By Fatou Dahaba
Mr. Ebrima Cham, Board Chairperson of the Gambia Livestock Marketing Agency (GLMA), has firmly denied allegations that his agency participated in pricing livestock linked to former President Yahya Jammeh, as identified by the Janneh Commission.
Speaking before the National Assembly’s special select committee on Tuesday, Cham dismissed claims by former commission secretary Mr. Kurang, labeling the commission’s record sheet on the pricing process as “dubious and fake.”
Cham expressed deep dissatisfaction with the pricing methodology, which he said was based on the meat value of the livestock. He argued that pricing a 40kg cow at D7,200 was “not realistic” given the market rates at the time. “For over 700 animals, how can you tag them based on meat value? That is not feasible. The agency never used meat value to place prices on livestock, never,” Cham asserted, emphasizing that GLMA had no role in the pricing process.
The Janneh Commission, established to investigate the financial dealings and asset disposal of former President Jammeh, had previously implicated GLMA in the valuation process. Mr. Kurang alleged that GLMA officials, led by Cham, participated in “eyeballing” the livestock, estimating their weight, and assigning monetary values. Cham categorically refuted these claims, stating that his office did not calculate the weight of any animals, as such practices were not standard in the sub-region.
Cham, who served as GLMA’s deputy director during the commission’s inquiry, acknowledged that his agency participated in tagging and valuation exercises but was explicitly instructed by Kurang not to keep records. “We were blindfolded for a purpose,” Cham told the committee, expressing shock at the contents of Kurang’s report. He accused the commission of producing misleading records, adding, “No one would dream that an inquiry set up by law to establish the truth would provide fake or dubious records.”
Counsel Agie Sainey Kay pressed Cham on GLMA’s failure to maintain records, noting that this left the committee in a difficult position, as Kurang had produced documentation while GLMA denied involvement. Cham maintained that from May 2017, GLMA did not keep records of Jammeh’s livestock and was not responsible for supervising or controlling them.
The controversy surrounding the livestock pricing has raised questions about the transparency and accuracy of the Janneh Commission’s findings. Cham’s testimony underscores a broader concern about the integrity of the commission’s processes, particularly in how it handled the valuation and disposal of assets tied to the former president.
As the National Assembly committee continues its probe, Cham’s statements have cast doubt on the commission’s records, leaving lawmakers to grapple with conflicting accounts. The committee is expected to summon additional witnesses to clarify the discrepancies and determine the true extent of GLMA’s involvement in the livestock pricing saga.
The outcome of this investigation could have significant implications for public trust in both the Janneh Commission and the institutions tasked with managing national assets, as The Gambia seeks to address the legacy of financial mismanagement under Jammeh’s regime.
