Alhaji Mamadi Kurang, the former Secretary of the Janneh Commission, testified before the National Assembly Special Select Committee about the sale of assets from the government of former President Yahya Jammeh, with a particular focus on over 500 tractors.
Counsel Lamin M. Dibba asked Kurang where the tractors came from. They were bought through a $6 million deal between the Indian and Gambian governments. The Gambian government guaranteed the payment, which organizations like the Social Security and Housing Finance Corporation made.
Kurang stated that the tractors were assembled in The Gambia, and some were sold to people through Kanilai Group International, a company linked to Jammeh.
Kurang stated that the Vehicle Control Unit at the State House was responsible for locating and retrieving tractors that were parked at police stations nationwide. The Vehicle Control Department kept records of these tractors and shared them with the Commission.
In total, 43 tractors were sold, while some were given back to community members. When the tractors were seized, around 90% had already been distributed by former President Yahya Jammeh.
Some people claimed to have purchased tractors from Kanilai Group International and provided receipts to the Commission. The witness planned to give these receipts to legal counsel for advice on returning the tractors to their owners.
The Commission ordered that the tractors be valued and sold, which was handled by Mr. Njie. The auction took place at different police stations, where the tractors were sold to the highest bidder after public announcements. There was limited interest in the tractors, making the auction process straightforward and requiring no negotiations.
