Africa-Press – Gambia. Nandu Rajwani, Chief Executive Officer of EMK Stores Limited, and Mayor Rohey Malick Lowe presented conflicting testimonies before the Local Government Commission of Inquiry regarding a land transaction involving the Banjul City Council (BCC).
During Thursday’s hearing, Mr. Rajwani asserted that Mayor Lowe was fully aware of his payment to Chabell Elhajj for the acquisition of land in Banjul.
“Everything that was done, the mayor knows about it. I have spoken with her. When I give the money to Mr. Elhajj, we call her and say some money is paid, and she will say, “OK, OK,” Rajwani stated.
This came in response to Lead Counsel Patrick Gomez’s suggestion that while Rajwani had paid 20 million dalasis to Elhajj, BCC may not have been aware of this payment.
Rajwani explained that his understanding was that Elhajj acted as an agent for BCC, supported by a letter authorizing him to sell the land. He further revealed that he had approached the mayor’s office multiple times to address issues with the land allocation.
“When we had a lease for the first land, which was behind the National Assembly, our work was stopped. I went to the mayor to ask her what was happening. She promised me that another land will be allocated to me. The mayor told me this and said I should pay an extra D5 million in addition to the first D2 million. I paid the money through Chabell,” he explained.
Rajwani added that the subsequent land offered at Bond Road encountered similar difficulties. The mayor reportedly promised yet another land allocation, which has not yet materialized. He confirmed that a total of 20 million dalasi was paid for the land—15 million for the original plot and an additional 5 million for the larger Bond Road site.
“When they released the first lease to us, all the 20 million was paid,” he told the commission.
The commission requested Rajwani to submit receipts and proof of payment by Monday, to which he agreed.
In contrast, Mayor Lowe testified that she was unaware of any dealings between Elhajj and Rajwani. When confronted with the fact that the land price escalated from 2 million to 20 million dalasi, she stated: “Chabell came to us for land, and we gave it to him, and we charged him 2 million, and he paid it. What transpired for the money between Chabell and Rajwani, I heard it from the CEO when he sent a voice note,” she stated.
Counsel Gomez challenged her, noting that the council transferred the same land to Rajwani and questioned why the council would do so without any agreement with EMK Stores. “But you transferred the same land to Rajwani. If you don’t know anything about Mr. Rajwani, why would the council transfer the land to EMK Stores, because the council never had an agreement with EMK Stores?” Gomez inquired of the mayor.
Mayor Lowe maintained that the council’s understanding was that the land was allocated to Chabell. Counsel Gomez countered by highlighting that a land lease was issued to Rajwani, not to Chabell.
In response, Gomez remarked: “My point is you do not have the room to say you are not aware of any part because everything is on paper.”
Mayor Lowe is expected to return before the commission at a later date to continue her testimony.
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