Former lands minister, 6 others face 9 charges over alleged D13M fraud in Jammeh’s forfeited land
Former Lands Minister Sheriff Abba Sanyang and four others are facing nine criminal counts before the High Court in Banjul.
Prosecutors alleged that Mr Sanyang’s co-accused fraudulently obtained a total of D13.1 million from the sale of forfeited property belonging to former President Yahya Jammeh.
The indictment states that the co-accused allegedly obtained D12,000,000 from Himfirm3 Company Ltd, D800,000 from Soninkara Real Estate and D300,000 from Buildmatic Construction Ltd after purportedly selling portions of the forfeited Kassa Kunda land under false pretences.
The matter was called before Justice Ebrima Jaiteh but did not proceed due to the absence of the accused persons and their legal representatives. The case was adjourned until March 10, 2026.
According to the bill of indictment filed by the Honourable Attorney General on behalf of the State, Sheriff Abba Sanyang is charged under Count One with abuse of office contrary to Section 90(1) of the Criminal Code Cap 10:01, Revised Laws of The Gambia 2009.
The particulars allege that between July and December 2022, at Banjul and other diverse places within the jurisdiction of the court, while serving as Minister for Lands, Regional Government and Religious Affairs, he abused his authority by arbitrarily approving the retention of 40 per cent of the forfeited land of former President Yahya Jammeh at Kassa Kunda to purported “customary land owners”.
Under Count Two, Sanyang is further charged with giving false information to a public servant contrary to Section 114(a) of the Criminal Code.
The State alleges that in December 2022 at Banjul, he purportedly approved the retention of 40 per cent of the forfeited land and gave same false information to the Alkalo of Kassa Kunda, knowing the information to be false and that it would be acted upon.
Counts Three, Four, Five and Six charged Cherno Serending Sabally, Kalilu Sanyang, Bakary Gomez, Bakary Sanneh and Lamin Sabally with criminal trespass contrary to Section 285A of the Criminal Code.
The prosecution alleges that sometime in 2022 at Kassa Kunda in the Kombo Central District, West Coast Region, the accused persons entered into the forfeited land, which was in the possession of the State, with intent to unlawfully sell portions to Himfirm3 Company Ltd, Soninkara Real Estate, A & I Real Assets Management and Buildmatic Construction Ltd.
Counts Seven, Eight and Nine further allege that the accused falsely represented that the Kassa Kunda Village Development Committee owned the forfeited land and, with intent to defraud, obtained the above-mentioned sums from the respective companies.
Source: The Point
