Hon Jawara’s Motion and Parliament’s Inquiry into $30M Petroleum Scandal

Hon Sainey Jawara (c) Askanwi

This is the motion tabled by Hon Sainey Jawara for Lower Saloum urging Parliament to launch an investigation into the missing 36 million metric tonnes of petroleum products scandal on 22nd July 2024. Below is the motion reproduced.

MOTION

Honourable Speaker, following a parliamentary question relating to the matter of some petroleum products in The Gambia, and guided by section 109 subsection 2(a) and (b) of the Constitution of the republic of The Gambia, I rise to move a motion requesting for this august Assembly to establish a parliamentary inquiry into the vessel that anchored in The Gambia with a total of 36,935,614 metric tonne of petroleum products.

Expressing concern that The Gambia is tax-based economy, where both companies refused to pay tax on the transaction and there is no evidence of any income from the proceeds of the sale product.

Noting that the Financial Intelligence Unit [FIU] interventions on the said products that were trading in the country without the due process through the Bank transaction in both ECOBANK and ACCESS BANK GAMBIA LIMITED

The Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) went further to request from Access Bank and ECOBANK, the account opening package and statement of accounts of the said companies to conduct an investigate the matter.

Hon. Speaker, during the investigations one Mr. Aurimas Steblys was arrested and hand over to the police in Banjul for questioning and intelligence report indicates that this name mentioned should be further investigated to establish possible criminal transaction and loss of revenue to the state. Both GRA and Inspector General of Police were provided with an intelligence report for further action.

Hon. Speaker, the FIU also received intelligence that certain individual(s) are allegedly receiving kickback (bribes) of GMD600,000 monthly, which shows that every end of the month this said amount is withdrawn from the Access Bank account No.0010110000555 by one Mr. Aurimas Steblys.

Hon. Speaker, expressing concern that all the deposits in the above accounts are likely from the sales of the petroleum products traded in the Gambia by Apogee through Ultimate Beige Logistic and Creed Energy Limited.

A review of the documents provided by Access Bank showed that Creed Energy entered into an agreement with crossbreed holding company which is licensed by the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) to trade in petroleum products in The Gambia, to use its (crossbreed) petroleum import license with the intention of paying commission either per trading or annually. However, the intelligence show that this agreement was objected to by Apogee FZC, hence the agreement was never enforced.

Hon. Speaker, the FIU report shows that the manner in which those so-called sub-accounts Creed Energy/Apogee FZC and ultimate beige/Apogee maintain at Access Bank and ECOBANK are not in line with the provision of the Anti-Money Laundry Combine Terrorism Finance Act, 2012 (AML/CTF Act 2012).

Conclusion

Honourable Speaker and Honourable Members, based on the foregoing, I request that this august Assembly do establish a Joint Committee of the Finance and Public Committee and the Public Enterprises Committee to thoroughly inquire into the matter with a view of establishing the whole truth and facts and report back. I further request that the said Joint Committee, if it deems fit, to be granted leave to operate during the recess period of the Assembly.

Honourable speaker I beg to move.

End

Parliamentary Joint Committee (c) National Assembly

Below is the decision of the National Assembly to investigate the missing 36 million metric tones of petroleum products after a motion was tabled by Hon Sainey Jawara. Below is the decision from Parliament.

Joint Committee to Commence Public Hearings on Petroleum Products Inquiry

The Joint Committee on Finance and Public Accounts (FPAC) and Public Enterprise Committee (PEC) of the National Assembly will commence public hearings on Tuesday, 6th August 2024.

The hearings will investigate allegations surrounding the sale of 36,953.614 metric tons of petroleum products valued at $30,000,000.00.

The Joint Committee was established following a motion by Hon. Sainey Jawara, Member for Lower Saloum before the plenary on 22nd July 2024, calling for a parliamentary inquiry into the matter. The Committee’s mandate derives from Section 109(2)(a)(b) of the 1997 Constitution and Standing Orders 103 and 109.

The Joint Committee will investigate allegations of bribery and tax evasion levelled against Apogee FZC, Creed Energy Limited, and Ultimate Beige Logistics in connection with the sale of the petroleum products.

The Committee was granted a 90-day period to complete its inquiry and report back to the plenary by 22nd October 2024.

The Joint Committee will conduct public hearings three days a week, commencing on Tuesday, 6th August 2024, at the National Assembly.