Gambia: Aisha Fatty denies getting property from Saul Badjie

A former protocol officer at Yahya Jammer’s State House Aisha Fatty, yesterday appeared before the Janneh Commission and denied occupying or being given any property by exiled former General Sulayman Badjie.
Ms Fatty said the said property, situated in Bijilo from where she was asked to vacate, belongs to her and that she bought and constructed it from her salaries and travel allowances.
According to her, she was working as a protocol officer at the office of the president from December 2013 to December 2015.
She said she acquired the land through the help of General Badjie after many unsuccessful plans to buy one. She added that she knew at the time that General Badjie was so powerful and was convinced that the exiled General would not be duped by anyone.

Aisha further recalled that General Badjie told her about a land at Bijilo costing D250, 000 which she decided to buy by making a down payment through General Badjie after which her family members too made their contributions toward the cost.
She narrated that General Badjie once told her that he had a transfer from the Alkalo in her name, but she never saw the transfer document.

Ms Fatty disclosed that she paid the sum of D250, 000 for the land to General Badjie but she never received any receipt from him, noting that the then Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Lands, Buba Sanyang was doing the transfer of ownership in 2016 but never gave her any document to sign.
Asked how she was able to develop the said property and what was her source of funds, Fatty said she developed it through her hard-earned money as a protocol officer.
She informed the enquiry that the cost of the building was D2.2million.
Meanwhile, one Nathalie Gomez and Kumba Jobarteh were also summoned in connection with the properties of General Badjie.
Sittings continue today.

By Baba Sillah

Source: Standard Newspaper

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