Africa-Press – Gambia. Businessman Nandikishore Rajwani also known as Nandu, testified before the Local Government Commission of Inquiry yesterday, and claimed that the Banjul City Council owes him D20 million after failing to allocate him land despite paying D20 million.
Mr Rajwani, the chairman of MK Stores, told the commission that he had a lease agreement with the council for a plot of land, but the deal fell through.
According to Rajwani, he was initially allocated a plot of land behind the National Assembly, but the council later offered him a different plot on Bund Road.
The city council initially allocated the land to Charbel Elhajj Mr Rajwani said Mr Elhajj approached him with an allocation letter bearing his company name, and negotiated the D15 million price.
He said Mayor Rohey Lowe knew that he paid D15 million to Charbel for the lease of the land and that when the council decided to allocate him another land at Bund Road he was told to pay an extra D5 million by the mayor because the land is bigger. However, despite making the payments, Rajwani claimed that he was not allocated the land.
He further told the commission that he met with the mayor several times and she said if she could not allocate land to him on Bund Road, she will allocate another land.
“That is what she told you?” Lead Counsel Patrick Gomez asked.
The witness replied: “Yes, she told me so.”
He also told the commission that his lawyer wrote to the council to seek a refund of D35 million.
Asked why he claimed D35 million when he only paid D20 Million, Rajwani said he was making claims for interest and losses.
He was asked to bring proof of his payments on Monday to the commission.
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