Abba Sanyang, Former Minister of Local Government and Lands
By Landing Ceesay
The prosecution (State) failed to present the Audit Report on the Central River Region (CRR) Governor’s Office, conducted during former Governor Sheriff Abba Sanyang.’s tenure, despite a court order requiring its submission in his criminal trial.
The court issued the order following a request from Kebba Sanyang, the defense lawyer representing Sheriff Abba Sanyang in his criminal trial at the High Court of The Gambia.
The first prosecution witness, Modou Gaye, a police officer involved in investigating the Central River Region (CRR) Governor’s Office, testified that the investigation stemmed from an audit report sent to the Inspector General of Police (IGP) by the Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs.
During cross-examination, Mr. Gaye asserted that the audit exercise was conducted by the National Audit Office (NAO). However, this claim was disputed by Counsel Sanyang, who argued that the audit report under investigation was not prepared by the NAO.
Despite this challenge, Mr. Gaye maintained that the NAO conducted the audit, leading Counsel Sanyang to apply for the State to produce the contested audit report.
Presiding Judge Hon. Justice Sarah Aryee inquired whether State Counsel C.C. Njie had the audit report in question. While State Counsel Njie initially affirmed, he was unable to locate or produce the document after reviewing his files.
Counsel Sanyang subsequently requested the court to order the State to produce and serve the defense with the audit report.
“We will not be able to proceed with this Witness without the audit report. Because it is the same report that brought the accused persons to the court. So I cannot continue with him without the report. My lady, I want this honorable court to make an order for the State to produce this document,” Counsel Sanyang sought.
Justice Sarah Aryee directed the State to produce the Audit Report before the next adjourned date.
When the case resumed, the State informed the court that they were still unable to locate the report. They disclosed that a request had been made to the National Audit Office to assist in retrieving the document, but a response was still pending.
The State requested additional time to produce the Audit Report, which the court granted. Consequently, the case was adjourned to February 25, 2025.
Dismissed from his ministerial post amid allegations of corruption and mismanagement of public funds, Mr. Sheriff Abba Sanyang now faces 27 criminal charges. He is standing trial alongside Pa Lamin Jobe, who is also implicated in the matter.
The charges allege that between January and July 2022 in Janjanbureh, The Gambia, Mr. Sanyang violated the Civil Service Code of Conduct by awarding contracts worth hundreds of thousands of dalasis to Sankulay Firm, a company owned by his sons.
The Prosecution contends that these offenses occurred during Mr. Sanyang’s tenure as Governor of the Central River Region (CRR).
The former Minister of Lands faces charges ranging from disobedience of statutory duty to economic crimes that allegedly caused substantial financial losses to the Gambian government. He is also accused of forgery and falsifying documents during his time in office.