An audit inquiry into the finances of the Governor’s Office in the Central River Region uncovers over D7.9m of possible fraud and misappropriation of public funds by the former Governor Sheriff Abba Sanyang and some of his senior staff.

The audit report, released in March 2023, was produced by the directorate of internal audit, covering a period of six months, from January to July, 2022.

Mr Sanyang had served as the Governor of CRR from March 2019 to May 2022, when he was appointed as minister for lands, regional governments and religious affairs. 

He has however unceremoniously resigned last week – 1 July – citing ‘personal reasons contravening his position as cabinet minister.’ 

Even though the presidency has accepted the decision and ‘thanked Mr Sanyang for the services he rendered to the Government and the people of The Gambia’, there were calls for full disclosure on the circumstances of his departure. 

“It is not enough to accept his resignation…But beyond accepting the resignation, the President should also ensure accountability since the State House has expressed quite explicitly that there was a contravention,” says human rights activist Madi Jobarteh. 

Now though the audit report leaked to the media barely one week later has increased speculation that Mr Sanyang has been pushed out in the wake of the damning revelations against him. 

Per the audit findings, the former Governor is involved in a series of questionable financial transactions relating to fraud and misappropriation of public funds. 

One of the queries concerns the awarding of at least 10 procurement contracts amounting to D1.2m to his own company, Sankulay Firms, in a period of three months. 

Malagen investigation reveals that Sanyang registered Sankulay Firms in February 2016. However, in June 2021, he transferred the ownership of the business to his son, Momodou Lamin Sanyang. 

The registration details seen by Malagen shows the company’s areas of work include general agriculture, poultry farming, crop production, cattle and small ruminants and general trading.  

Without following procurement rules, Mr Sanyang has awarded what auditors queried as ‘contracts of different categories’, including building and vehicle maintenance costing D283,140 and D158,400, respectively. 

“This is a total violation of the code of conduct for civil servants and the GPPA Regulation as well,” the auditors say, adding that, “awarding business ventures to a self-owned business, poses the risk of potential procurement fraud and a risk of anti-competitiveness in the procurement processes.”

Reacting to auditors’ finding through the management response, Mr Sanyang admitted to violating the GPPA regulation. However, he justified that, “this could be very much relative availability funds mode contract like suppliers’ availability and emergency of need so in that area of the country where GPPA officials aren’t easily accessible.” 

Mr Sanyang also informs the auditors that his son had already inherited Sankulay Firms even before his appointment as Governor. 

However, Malagen confirmed this information is incorrect as the registration documents show that the business was transferred to his son on 3 June 2021 when he was already serving as the Governor of CRR. 

And the auditors in their response insists that awarding contracts to a company owned by Modou Lamin Sanyang constitute ‘conflict of interest and related party transaction’, and call for ‘full investigation into the abnormalities.’

Malagen has made efforts to contact Mr Sanyang to get his reactions to the report, but he could not be reached on his phone. 

The full audit report can be accessed HERE