By: Sainabou Sambou
At a High Court session presided over by Justice Ebrima Jaiteh, Saihou Drammeh, the former General Manager of Gam Petroleum Storage Facility Company Limited, firmly rejected claims that he personally received $221,000 from ING Company Limited amid allegations of fraud and misappropriation in a major petroleum supply dispute.
The denial came as Drammeh opened his defense in the ongoing civil lawsuit brought by GACH Global Trading Company Limited against him and his former wife, Khadijatou Kebbeh. GACH, owned by businessman Abubakary Jawara, accuses the pair of fraudulently diverting funds intended for fuel supplies, seeking recovery of over D58 million (approximately equivalent to substantial foreign currency sums at prevailing rates), plus $221,000 for petroleum products, $1,600 in alleged commission, D1 million in legal fees, and accrued interest.
The dramatic proceedings unfolded after the court swiftly dismissed a procedural motion filed by Drammeh, clearing the way for his testimony to begin without further delay.
Representing the plaintiff, GACH Global were Counsel I. D. Drammeh and A. S. Tambadou. The first defendant, Khadijatou Kebbeh, was represented by Counsel K. Jallow, while Drammeh (second defendant) appeared through Counsel B. S. Conteh and S. Akimbo.
Earlier in the session, Drammeh’s legal team had moved a Motion on Notice dated February 5, 2026, seeking leave to file an additional list of documents and have them deemed properly filed and served. A 13-paragraph affidavit from Ndogal Sowe backed the application.
When the motion was called, Counsel Akimbo presented it. Still, Justice Jaiteh immediately questioned the legal foundation, emphasizing that all court applications must cite specific enabling provisions under the Constitution, statutes, or procedural rules.
Unable to pinpoint a supporting rule, Akimbo requested to withdraw the motion for potential refiling at a later time. This drew fierce opposition from plaintiff’s counsel, I.D. Drammeh, who argued that allowing withdrawal after arguments commenced would encourage endless procedural maneuvers and delay justice. She referenced the Court of Appeal’s ruling in Thelma Bolane Fowlis (Nee Sarr) v Joseph Joof (Civil Appeal No. 039/2018), warning against practices that could flood the courts with corrective applications.
Counsel K. Jallow for Kebbeh supported the plaintiff’s stance, urging outright dismissal.
In a firm ruling, Justice Jaiteh declared the motion procedurally defective. He observed that the pleadings had closed and the pre-trial processes had concluded, rendering the introduction of new documents untimely at this stage. The failure to disclose a legal basis was fatal, he said, and withdrawing mid-argument to fix errors would erode procedural discipline.
The court denied the abandonment request and dismissed the February 5 motion in its entirety. Justice Jaiteh directed Drammeh to proceed immediately with his defense, stressing that no further delays would be tolerated for baseless applications.
With the procedural hurdle cleared, Drammeh took the stand. He sought to adopt his earlier affidavit of testimony filed on June 29, 2022, as his witness statement.
In his sworn account, Drammeh categorically denied receiving any funds from GACH Global, its representatives, or through intermediaries. He challenged Jawara’s claims directly, asserting that he never personally pocketed any money or improperly directed any to Gam Petroleum.
Drammeh outlined his tenure at Gam Petroleum, where he served as General Manager until November 15, 2021, when he was placed on administrative leave (later resulting in his dismissal). He explained that Jawara informed him ING Company Limited had secured a bid to supply 25,000 metric tonnes of fuel to The Gambia, with confirmation from GNPC (Gambia National Petroleum Corporation) management.
GNPC reportedly requested Gam Petroleum’s cooperation to allow ING (linked to GACH) to uplift fuel on credit pending the shipment’s arrival. Drammeh said initial requests covered 400 metric tonnes of PMS (Premium Motor Spirit) for the first month.
After consultations, Gam Petroleum permitted upliftment on a “negative balance” basis, with the explicit understanding that fuel would be replaced “liter for liter” upon arrival of the shipment. Supplies were released to GNPC per GACH instructions, he testified.
The anticipated shipment never materialized, and GACH failed to replenish the stock, leaving ING/GACH as a debtor on Gam Petroleum’s books for the equivalent value.
Drammeh rejected any personal demand or receipt of $221,000, insisting that no such payment was made to him or the company via Kebbeh. He disavowed alleged WhatsApp messages involving a figure named “Kuringo,” stating they were not his.
He also denied arrest or detention related to these specific allegations, though he acknowledged a separate police detention at Kotu over unrelated diesel matters. Drammeh called several plaintiff claims “false and fabricated,” affirming his testimony was true to the best of his knowledge.
Under cross-examination by Counsel K. Jallow (for Kebbeh), Drammeh detailed his qualifications: a petroleum engineer from Brufut with a Bachelor’s degree from National Taiwan Technical University and a Master’s in Oil and Gas Management from Royal Dutch University in Norway, as well as training in Venezuela.
He joined GNPC in 2008 as Operations Officer, rising quickly due to the entity’s nascent structure, then moved to Gam Petroleum in 2015, becoming Acting General Manager in 2016 and confirmed in 2017.
He identified Exhibit P1 as a July 2, 2021, Group Agreement among Gam Petroleum, Storage Pacific Limited, and GACH Global for storage, tied to GACH’s contracts with GNPC and NAWEC. No payments flowed under it absent actual deliveries, he said.
Drammeh confirmed Kebbeh was his ex-wife and had acted as GACH’s agent during their marriage, though their agency ended in 2021—news he learned during a police probe.
He addressed a video showing cash (dollars and euros) in his office, vaguely linking it to petroleum dealings but not specifying the currency or tying it to GACH.
Drammeh said he left Gam Petroleum in 2021 after refusing a disciplinary hearing over alleged corrupt panel members; company rules treated non-attendance as automatic dismissal.
The high-profile case, which has featured explosive prior testimonies—including allegations of cash handovers in luxury bags and large foreign currency transfers—continues to draw attention in Gambia’s business and energy sectors.
Justice Jaiteh adjourned proceedings to April 30, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. for continuation.
