By Fatou Dahaba
Kebba Bojang, Assistant Secretary to the Janneh Commission, faced intense questioning from lawmakers regarding discrepancies in the sale of former President Yahya Jammeh’s vehicles. Testifying via livestream from the United States before a special select committee, Bojang was grilled on undervaluations and sales below reserve prices, raising concerns about the integrity of the asset disposal process.
The committee focused on a vehicle valued at D500,000 but listed with a reserve price of D5,000, which Bojang attributed to a “typo.” The vehicle was ultimately sold for D3000, prompting Counsel Dibba to call the error “reckless,” noting the D495,000 discrepancy. Bojang claimed he could not recall if this was the only undervalued vehicle and mentioned contacting Ms. George to authorize the sale, though details remained vague.
Further inconsistencies emerged. Bojang denied being the Kebba Bojang from Jambur who purchased two vehicles, but admitted that Famara Sidibeh, a commission staff member, bought a Ford vehicle valued at D5,000 for D3,000 during an auction on January 21, 2019. Another buyer, Hamidu Jah of Jah Oil Company, acquired three vehicles, with one valued at D20,000 but sold for D2,000 below the reserve price. Jah claimed the vehicles were in poor condition—unroadworthy with damaged engines, gearboxes, and headlights—yet the significant discount raised eyebrows. Counsel Dibba pressed Bojang on whether he sought guidance from Ms. Sarr for this transaction, but answers remained evasive.
Another case involved a Benz car, identified as MK57, which was sold at its reserve price of D30,000, although inconsistencies persisted in Bojang’s testimony. The committee noted that Jah Oil Company frequently purchased assets at or below reserve prices, while some buyers paid significantly above the reserve prices.
Dibba highlighted duplicated items in the report and questioned whether it had been doctored, asking if the records had been compiled on-site or after the fact. Bojang explained that sales involved payments to cashiers, the issuance of receipts and vouchers, and the preparation of a bill of sale, but did not fully address the concerns.
On tractor sales, Bojang reported that 43 of 59 tractors were sold, with 16 reserved, and valuations were conducted with the vehicle control unit. However, the committee remained skeptical, with Dibba pointing to “favorable” prices for certain buyers, casting doubt on the transparency of the process.
