In a dramatic courtroom session on Monday, Dr. Abubakary Jawara, CEO of Gach Global Trading Company, made serious fraud allegations against his former employee, Kaddijatou Kebbeh, and Saikou Drammeh, the former Managing Director of Gam Petroleum.
The case, currently before the Banjul High Court and overseen by Justice Ebrima Jaiteh, revolves around nearly D59 million and $221,000 allegedly misappropriated through a fraudulent scheme.
Taking the stand as a key witness, Dr. Jawara described a deep betrayal of trust. He explained how he had entrusted Kebbeh, once his business agent, and Drammeh with facilitating fuel purchases.
Funds were deposited into an account belonging to a company called Konrigo—an entity he later discovered had no legitimate connection to his supply operations.
“I only found out about Konrigo after things went wrong,” he testified, recalling how he traced the account to a man named Jagana, who informed him the payment details came from Kebbeh and were unrelated to any official fuel deal.
Dr. Jawara further testified that he had handed over $221,000 to Drammeh while he was in Senegal. He said Drammeh insisted on cash payments, claiming suppliers didn’t have Gambian bank accounts. “That’s a lot of money. I couldn’t just hand it over like that,” he said, adding that he insisted on account transfers instead.
Eventually, he was given a bank account—allegedly sent via WhatsApp by Drammeh—into which he transferred the funds. Afterward, he visited Drammeh, who acknowledged receipt of the money.
However, things took a turn when authorities, including the police and intelligence services, contacted Jawara and claimed Gach Global had collected fuel from Gam Petroleum without paying. Jawara denied the claim, stressing he had paid for every fuel delivery under a contract with the Gambia Petroleum Company.
In a conversation with Jagana, Jawara said he was told Kebbeh claimed he needed foreign currency. “Why didn’t you verify with me before accepting such a large amount?” he remembered asking. This, he concluded, confirmed his suspicion of a coordinated scam.
Another twist came during earlier proceedings when Momodou Hydara, Managing Director of Jah Oil, was summoned to court. While he submitted copies of key documents related to petroleum transactions, the judge ordered him to return with the originals.
During cross-examination, Jawara admitted he never met the Senegalese fuel suppliers Drammeh referred to, but maintained that Drammeh was fully in control of the arrangements. He also named another individual—Abdoulie Dibba, known as “Bamba Lie”—as a friend of Drammeh who had confirmed the money belonged to Drammeh. Another person, known only as “Papis,” was also mentioned as someone Jawara had met at Drammeh’s home in Senegal.
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The case has attracted considerable public attention, not only because of the high-profile individuals involved but also due to the staggering amount of money at stake and the questions it raises about transparency in the country’s petroleum industry.
Jawara also confirmed that Drammeh had already faced prosecution in a related criminal case, in which Jawara appeared as a state witness. The current civil suit seeks to recover the lost funds and further expose operational lapses and alleged abuses in the sector.
The court is expected to continue the cross-examination of Dr. Jawara on July 2, 2025.
