The committee hearing seeks clarity on the massive stock of vehicles left behind by the former regime. Saidy-Bah confirmed that his task was to “invent and recover” vehicles scattered across different locations, ranging from the Mechanical Transport Service Agency (MTSA) and Fitorek to plantations, foundations, and even private residences.
In his testimony, Saidy-Bah explained that during the exercise, vehicles were seized from individuals, security officials, and institutions. Some were immediately reassigned by the new coalition government to incoming officials. “Essentially, vehicles were literally taken from personnel of the old regime and handed to people that were incoming in the new regime,” he asserted.
When the counsel pressed him on the status of 33 vehicles marked “APRC.” Initially, Saidy-Bah had testified that they were not government vehicles. However, under further questioning, he conceded that once he was assigned by the Secretary General and the Minister for Finance to investigate, he discovered they had already been distributed across the security forces by the former President.
“When I was assigned to go and invent them, that was the time I realised most of these vehicles were in the possession of the forces. Before then, they were not part of my inventory,” he said, shifting ground from his earlier stance.
Counsel expressed frustration at his contradictory responses. At one point, they demanded a clear “yes or no” on whether the APRC-branded vehicles were government property. After a long exchange, Saidy-Bah reluctantly acknowledged that they were, though only “after instructions were given.”
The hearing also revealed details about the recovery process. Vehicles ranging from luxury Nissan Patrols, Pajeros, and BMWs to tractors and military trucks were seized. He said black Nissan Patrol V8 once assigned to the President was recovered from retired General Sulayman Badjie’s Sukuta residence. A Mitsubishi Pajero was retrieved from a driver in Busumbala, while others were traced to military captains.
Saidy-Bah confirmed that bicycles and tricycles found within the State House complex were even inventoried because they were “mechanically propelled.”
He further stated he led a security convoy into Kanilai just weeks after Yahya Jammeh’s departure. He disclosed that he did not expect to find a surreal car graveyard, 97 vehicles scattered across the former dictator’s hometown, ranging from gleaming Rolls Royce limousines to rusting farm tractors and scrap military trucks.
Saidy-Bah painted a vivid picture of what lay behind the walls of Kanilai. “We found Rolls Royce cars, pickups, military trucks, tractors, and scrap vehicles altogether 97,” he told the committee. “Fifty-nine were scrap, 16 were not roadworthy, and only 22 could actually move.”
He said the Kanilai haul included not just luxury cars but also heavy-duty machinery, underscoring the sheer scale of Jammeh’s appetite for vehicles. “It was across categories,” Saidy-Bah explained. “From luxury to farm use, everything was there.”
