Buah Saidy, the governor of the Central Bank of The Gambia, testified Tuesday before the Special Select Committee of the National Assembly that is looking into the handling and sale of assets taken from former President Yahya Jammeh.
Mr. Saidy said in his testimony how two bank accounts were established, one in Gambian Dalasi and one in US dollars, to accept the money that was recovered from the sale of assets connected to Mr. Jammeh, his allies, and businesses that were associated with him. Additionally, transfers from commercial bank accounts under the former president’s authority were made to those accounts.
Mr. Saidy pointed out that when the Janneh Commission, the investigation that looked into financial transactions under the Jammeh era, started working or turned in its final report, he was not the governor of the central bank. “I am confident that the bank complied with all legal requirements during the relevant period,” he added, emphasizing that he took office in October 2020.
Mr. Saidy acknowledged that the dollar-denominated account was opened on October 3, 2017, when questioned by committee counsel Kah. Muhammed Lamin Bah, who is currently the ambassador of The Gambia to the United States, Clara Saine Mendy, the accountant general, and three senior members of the Accountant General’s Department—Musa Bah, Ousman Darboe, and Mbye Nyang—are among its signatories.
“Who are the signatories to the dollar account? Counsel Kah asked.
According to the witness, the current Gambia’s ambassador to the United States, Muhammad Lamin Bah, as well as the country’s accountant general, Clara Saine Mendy, Deputy Accountant General Musa Bah, Deputy Accountant General Ousman Darboe, and Mbye Nyang, are the signatories to that account. He stated that on October 3rd, 2017, the account was opened.
According to him, the account’s first activity was a $258,506.25 deposit made on October 20, 2017. The account’s balance was zero by September 17, 2025. Mr. Saidy informed MPs that the entire amount of withdrawals was $2,105,547.57, which is the account’s entire shortfall.
He stated in his testimony that the accountant general, who chose the recipient of each transfer, gave the order for all account withdrawals.
Mr. Saidy stated that the money was sent to a number of government accounts, including as those for the Constitutional Review Commission, the Asset Recovery Unit, the Janneh Commission, and other government agencies.
