Just seen your story that AMADOU SAMBA, the self-proclaimed Yahya Jammeh “Manager”, has been asked to repay The Gambia colossal sums of money – or forfeit his properties.

In June 2008 I demanded that Amadou Samba repay to the Daily Observer a mere Dalasi 50,000 that he collected from the late Dr. Saja Taal – without formal authority from the Daily Observer Board. I was arrested and detained at Banjul Police HQ and Amadou Samba brought a copy of the D50,000 cheque – to show that he paid the money to a Lebanese contractor who was building Jammeh’s Kanilai fence.

(Why on earth was Jammeh stealing a mere Dalasi 50,000 from the Daily Observer and its poorly paid staff when it now transpires he was a billionaire??!!)

“What is 50,000 to me you idiot”, demanded an angry and shaking Amadou Samba in front of the Serious Crime Unit police officers.

“That is not the point”, I said and Inspector Sanyang (of Pirang) allowed me to leave his office before a physical confrontation with the angry Amadou Samba occurred.

My point is exactly why the Janneh Commission has ruled that the mighty Amadou Samba must pay back The Republic of The Gambia or lose his properties: one cannot go into government institutions, or even private legal entities such as the Daily Observer, and just walk out with thousands or even millions of dalasis without formal and recorded authorisation.

MDs and Finance Directors must ensure that money does not leave their organisation without authorisation of the Board – otherwise these officers will be held responsible for the money that is lost to the organisations. It is as simple as that.

YANKUBA SONKO:

May I take this opportunity to publicly thank the then Crime Management Coordinator Yankuba Sonko for the kindness he showed me during my 14-day detention at the Banjul Police HQ. I now understand he took a similar risk to himself to help many many others, but I could not thank him publicly for his own safety.

Specifically, Mr. Sonko ensured that I was not put in a cell during my detention at the Police HQ, allowed me the camp-bed my watchman brought me to sleep on, and when I was transferred to the terribly over-crowded cell of the Sererkunda Police Station, Mr. Sonko himself came with his car and took me back to the comforts of my detention at the Police HQ. His officers also concluded in their report that I had no case to answer and I was soon freed with the charges then dropped.

Yours,
Dida Halake,
(ex-MD Daily Observer)
Notting Hill,
London, UK.