Former GTA Director-General Faces Eleven Count Charges

Habib Drammeh, former Director-General of the Gambia Tourism Authority (GTA), was yesterday charged and arraigned before Justice Monageng of the Banjul High Court.

Count One of the offence charges that Habib Drammeh in the Republic of The Gambia on the 12th of July 2005, in a petition titled Reinstatement as director-general of GTA  to the President of the Republic of The Gambia, a public  servant alleging wrongful suspension, gave information among others to wit: an independent audit investigation commissioned by the Board cleared me of any wrong-doing which you know or believe to be false intending thereby to cause  your re-instatement as the Director General of the Gambia Tourism Authority, which the president ought not to do if the true state of facts contained in the Investigative Audit Report Into The Land and Financial Transactions of GTA dated 22nd December 2003, were fully disclosed to him in the said petition.

According to Count Two, Habib Drammeh in the Republic of The Gambia on the 12th  of July 2005 in a petition for Re-instatement as director general GTA, to the president of the Republic of The Gambia alleging one Momodou Sallah caused your wrongful suspension, gave information among others to wit: an independent audit investigation commissioned by the Board cleared me of any wrong-doing which you know or believe to be false intending thereby to cause the president to use his lawful power to the annoyance of the said Momodou Sallah, a former Secretary of State for Tourism and Culture.

According to Count Three, Habib Drammeh in Kololi, Kanifing Municipal Council, in the Republic of The Gambia between January 2002 and December 2003, while holding public office as the Director General of the Gambia Tourism Authority in breach of sections 6,7 and 10 of the Gambia Tourism Authority Act 2001 approved the payment of four hundred and fifty thousand dalasis (D450,000)  from the funds of the Gambia Tourism Authority to Home Finance Mortgage Company Limited for the settlement of your personal housing loan debt without the knowledge, disclosure, consent or authorization of the Board.

According to Count Four, Habib Drammeh in Kololi Kanifing Municipal Council in the Republic of The Gambia between January 2002 and December 2003 while holding public office as the director General  of the Gambia Tourism Authority corruptly  or dishonestly abused the office for private benefit in that you caused the payment of Four Hundred and  Fifty Thousand Dalasis(D450,000) from the fund of the authority to Home Finance Mortgage Company Limited for the settlement of your personal housing loan and thereby caused financed loss to the Gambia Tourism Authority.

Count Five read that Habib Drammeh in Kololi Kanifing Municipal Council of the Republic of The Gambia between January 2002 and December 2003 while holding public office as the Director General of the Gambia tourism authority corruptly abused the office for private benefit in that you directed and caused the payment of the sum of twenty-eight thousand five hundred and twenty-two dalasis(D28,522) the property of The Gambia Tourism Authority to Shyben Madi & sons Ltd for the repair of your private car Peugeot  406 with registration number KM 6236 A.

Count Six states that Habib Drammeh in Kololi Kanifing Municipal Council, between  January 2002 and December 2003, while holding public office as the director General of the Gambia Tourism Authority willfully caused  twenty-eight thousand five hundred and twenty-two dalasis(D28,522) to the Gambia Tourism Authority being payment made from the funds of Gambia Tourism Authority to Shyben Madi & Sons Ltd for the repairs of your private car Peugeot 406 with registration No KM 6236A pursuant to your directives.

Count Seven, states that Habib Drammeh in Kololi Kanifing Municipal Council between January 2002 and December 2003, while holding public office as the Director General of Gambia Tourism Authority dishonestly acquired a plot of land located at Brufut Heights property of the Gambia Tourism Authority and valued at three hundred and seventy-five thousand dalasis(D375,000) without paying for same.

Count Eight, states that Habib Drammeh in Kololi Kanifing Municipal Council, while holding public office as the Director General of Gambia Tourism Authority recklessly or dishonestly caused financial loss of three hundred and seventy-five thousand dalasis(D375,000) to the Gambia Tourism Authority being the value of a plot of land located at Brufut Heights property of the Gambia Tourism Authority which you allocated to yourself without paying for same.

 Mr. Drammeh is also facing similar charges of economic crimes to an amount ranging from D4,338.95 on Count 9 the same figure on Count 10, and D49,750 on Count 11.