Mr Jassey said he never had a specific meeting with any secretary general.
The Mobicell boss also denied attending a meeting with officials of MGI at Kanilai but confirmed that a letter was sent to their office for him to attend the meeting but he did not.
Asked what effort he made when MGI wanted to manage the gateway, he responded that the company was dealing directly with the former president.
He asserted that he never had a certificate from GIEPA and he had never bid for any contract at the Office of the President or Gamtel but confirmed receiving payments of D461, 680 from the Tax Recoveries Account.
On the National Assembly contract, Mr Jassey explained that it was awarded to him by Baboucarr Sanyang the then managing director of Gamtel.
Mr Jassey also denied that he was overpaid on the contract sum of $585,804 and a $35,000 default payment.
Mr Jassey revealed that he held several meetings at the National Assembly before and after the contract and was invited by NA and Gamtel but he never communicated directly with the Assembly.
Mr Jassey also confirmed carrying out ICT projects for MGI and told the inquiry that he replaced the router at Gamtel on behalf of MGI, further stating that he could not tell the commission the total cost for the ICT projects because they “summarised” the payments.
Documents relating to the projects carried out on behalf of MGI and other relevant documents were tendered and admitted in evidence.
Sitting continues today.
