By Fatou Dahaba
In his testimony before the special select committee investigating the sale and disposal of assets flagged by the Janneh Commission, veteran politician Amadou Kora has admitted he was never formally invited to the controversial cattle auction at former President Yahya Jammeh’s Kanilai sale ground. Instead, Kora revealed he stumbled upon the event purely out of curiosity, shedding new light on his unsolicited involvement in valuing livestock during the 2017 proceedings.
Kora, a seasoned livestock dealer with decades of experience, appeared before the committee on Tuesday, where he detailed how hearsay about the sale drew him to the site. Traveling from Basse in the Upper River Region, he recounted spotting a group of locals at the Kanilai junction in Foni Kansala, hauling freshly purchased cattle away from the venue. “Out of sheer curiosity, I decided to detour,” Kora told the deputies, explaining that he first toured parts of the village before reaching the bustling auction ground.
There, Kora encountered Mr. Jallow – whose first name he could not recall – an apparent valuer at the event. What began as an impromptu inspection quickly evolved into an advisory. Kora described intervening when Jallow undervalued a prime heifer at just D5,000 (about $75 USD).
Drawing on his expertise, Kora argued the animal’s robust weight, size, and age warranted a fairer price of D12,000. “Jallow didn’t object; he accepted my input right away,” Kora said, emphasizing that valuations were methodically based on physical attributes to ensure equity.
The politician clarified that his role was limited to two brief visits. First, he spent roughly three hours on-site, assisting in pricing over three head of cattle. The second outing was far shorter and more tense. “Buyers spotted me and grumbled – they feared I’d hike prices or call out lowballs,” Kora testified. Wary of potential backlash, including physical confrontation, he kept his distance and refrained from valuing any animals that day. Notably, Jallow consistently deferred to Kora’s judgment before finalizing bids, underscoring the informal trust that developed.
Kora was unequivocal in distancing himself from any profiteering: He purchased no cattle and had never crossed paths with Jallow before that fateful encounter. Their only subsequent interaction came months later, sparked by a radio discussion implicating Kora in the sales. Jallow reached out unprompted, assuring him, “You weren’t part of the sale – no one should drag your name into this.”
Throughout his two-hour appearance, Kora maintained he was oblivious to the event’s irregularities. “I had no idea Jallow wasn’t authorized or even affiliated with the Shariff Division,” he stated, expressing surprise that the cattle – part of Jammeh’s vast, ill-gotten agricultural empire – were being offloaded without proper oversight.
Kora, now aligned with the opposition United Democratic Party, reiterated his actions were altruistic, aimed at preventing undervaluation that could shortchange the public purse.
