The fraud squad of the Gambia Police Force has started investigating allegations of tax fraud by the executive of the Gambia Football Federation GFF.
According to assistant police PRO Foday Conta, so far the police have invited and interviewed GFF president Lamin Kaba Bajo, executive member Bakary Jammeh and two others while more are expected to be called this week.
The policeman would not disclose details but added that investigation is ongoing and it is at the request of the National Assembly Select Committee on Sports.
Mr Conta said the investigations will be completed by July 15.
The National Assembly Select Committee last month summoned the IGP over his delay in investigating the allegations of tax fraud referred to it by the National Sports Council.
One particular case the NSC chairman Borri Darboe accused the GFF of defrauding the state by failing to withhold and pay tax totaling D900.000 to the GRA from a contract of D10Million awarded to General Procurement Service, GSC.
This is the second investigation the GFF is likely to face after the National Assembly too recommended that a parliamentary investigation be conducted by a matter of public concern into the affairs of the Fifa Goal Project after criticisms that the sums GFF reported to have spent in renovation is ridiculously high and morally unjustifiable.
In all these cases the GFF had denied wrongdoing and accused its opponents in football of using their offices at the national sport council and the National assembly to witch hunt them.
Last night The Standard contacted an expert observer of Gambian sports who said he will not comment on a matter under investigations but however volunteered that the entire tax portfolio of the GFF for the last four years has come under the radar in this investigations. He said the companies involved in GFF contracts either as consultant or contractors including General Procurement Services, Idea Company, Francis Jones Consultancy and Shrenji Construction Company will all have their dealings with the GFF investigated.
