By: Fatou Krubally
A parliamentary committee yesterday grilled Mr. Nfamara Saidyba, Vehicle Controller at the State House, over missing government vehicles and alleged irregularities in the disposal of state assets.
He appeared before the National Assembly’s Special Select Committee investigating the sale and disposal of assets identified by the Janneh Commission.
Appearing for the continuation of his testimony, Mr. Saidyba faced intense questioning from lawmakers about the movement of vehicles — particularly reports that more than ten buses and several tractors were moved from the State House to various locations under unclear circumstances.
The committee confronted Mr. Saidyba with witness accounts suggesting that a military officer, Sergeant Adama Jagne, and other personnel allegedly moved vehicles from the State House to Kanifing without proper authorization or records. Mr. Saidyba, however, denied knowledge of any such large-scale movement.
“I can only confirm three buses that were moved with my authorization,” he told the committee. “Those vehicles were no longer functional and were meant to be sold by the Commission. Any other movement beyond that, I am not aware of.”
Lawmakers pressed him on why no written records were kept when the vehicles were released. Mr. Saidyba admitted that he did not maintain a specific record for the buses, saying the process was handled verbally and later documented by the Commission. This drew sharp reactions from committee members, who described the response as inconsistent with proper administrative procedure.
He was also questioned over allegations that personnel stationed at the Mechanical Services Agency (MSA) were instructed to hand him sums of money, including D20,000 and D50,000, allegedly on behalf of Sergeant Jagne. Mr. Saidyba denied receiving any such payments, insisting, “I have never been given money by anyone from MSA or from Sergeant Jagne.”
The Vehicle Controller further testified that several tractors were inventoried nationwide as part of the Commission’s directives and that cranes were used to move them. However, he distanced himself from accusations of mismanagement, maintaining that “all actions taken were under instruction and in line with government procedure.”
Committee members, led by Hon. Jammeh and the Chair, questioned inconsistencies in Mr. Saidyba’s statements, particularly concerning the number of vehicles moved and the absence of clear documentation. The hearing grew tense at several points, as lawmakers demanded direct answers about what they described as “gaps and contradictions” in his testimony.
The committee is investigating how state vehicles and heavy machinery identified by the Janneh Commission were handled, with growing suspicions that some assets were unaccounted for or sold without due process.
The inquiry continues, with more witnesses expected to appear as lawmakers dig deeper into the fate of missing government property once housed at the State House.
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By: Fatou Krubally A parliamentary committee yesterday grilled Mr. Nfamara Saidyba, Vehicle Controller at the State House, over missing government…
The post Vehicle Controller Faces Lawmakers Over Missing State House Assets appeared first on .
