BOMBSHELL
The Money Trail: How Jammeh Pillages Gambia’s Economy, Transfers
US$ 4,480,634.87 Millions to Lamin Sanyang, June-Dec., 2007
--Women, 5Armored Armadas, S600 Mercedes Benz Costing $151,625 etc.
Yahya Jammeh's US dollars from "Allah's Bank"
By EBRIMA G. SANKAREH, Editor-In-Chief
Ever since we began unraveling Yahya Jammeh’s corruption web with promises of more damning evidence, we have been inundated with a barrage of phone calls. Our email has been equally saturated with inquiries and interests in the scoop. The unprecedented level of interest demonstrated from Gambians everywhere and other organizations thus far, punctuates the degree of seriousness with which this story is taken. However, our correspondents Kissy Kissy Mansa and Waato Seeta (welcome Waato!) have been working round the clock to produce solid, unassailable, incontrovertible evidence, perhaps the most withering indictment of Gambia’s utterly despicable dictator, Yahya Jammeh. Today, we at The Gambia Echo are please to report that everything is set to expose the utterly criminal character of the Jammeh regime. As stated elsewhere, the national interest supersedes friendship especially, where the potential exists for the latter, to be used as a cover up for malfeasance and or state corruption. The exposure is all too paramount considering that when Yahya Jammeh seized power on July 22,1994, he and his clique of hispid lieutenants terrorized the once peaceful nation, preaching a Trinity based on Transparence, Probity and Accountability all of which have eclipsed once Jammeh tasted power.
It is against this backdrop that we report intoto, the manifest lack of transparency, accountability and probity in Yahya Jammeh’s dubious relationship with The Gambia’s Financial Attaché in Washington, DC, Lamin Sabi Sanyang. Only last February, Sanyang who weighs more gravitas than all Ambassadors since 2000 because of his jealously guarded proximity to President Jammeh was seen in the streets of Banjul driving a State House limousine with tinted glasses, no license plate and given a room at the Kairaba, a five star hotel at state expense. We have photographs of his stay in the hotel and in very compromising circumstances, but we chose to leave that, at least for now. What we cannot ignore however, is the pillaging of our economy.
In a document prepared by Lamin Sabi Sanyang and in our possession captioned: “Statement of Account For The Period June to December 2007”, one sees evidence of abuse of office and a pervasive pattern of deceit to divert funds and spend millions of US Dollars in activities that continue to raise eyebrows.
In total, there were 13 wire transfers to Lamin Sabi Sanyang through Citi Bank. Of these, 2 were in June 2007, 3 in July 2007, 2 in August 2007, 2 in September 2007, 1 in October 2007 and 3 in November 2007 totaling US$ 4, 480, 634.87 as graphically reproduced in Appendix No.I below.
Tabular Analysis of Wire Transfers & Disbursement
In Appendix No.1 below, President Jammeh’s first dispatch to Lamin Sanyang effected on June 13, 2007 was $29,663.21. Particulars? “Balance bf” (i.e. balance before) is all Sanyang entered into the statement of account even though he made a payment of $6,085.19. To whom? We do not know.
In the June 21, 2007 dispatch, President Jammeh sends in $49,980.00. Particulars? Central Missouri State University being tuition fees for Abdou Jammeh. On the same date, the records show that Lamin Sabi Sanyang wrote out a Citi Bank Check No. 2307 to Abdou Jammeh in the amount of $1,343.00. After we saw the entry, The Echo conducted investigations to know precisely who this lucky Abdou Jammeh was. We found out that Jammeh is a native of Sintet and a 1996 graduate of St. Fatima high school in Bwiam, Western Region. He reportedly worked for Quantum before he came to the States. It continues to defy our imagination why President Jammeh would spend such exorbitant tuition fees in America when he has a Gambia University (so he claims) that he often brags about; where that same amount could have educated 50 students for four years.
On July 16, 2007 Jammeh wired $38,580.00 to Sanyang. Particulars? Priority Worldwide for shipment of a 40ft. container. On the same day, the record shows that using Citi Bank Check No.2310, Sanyang disbursed US$6,045.00 as payment to that courier.
However, two weeks earlier, on July 1, 2007, President Jammeh wired US$53,292.16. Particulars? Wailea Beach Villas (final payment for Hawaii) where our sources alleged, President Jammeh through Sanyang, spent a record US$400,000 for seven black American beauty queens.
On July 30,2007 President Jammeh sends in US$49,980.00. Particulars? Payment for Yellow Cat Productions (33 percent deposit). Yellow Cat production specializes in film and video production and was in The Gambia in July 2004 filming the dictator with Burkina Faso’s autocratic President Blaisé Campaore and others. On the same date, the records indicate that Sanyang used Citi Bank Check No.2312 and disbursed US$23,250.15 to Washington, DC headquartered Yellow Cat Production.
Yellow Cat's crew filming dictator Jammeh with Malian entainers , JULY, 2004.
On August 13, 2007, President Jammeh transfers US$399,974.00 to surrogate Lamin Sanyang. According to the records, on the same date, Sanyang using Check No.2314 disbursed to Alpha Travel Agency $6,279.00 to purchase air tickets for Yellow Cat production’s film crew.
Curiously, only four days later, on August 17, 2007 President Jammeh transfers US$249,976.00 to Lamin Sanyang. There is no entry as to how these huge funds were to be used nor do we know how they were used. The record is blank; no particulars, no check numbers no payments reflected as can be seen from Appendix No.1. This is followed by alleged $18,000 payment to Alexandria Production, no date, no payment method indicated other than the abbreviation A/C meaning account. From whose account is anybody’s wildest guess.
Tabular Analysis of Appendix No. II
On September 5, 2007, President Jammeh wires in US$2,737,117.50 to surrogate Lamin Sanyang. Particulars? “Final payment of invoice.” Whose invoice? The records did not say and how Sanyang may have used those funds- Two Million, Seven Hundred and Thirty Seven Dollars and Fifty Cents is not only worrisome but scandalous especially, bearing in mind that President Jammeh has sent several Gambians to Mile II Prisons over alleged misappropriation of funds that pale in comparison.
Two weeks later, on September 19, 2007 President Jammeh transfers US$50,976.00 to Lamin Sanyang. Particulars? Abdou Jammeh’s pocket money although according to the records, on Check No.2330 Sanyang only disbursed $1,000.00 to Abdou Jammeh, which now raises the suspicion, that Abdou Jammeh may be used as a decoy of a clandestine operation of offshore money laundering.
On October 12, 2007 president Jammeh transfers US$455,590.00 to Lamin Sanyang. Particulars? Redcoat Express for airfreight of laptops to Banjul. However, according to the records, only $1,850.37 was paid through Citi Bank Check No.2335. Our sources alleged that one Abdou Kalleh is the Redcoat agent in cohort with Sanyang through most of these shipments as dubious and as nefarious as they are.
To be continued…
In Part II, we will reveal how Jammeh bought 31 buses, 5 armored Armadas from international armoring etc, etc. Stay tuned to The Echo for a more detailed report on Yahya Jammeh’s corruption. In part II, we will reproduce Apendix II, III, IV and V
Appendix No.I below.
STATEMENT OF ACCOUNT FOR THE PERIOD JUNE TO DECEMBER 2007
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INCOMING WIRES
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RECEIPT
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PAYMENTS
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DATE
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PARTICULARS
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AMOUNT
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PARTICULARS
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CHQ#
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AMOUNT
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13/06/2007
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OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT
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29,663.21
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Balance bf
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6,085.19
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21/06/2007
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OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT
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49,980.00
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Central Missouri State University
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2307
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1,343.00
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(Tuition Fees for Abdou Jammeh)
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16/07/2007
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OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT
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38,580.00
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Priority Worldwide)
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2310
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6,045.00
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(Cost of 40 Ft Container)
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01/7/2007
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OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT
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53,292.1 6
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Wailea Beach Villas
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AlC
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20,868.98
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(Final Payment for Hawaii)
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30/07/2007
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OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT
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49,980.00
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Yellow Cat Production
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2312
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23,250.15
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(33% deposit)
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13/08/2007
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OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT
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399,974.00
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Alpha Travels
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2314
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6,279.00
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(Air tickets for YeliowCat team)
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17/08/2007
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OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT
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249,976.00
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