By Landing Ceesay
The former Minister of Lands, Regional Government, and Religious Affairs, Mr. Sheriff Abba Sanyang, has been charged with a range of offenses by the office of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP). These charges include theft, forgery, economic crimes, and others.
Mr. Sanyang, who was dismissed from his ministerial position amid allegations of corruption and mismanagement of public funds, now faces a total of 27 criminal charges. These charges allege that between January 2022 and July 2022 in Janjanbureh, The Gambia, Mr. Sanyang violated the Code of Conduct for civil service by awarding contracts to Sankulay Firm, a business owned by his sons, totaling several hundred thousand Dalasis.
The charges against Mr. Sanyang range from disobedience of statutory duty to economic crimes involving substantial financial losses to the government of The Gambia. Additionally, he is accused of forgery and uttering false documents, acts alleged to have occurred during his tenure.
Count 1: Mr. Sanyang is charged with Disobedience of Statutory Duty, contrary to Section 115 of the Criminal Code, Revised Laws of The Gambia, 2009.
The prosecutors allege that between January 2022 and July 2022, at Janjanbureh in the Republic of The Gambia, Mr. Sheriff Abba Sanyang wilfully disobeyed the Code of Conduct for the civil service of The Gambia by awarding a contract for the ‘purchase of small office equipment’ worth GMD 62,100 to Sankulay Firm, a business he registered and now owned by his sons, thereby committing an offence.
Count 2: Mr. Sanyang is charged with Disobedience of Statutory Duty, contrary to Section 115 of the Criminal Code, Revised Laws of The Gambia, 2009.
The prosecutors allege that between January 2022 and July 2022, at Janjanbureh in the Republic of The Gambia, Mr. Sheriff Abba Sanyang wilfully disobeyed the Code of Conduct for the civil service of The Gambia by awarding a contract for ‘maintenance of vehicle’ worth GMD 158,400 to Sankulay Firm, a business he registered and now owned by his sons, thereby committing an offence.
Count 3: Mr. Sanyang is charged with Disobedience of Statutory Duty, contrary to Section 115 of the Criminal Code, Revised Laws of The Gambia, 2009.
The prosecutors allege that between January 2022 and July 2022, at Janjanbureh in the Republic of The Gambia, Mr. Sheriff Abba Sanyang wilfully disobeyed the Code of Conduct for the civil service of The Gambia by awarding a contract for ‘maintenance of building’ worth GMD 152,540 to Sankulay Firm, a business he registered and now owned by his sons, thereby committing an offence.
Count 4: Mr. Sanyang is charged with Disobedience of Statutory Duty, contrary to Section 115 of the Criminal Code, Revised Laws of The Gambia, 2009.
The prosecutors allege that between January 2022 and July 2022, at Janjanbureh in the Republic of The Gambia, Mr. Sheriff Abba Sanyang wilfully disobeyed the Code of Conduct for the civil service of The Gambia by awarding a contract for ‘maintenance of building’ worth GMD 120,600 to Sankulay Firm, a business he registered and now owned by his sons, thereby committing an offence.
Count 5: Mr. Sanyang is charged with Disobedience of Statutory Duty, contrary to Section 115 of the Criminal Code, Revised Laws of The Gambia, 2009.
The prosecutors allege that between January 2022 and July 2022, at Janjanbureh in the Republic of The Gambia, Mr. Sheriff Abba Sanyang wilfully disobeyed the Code of Conduct for the civil service of The Gambia by awarding a contract for the ‘purchase of office equipment’ worth GMD 315,500 to Sankulay Firm, a business he registered and now owned by his sons, thereby committing an offence.
Count 6: Mr. Sanyang is charged with Disobedience of Statutory Duty, contrary to Section 115 of the Criminal Code, Revised Laws of The Gambia, 2009.
The prosecutors allege that between January 2022 and July 2022, at Janjanbureh in the Republic of The Gambia, Mr. Sheriff Abba Sanyang wilfully disobeyed the Code of Conduct for the civil service of The Gambia by awarding a contract for ‘miscellaneous’ worth GMD 44,100 to Sankulay Firm, a business he registered and now owned by his sons, thereby committing an offence.
Count 7: Mr. Sanyang is charged with Disobedience of Statutory Duty, contrary to Section 115 of the Criminal Code, Revised Laws of The Gambia, 2009.
The prosecutors allege that between January 2022 and July 2022, at Janjanbureh in the Republic of The Gambia, Mr. Sheriff Abba Sanyang wilfully disobeyed the Code of Conduct for the civil service of The Gambia by awarding a contract for the ‘supply of furniture and fittings’ worth GMD 225,000 to Sankulay Firm, a business he registered and now owned by his sons, thereby committing an offence.
Count 8: Mr. Sanyang is charged with Disobedience of Statutory Duty, contrary to Section 115 of the Criminal Code, Revised Laws of The Gambia, 2009.
The prosecutors allege that between January 2022 and July 2022, at Janjanbureh in the Republic of The Gambia, Mr. Sheriff Abba Sanyang wilfully disobeyed the Code of Conduct for the civil service of The Gambia by awarding a contract worth GMD 44,500 to Sankulay Firm, a business he registered and now owned by his sons, thereby committing an offence.
Count 9: The former Lands Minister is charged with Disobedience of Statutory Duty, contrary to Section 115 of the Criminal Code, Revised Laws of The Gambia, 2009.
The prosecutors allege that between January 2022 and July 2022, at Janjanbureh in the Republic of The Gambia, Mr. Sheriff Abba Sanyang wilfully disobeyed the Code of Conduct for the civil service of The Gambia by awarding a contract worth GMD 72,500 to Sankulay Firm, a business he registered and now owned by his sons, thereby committing an offence.
Count 10: Mr. Sanyang is charged with Disobedience of Statutory Duty, contrary to Section 115 of the Criminal Code, Revised Laws of The Gambia, 2009.
The prosecutors allege that between January 2022 and July 2022, at Janjanbureh in the Republic of The Gambia, Mr. Sheriff Abba Sanyang wilfully disobeyed the Code of Conduct for the civil service of The Gambia by awarding a contract worth GMD 72,500 to Sankulay Firm, a business he registered and now owned by his sons, thereby committing an offence.
Count 11: Mr. Sanyang is charged with Economic Crime, contrary to Section 5(a) of the Economic Crimes (Specified Offences) Act, Laws of The Gambia 2009, and punishable under Section 6 of the same Act.
The prosecutors allege that between January 2022 and July 2022, at Janjanbureh in the Republic of The Gambia, Mr. Sheriff Abba Sanyang and Pa Modou Jobe, being public officers, wilfully caused the loss of GMD 62,100 (Dalasi) to the government of The Gambia by paying this amount to Sankulay Firm for a purported contract and supply of ‘small office equipment,’ thereby committing an offence.
Count 12: Mr. Sanyang is charged with Economic Crime, contrary to Section 5(a) of the Economic Crimes (Specified Offences) Act, Laws of The Gambia 2009, and punishable under Section 6 of the same Act.
The prosecutors allege that between January 2022 and July 2022, at Janjanbureh in the Republic of The Gambia, Mr. Sheriff Abba Sanyang and Pa Modou Jobe, being public officers, wilfully caused the loss of GMD 158,400 (Dalasi) to the government of The Gambia by paying this amount to Sankulay Firm for a purported contract of ‘maintenance of vehicle,’ thereby committing an offence.
Count 13: Mr. Sanyang is charged with Economic Crimes, contrary to Section 5(a) of the Economic Crimes (Specified Offences) Act, Laws of The Gambia 2009, and punishable under Section 6 of the same Act.
The prosecutors allege that between January 2022 and July 2022, at Janjanbureh in the Republic of The Gambia, Mr. Sheriff Abba Sanyang and Pa Modou Jobe, being public officers, wilfully caused the loss of GMD 162,400 (Dalasi) to the government of The Gambia by paying this amount to Sankulay Firm for a purported contract of ‘maintenance of building,’ thereby committing an offence.
Count 14: Mr. Sanyang is charged with Economic Crimes, contrary to Section 5(a) of the Economic Crimes (Specified Offences) Act, Laws of The Gambia 2009, and punishable under Section 6 of the same Act.
The prosecutors allege that between January 2022 and July 2022, at Janjanbureh in the Republic of The Gambia, Mr. Sheriff Abba Sanyang and Pa Modou Jobe, being public officers, wilfully caused the loss of GMD 120,600 (Dalasi) to the government of The Gambia by paying this amount to Sankulay Firm for a purported contract of ‘maintenance of building,’ thereby committing an offence.
Count 15: Mr. Sanyang is charged with Economic Crimes, contrary to Section 5(a) of the Economic Crimes (Specified Offences) Act, Laws of The Gambia 2009, and punishable under Section 6 of the same Act.
The prosecutors allege that between January 2022 and July 2022, at Janjanbureh in the Republic of The Gambia, Mr. Sheriff Abba Sanyang and Pa Modou Jobe, being public officers, wilfully caused the loss of GMD 44,100 (Dalasi) to the government of The Gambia by paying this amount to Sankulay Firm for purported ‘miscellaneous’ expenses, thereby committing an offence.
Count 16: Mr. Sanyang is charged with Economic Crimes, contrary to Section 5(a) of the Economic Crimes (Specified Offences) Act, Laws of the Gambia 2009, and punishable under Section 6 of the same Act.
The prosecutors allege that Sheriff Abba Sanyang and Pa Modou Jobe, being public officers, wilfully caused the loss of GMD 225,000 (Dalasi) to the government of the Gambia by paying this amount to Sankulay Firm for the purported supply of ‘furniture and fittings’ between January 2022 and July 2022 at Janjanbureh, thereby committing an offence.
Count 17: Mr. Sanyang is charged with Economic Crimes, contrary to Section 5(a) of the Economic Crimes (Specified Offences) Act, Laws of the Gambia 2009, and punishable under Section 6 of the same Act.
The prosecutors allege that Sheriff Abba Sanyang and Pa Modou Jobe, being public officers, wilfully caused the loss of GMD 44,500 (Dalasi) to the government of the Gambia by paying this amount to Sankulay Firm between January 2022 and July 2022 at Janjanbureh, thereby committing an offence.
Count 18: Mr. Sanyang is charged with Economic Crimes, contrary to Section 5(a) of the Economic Crimes (Specified Offences) Act, Laws of the Gambia 2009, and punishable under Section 6 of the same Act.
The prosecutors allege that Sheriff Abba Sanyang and Pa Modou Jobe, being public officers, wilfully caused the loss of GMD 72,500 (Dalasi) to the government of the Gambia by paying this amount to Sankulay Firm between January 2022 and July 2022 at Janjanbureh, thereby committing an offence.
Count 19: Mr. Sanyang is charged with Economic Crimes, contrary to Section 5(a) of the Economic Crimes (Specified Offences) Act, Laws of the Gambia 2009, and punishable under the same Act.
The prosecutors allege that Sheriff Abba Sanyang and Pa Modou Jobe, being public officers, wilfully caused the loss of GMD 72,500 (Dalasi) to the government of the Gambia by paying this amount to Sankulay between January 2022 and July 2022 at Janjanbureh, thereby committing an offence.
Count 20: Mr. Sanyang is charged with Theft, contrary to Section 245 of the Criminal Code, Revised Laws of the Gambia 2009, and punishable under Section 257 of the same Code.
The prosecutors allege that Sheriff Abba Sanyang and Pa Modou Jobe fraudulently took GMD 75,560 (Dalasi) by withdrawing GMD 95,560 against a voucher of GMD 2,000 from the Janjanbureh Sub Treasury Operation account with Trust Bank between March 2022 and April 2022 at Janjanbureh, thereby committing an offence.
Count 21: Mr. Sanyang is charged with Theft, contrary to Section 245 of the Criminal Code, Revised Laws of the Gambia 2009, and punishable under Section 257 of the same Code.
The prosecutors allege that Sheriff Abba Sanyang and Pa Modou Jobe fraudulently took GMD 70,000 (Dalasi) by withdrawing GMD 105,000 against a voucher of GMD 35,000 from the Janjanbureh Sub Treasury Operation account with Trust Bank between March 2022 and April 2022 at Janjanbureh, thereby committing an offence.
Count 22: The former Lands Minister, who served as the Governor in the Central River Region, is charged with Forgery, contrary to Section 318 of the Criminal Code, Revised Laws of the Gambia 2009, and punishable under Section 322 of the same Code.
The prosecutors allege that Sheriff Abba Sanyang, with intent to defraud, made a false invoice of N.S. Trading between January 2022 and July 2022 at Janjanbureh, thereby committing an offence.
Count 23: Mr. Sanyang is charged with Forgery, contrary to Section 318 of the Criminal Code, Revised Laws of the Gambia 2009, and punishable under Section 322 of the same Code.
The prosecutors allege that Sheriff Abba Sanyang, with intent to defraud, made a false invoice of YKK Business Enterprise between January 2022 and July 2022 at Janjanbureh, thereby committing an offence.
Count 24: Mr. Sanyang is charged with Forgery, contrary to Section 318 of the Criminal Code, Revised Laws of the Gambia 2009, and punishable under Section 322 of the same Code.
The prosecutors allege that Sheriff Abba Sanyang, with intent to defraud, made a false invoice of ARCOLLEY’S Enterprise between January 2022 and July 2022 at Janjanbureh, thereby committing an offence.
Count 25: Mr. Sanyang is charged with Uttering a False Document, contrary to Section 328 of the Criminal Code, Revised Laws of the Gambia 2009.
The prosecutors allege that Sheriff Abba Sanyang knowingly and fraudulently uttered a false invoice of N.S. Trading between January 2022 and July 2022 at Janjanbureh, thereby committing an offence.
Count 26: Mr. Sanyang is charged with Uttering a False Document, contrary to Section 328 of the Criminal Code, Revised Laws of the Gambia 2009.
The prosecutors allege that Sheriff Abba Sanyang knowingly and fraudulently uttered a false invoice of YKK Business Enterprise between January 2022 and July 2022 at Janjanbureh, thereby committing an offence.
Count 27: Mr. Sanyang is charged with Uttering a False Document, contrary to Section 328 of the Criminal Code, Revised Laws of the Gambia 2009.
The prosecutors allege that Sheriff Abba Sanyang knowingly and fraudulently uttered a false invoice of ARCOLLEY’S Enterprise between January 2022 and July 2022 at Janjanbureh, thereby committing an offence.
The court has yet to schedule a date for the hearing of the case.