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Momodou
Denmark
11634 Posts |
 Posted - 17 Feb 2022 : 10:09:58
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"ALLEGED D11.1MILLION BRIBERY ALLEGATION ROCKS CENTRAL BANK OF THE GAMBIA”
Impeccable sources close to the Central Bank of the Gambia (CBG) have revealed bribery allegations amounting to eleven million and one hundred thousand dalasi (D11.1million) reportedly received by officials of the nations top Bank and two other International Monetary Fund (IMF) officials.
According to information gathered by this medium, one Ansuman Bah, a Gambian national and resident of Brusubi Phase 1, deposited one hundred and fifty five million dalasi (D155million) mutilated banknotes with the Bankers Bank on the 21st March, 2021 to be changed into new banknotes.
Reports say during that transaction, one Abdou Ceesay, a staff of the Central Banks currency development department demanded a bribe of D11.1million to facilitate the process that ended up failing.
Our source further revealed that the mutilated banknotes amounting to D155million were later uncovered to be fake banknotes currently in circulation in the country.
“What I can confirm is that Ansuman Bah, paid eleven million and one hundred thousand dalasi (D11.1million) to Abdou Ceesay, a staff at the currency department of Central Bank of the Gambia with the impression that he will change these monies to new banknotes. I can also confirm that Abdou Ceesay named more than eighteen staff of CBG and two other IMF officials who allegedly shared the bribed monies paid,” Our sources at CBG disclosed.
They continued to revealed that the mastermind of this scandal, Abdou Ceesay also confessed giving D2.8million and D1million to one Alcel Kataciga and one Mr. Bojang respectively, adding that the duo are all IMF officials who helped in confirming the changing of these alleged banknotes.
The source also revealed that D1.4million was allegedly given to the mastermind’s immediate boss, one Mr. Jarju, adding that the Head of IT, Costodian of Vault, Syvester Gomez, Head of Vault and Head of Intelligence at the CBG, Basirou Janneh all allegedly received One million dalasi (D1million) to help in the process.
Other officials of CBG who reportedly received part of the D11.1million according to our source includes, the Head of Security, Omar Touray who was allegedly given D650, 000, and Deputy Head of Security Chikam Bah, who also allegedly received D600, 000, adding that nine (9) other night security guards also shared D450, 000 and D250, 000 went to the night security supervisor.
TAT has done all efforts to speak to both the Governor of Central Bank of the Gambia, Buah Saidy and his deputy, Basaikou Jabbie to shedlight on the matter to no avail.
Our reporter also reached out to the Alleged mastermind of the D155million scandal to confirmed the veracity of the allegations but he declined to speak on the matter.
However, this medium got credible information that one Lamin Ceesay of Solie Law Chambers, legal representative of Ansuman Bah has threatened to prosecute Abdou Ceesay of the CBG if the D155million is not refunded to his client.
Lawyer Lamin Ceesay, failed to receive our calls and messages to this effect up to the time of the publication of this story.
Impeccable sources close to the Central Bank of the Gambia (CBG) have revealed bribery allegations amounting to eleven million and one hundred thousand dalasi (D11.1million) reportedly received by officials of the nations top Bank and two other International Monetary Fund (IMF) officials.
According to information gathered by this medium, one Ansuman Bah, a Gambian national and resident of Brusubi Phase 1, deposited one hundred and fifty five million dalasi (D155million) mutilated banknotes with the Bankers Bank on the 21st March, 2021 to be changed into new banknotes.
Reports say during that transaction, one Abdou Ceesay, a staff of the Central Banks currency development department demanded a bribe of D11.1million to facilitate the process that ended up failing.
Our source further revealed that the mutilated banknotes amounting to D155million were later uncovered to be fake banknotes currently in circulation in the country.
“What I can confirm is that Ansuman Bah, paid eleven million and one hundred thousand dalasi (D11.1million) to Abdou Ceesay, a staff at the currency department of Central Bank of the Gambia with the impression that he will change these monies to new banknotes. I can also confirm that Abdou Ceesay named more than eighteen staff of CBG and two other IMF officials who allegedly shared the bribed monies paid,” Our sources at CBG disclosed.
They continued to revealed that the mastermind of this scandal, Abdou Ceesay also confessed giving D2.8million and D1million to one Alcel Kataciga and one Mr. Bojang respectively, adding that the duo are all IMF officials who helped in confirming the changing of these alleged banknotes.
The source also revealed that D1.4million was allegedly given to the mastermind’s immediate boss, one Mr. Jarju, adding that the Head of IT, Costodian of Vault, Syvester Gomez, Head of Vault and Head of Intelligence at the CBG, Basirou Janneh all allegedly received One million dalasi (D1million) to help in the process.
Other officials of CBG who reportedly received part of the D11.1million according to our source includes, the Head of Security, Omar Touray who was allegedly given D650, 000, and Deputy Head of Security Chikam Bah, who also allegedly received D600, 000, adding that nine (9) other night security guards also shared D450, 000 and D250, 000 went to the night security supervisor.
TAT has done all efforts to speak to both the Governor of Central Bank of the Gambia, Buah Saidy and his deputy, Basaikou Jabbie to shedlight on the matter to no avail.
Our reporter also reached out to the Alleged mastermind of the D155million scandal to confirmed the veracity of the allegations but he declined to speak on the matter.
However, this medium got credible information that one Lamin Ceesay of Solie Law Chambers, legal representative of Ansuman Bah has threatened to prosecute Abdou Ceesay of the CBG if the D155million is not refunded to his client.
Lawyer Lamin Ceesay, failed to receive our calls and messages to this effect up to the time of the publication of this story."
By The Akamba Times.
Source:
https://alkambatimes.com/alleged-d11-1million-bribery-allegation-rocks-central-bank-of-the-gambia/
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A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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Momodou
Denmark
11634 Posts |
Posted - 17 Feb 2022 : 15:43:35
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FROM WHAT’S ON GAMBIA!
The Central Bank Scandal
After contacting different sources at the Ministry of Finance and Central Bank, we were able to gather the real facts on the D155million scandal. Now, we are not going to use "allegedly".
The D155 million is money that was left behind by former President Yahya Jammeh when he was moving to Equatorial Guinea. Some people close to him managed to escape with the money.
But the money was contaminated with a chemical that Jammeh was using to give his banknotes a longer lifespan.
The D155 million were mutilated while they were cleaning the chemical off them. So Ansumana Bah, a procurement officer at the Judiciary in Banjul, contacted some Central Bank workers to help them swap the mutilated banknotes for new ones.
They were asked to pay D11.1million for the swap. Ansumana and his colleagues sold some of their properties and borrowed money from their family and friends to pay the "swap fees".
After paying the D11.1million, some insiders in the Central Bank, who did not benefit from the "swap fees" decided to leak the deal and the swapping was blocked.
Now, Ansumana and his colleagues want both their D155million and D11.1 million back. They already hired lawyers to help them. But the D11.1million is already shared among Central Bank workers. |
A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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Momodou
Denmark
11634 Posts |
Posted - 17 Feb 2022 : 17:17:02
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FROM THE CENTRAL BANK: The Government and the general public is hereby assured that the Central Bank of The Gambia is taking these allegations very seriously and that it will take all available means to deploy a full investigation into the matter and anyone found culpable will face the full force of the law. The Central Bank of The Gambia remains committed to transparency and accountability in its action.
Source: Whats On Gambia |
A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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Momodou
Denmark
11634 Posts |
Posted - 18 Feb 2022 : 06:58:33
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The IGP Should Raid the Central Bank and Make Arrests
By Madi Jobarteh
First of all, kudos to The Alkamba Times for breaking the massive corruption at the Central Bank of the Gambia through money laundering. Indeed, the Gambian media is growing in quality in fulfilling their constitutional role of holding the Government accountable on behalf of the people.
The next logical action on this Central Bank scandal is for the IGP Abdoulie Sanyang to deploy his investigators and prosecutors to raid the Central Bank to obtain the necessary material evidence and arrest the Governor Buah Saidy and other concerned staffs. In a normal democratic society, such a scandal should immediately trigger the police into action. Therefore, I call on the IGP to assume his legal obligations of detecting, preventing and prosecuting fraud when it occurs in public institutions. The IGP cannot claim that he is not aware!
The press release from the Central Bank is not only insulting but it is also a clear attempt to mislead citizens. This press release exposes the Central Bank’s attempt to cover up blatant abuse of office and corruption in broad daylight.
The Governor of Central Bank Buah Saidy was copied and received a letter from Solie Law Chambers on the 10 February 2022 about this major scandal. But the Governor never told the nation about this scandal. He never informed the IGP about this scandal. Rather he kept quiet about it until 7 days later when news of the scandal was exposed by the media. Governor Saidy should be asked by the police why he failed to inform them about such a massive racket.
In their press release, the Central Bank said they had investigated and found that the story was untrue. But where is the investigation report? When was this investigation conducted? Who were the members of the investigation team? Which authority was informed about this scandal and the investigation? These are the fundamental questions that the Governor must tell the nation.
In light of the above questions, it is therefore a legitimate matter of national interest for the IGP to immediately raid the Central Bank to protect and confiscate the necessary evidence and arrest the Governor and relevant staffs. The IGP should launch a full-blown investigation and prosecution of this matter.
At the same time, this matter should immediately attract the attention of the National Assembly to open a public inquiry on the Central Bank. In the same vein, by now we should have heard the President making a statement on this matter and asking the IGP to open investigations. Similarly, the Attorney General Dawda Jallow should equally ask his prosecutors to begin the process of taking action on this matter. These actions are what will show Gambians that indeed the Government is committed to transparency and accountability in combating corruption and abuse of office.
It is indeed concerning that the incidence of public sector corruption is now out of control in this country. This is a clear threat to the peace and stability of the Gambia. Pres. Adama Barrow has demonstrated in practice, openly, his utter carelessness about graft in his Government. Barrow himself has acknowledged acts of corruption by himself as he had said it publicly that he was the one who asked the Secretary General to put the Chinese money amounting to D35M in his wife’s so-called foundation account.
This and many numerous cases of corruption can be found across his Government involving his ministers, associates and surrogates from 2017 to date. One of his minsters, Hamat Bah is already a subject of inquiry for corruption before the Public Petitions Committee of the National Assembly.
Therefore, citizens must be ready to occupy Banjul and demand an immediate end to the bastardisation of the country by immoral and corrupt politicians and public officials. This country is not a cake for them to greedily swallow as they like. Citizens are not donkeys to be cheated day in and day out by the very people they elected and appointed into public office. Public office is not for private gain but to serve and protect the public good. May God damn these corrupt officials!
The time to protest from Banjul to Koina is now!
For the Gambia Our Homeland |
A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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Momodou
Denmark
11634 Posts |
Posted - 19 Feb 2022 : 22:46:21
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Investigation into a “case of alleged D155 Million Mutilated Bank Notes and D11.1 Million Bribe Scandal”
On Thursday 17th February, 2022, the Police Force through its Fraud Investigation Unit opened a swift probe into alleged D155 million mutilated Banki notes cash deposited at the Central Bank with further allegation of D11.1 million bribe scandal paid to named Central Bank staff.
The premises of the above allegation is informed by a letter dated 10th feb. 2021 addressed to one Abdou Ceesay working with the Central Bank.
The letter among other things alleged that D155 million was given to one Abdou Ceesay of the Central Bank by one Pa Ceesay to swap into new dalasi notes.
The letter further alleged that D11.1 million was paid as bribe money to Abdou Ceesay and a list of other enablers within and outside the bank.
Contrary to content of the report followed by subsequent social media publication going viral in the public domain, preliminary police investigation uncovered the following:
1. In early 2021, Ansumana Bah and others had an encounter with an organized criminal group who encouraged them to form up a charitable organization in order for them to access funding from certain unnamed philanthropist from outside the country.
2. To avoid missing the opportunity, they quickly formed “Jamma Charitable Foundation”
3. Apparently, they were made to believe by the fraudsters that the Charitable Organization had secured funding amounting to £2.5 million from a philanthropist in UK to commence charitable operation in the Gambia.
4. The fraudsters claimed that the said funds were smuggled into the country and put in boxes and kept safely in one of the houses of the partners turned scammers for a long period.
5. The foundation members were informed by the fraudsters that the pounds were converted into local currencies equivalent to D155 million partly mutilated which needed to be changed to new notes at the Central Bank.
6. The fraudsters further made them to believe without seeing that changing or swapping the funds required payment of a certain amount as bribe money to some role players at the bank through one Abdou Ceesay.
7. They [ Ansumana and co.] were further lured into paying D11.1 million as bribe money to fast track the alleged swapping
8. They were promised a returned of good chunk of the money if they succeed with the swap deal at Central Bank.
9. The scammers provided some names of Central Bank staff including Abdou Ceesay to Ansumana and co. as part of the beneficiaries to the claimed bribe money.
10. Preliminary police investigation discovered that all the above revelations were false and deliberately made to lure Ansumana and co. to pay monies to the scammers in relations to their ill-intended scam.
11. It was established that the fraudsters succeeded in convincing Ansumana and co. in establishing a foundation called “Jamma Charitable Foundation” purposely to extort money from its members.
12. Ansumana Bah claimed that during the period, he and his colleagues raised about D4 million as their contribution towards the bribe money.
13. He raised his funds through the sales of his landed property, assets and credit from families and friends to meet cost of the swap as requested by the fraudsters.
14. Furthermore, they were made to believe that the other party (scammers) were going to contribute towards the payment of the bribe money.
15. Neither Ansumana nor other foundation members did visit the Central Bank during the period of the transaction.
16. It was also established that Ansumana Bah and the foundation members never interacted with any of the named Central Bank staff.
17. However, investigation revealed that some of these scammers were the same people posing as bank staff to win the minds of the foundation members.
18. The police are currently perusing all possible clues to expose the truth and nab those responsible for these dubious activities.
19. It is clear from facts gathered that neither Ansumana nor any of the foundation members had seen the £ 2.5 million nor the D155 million during the course of the entire transaction.
20. Rather, they were only banking on statements made by the scammers.
21. On the other hand, peddling unfounded claims as given above are common attributes of fraudsters principally meant to entice their targeted victim.
22. Meanwhile, it is worth mentioning that Ansumana Bah is cooperating in helping the police to get to the bottom of the case.
23. The office of the Inspector General of police wishes to once again assure the general public of its open door policy.
24. Members of the media fraternity are also encouraged to always verify matters with the Press and Public Relations Unit for ease of clarity.
Signed: Gambia Police Force |
A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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Momodou
Denmark
11634 Posts |
Posted - 20 Feb 2022 : 09:41:49
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The Police and the Central Bank Scandal. Ignore Their Press Release!
By Madi Jobarteh
The press release from the Police about the Central Bank scandal should be taken with a huge pinch of salt, if not a whole plate of salt!
But first things first; The Alkamba Times story is not false, nor does it lack clarity. Therefore, the last point in the press release that the media should verify things with the Police PRO is nothing but an attempt to divert attention and to impugn the media. The Alkamba Times or any media need not necessarily seek the opinion of the Police PRO for any and every story.
It is good that the press release said in Point 18 that they are working to expose the truth. The fact is this press release is not the whole truth.
For example, it is amazing that the press release cannot name any so-called scammer. If they had interrogated Ansumana Bah, surely, he must have told them one name among the scammers. Citizens have a right to know. Who would pay 11 million dalasi to an unidentified person? Am sure Ansumana is not so dumb to do that! So, this press release is very economical with the truth.
The press release has not even mentioned the letter from the lawyers of Ansumana. One would assume that an established law firm would not be so irresponsible as to write such a letter to the Central Bank of a country when those lawyers have not verified their client’s story.
We must recognize that what is alleged here is a very serious matter! It does not only touch the Central Bank, but it also directly impacts on the Gambia Government’s relationship with the World Bank and the IMF and all regional and international financial partners.
To claim fraud involving a central bank of any nation is a major economic, political and national security issue. Therefore, for these lawyers to ignore the gravity of this allegation and write such a letter is indeed outrageous, unless they are zombies! But the Police did not even mention the law firm! Why?
Who is Ansumana Bah? Where does he live and work? What does he do for a living? When did the Police know of this so-called charity such that no action was taken against them since early 2021? Since the 2.5 million pounds emanated from the UK makes this case an international crime too. In that case, the British law enforcement and Interpol are legitimate stakeholders. But the press release did not say anything about that!
In fact, how come this letter was written to Abdou Ceesay and copied to the Governor on February 10 and the Governor did not find it necessary to inform the IGP immediately so that action was taken asap. Rather both the Central Bank and the Police had to wait until a newspaper had to break the story 7 days later only for them to do some ‘fat-fat’ investigation and then release open-ended press releases?
Who on earth will have 2.5 million pounds sterling only to change it into mutilated bank notes and then decide to take those militated bank notes to a country’s central bank to cleanse them into authentic new notes? It does not make sense. Why did the so-called scammers choose to take in mutilated bank notes in the first place, and then have the audacity to go to the Central Bank with those bad notes to turn them into new ones?
If I have 100 pounds and wish to change into dalasi, even if I go to Westfield, I will not accept mutilated notes. Why should I? So why did these so-called scammers accept mutilated notes when they could have easily taken their time to get the right notes without having to go to any bank? Were they in a hurry? Why, when the risk is greater with the Central Bank!?
Therefore, it is not enough for the Police and the Central Bank to release high sounding statements of denial. This matter requires the intervention of the National Assembly and the Financial Intelligence Unit.
There have been far too many scandals in this Government. Either these scandals are completely ignored or denied, or the Government said they are investigating but then no report comes out or the Police claim there was no case. This is unacceptable and there is a need for citizens to stand up to confront corruption by demanding the President to address it head on. The incidents of corruption are far too numerous that they cannot be counted by the fingers!
For The Gambia Our Homeland |
A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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Momodou
Denmark
11634 Posts |
Posted - 24 Feb 2022 : 13:55:29
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CBG Gov says he will resign if D155 million ‘scandal’ is true
The Standard: FEBRUARY 24, 2022
By Tabora Bojang
https://standard.gm/gambia-news/cbg-gov-says-he-will-resign-if-d155-million-scandal-is-true/
The governor of the Central Bank has said he will resign if claims that over D155 million of mutilated notes had surreptitiously entered the bank, are found to be true.
A letter from barrister Lamin Ceesay of Solie Chambers to Abdou Ceesay, a staff of the bank, which surfaced online last weekend, alleged that one Ansumana Bah had handed over D155 million to Mr Ceesay in exchange for new notes.
The lawyer’s letter which was shared with the governor, demanded Ceesay return the money as well as an D11 million bribe paid to him for distribution among the bank staff involved in the supposed illicit exchange.
Earlier this week, police issued a statement claiming the allegations were part of an elaborate scam.
Governor Buah Saidy told journalists yesterday that the reputation of the bank at is stake.
He stated: “Our reputation is our biggest asset. If people come to know that this bank is not trustworthy, no one will come near us. Whether Abdou [Ceesay] is our staff or not is immaterial to us. It is the soul of the Central Bank that is at stake and this is why we are taking the allegations seriously and anyone found wanting will face the full force of the law.
“This bank has undergone different troubles. The bank was dragged through the Janneh Commission and we cleaned its name. There was an incident during the governorship of Momodou Clark Bajo when line managers were all dismissed and the bank went through that hurdle and cleansed its name and now this unfortunate thing is coming but we know the bank is innocent. I am a responsible person and my integrity matters to me. If D155 million as alleged has entered CBG, I will resign from my job as a practising Muslim, billahi wallahi, tallahi. I am not desperate for this job and I have my principles. People who know me know that I have principles. If it turns out that Abdou is not in this, we will fight to clear our name at the courts and if he [Abdou] is innocent and these people were only accusing the Central Bank to stain it, we will take action against them.”
He revealed that the CBG board has sent Abdou Ceesay on an administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.
Ceesay was a former deputy director at the forex department before he was moved to the currency management department as officer-in-charge.
According to Governor Saidy, he was out of town when the letter and a flash drive were sent from Solie Chambers to CBG on 10th February.
He explained that following his resumption at work on 14th February he convened an emergency meeting the following day in line with the bank’s service rules.
“We called Abdou and asked him about the allegation and he categorically denied it. We also wrote to him to explain everything he knows and he responded. After that we issued a press statement and sent the flash drive and the letter to the IGP to investigate,” he added.
He disclosed that the board also directed for a committee to be set up in the bank to further investigate the matter.
According to him the flash drive allegedly contained audios and other alleged evidences claimed by the complainant.
Governor Saidy further claimed that the bank’s internal monetary security measures were fully in place and that it would be “mind boggling” for anyone to change D155 million into new notes without anybody knowing about it for about a year.
IGP Abdoulie Sanyang who attended the press briefing said the police have listened to several audios contained in the flash drive but could not establish that the voices were Abdou Ceesay’s.
He insisted that preliminary investigations by the police revealed that the allegations are a scam. He has however failed to provide the names and identities of the alleged scammers. |
A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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ALLEGED D11.1MILLION BRIBERY AT CBG
