By: Fatou Krubally
A key witness, Shel Elhajj, told the local government commission of inquiry investigating Banjul City Council (BCC) land transactions that he paid $2 million for a plot of land from BCC in 2019 without prior approval from his supposed business partners, raising questions about the legitimacy of the deal and the eventual profit made.
Elhajj, a retired businessman, testified that the land purchase was intended for a joint venture involving the assembly of household goods such as refrigerators and air conditioners. He said he was approached by a company known locally as Fani, which also operates in Nigeria, to partner on the project. However, Elhajj admitted that the partners only visited and inspected the land after he had already paid BCC.
When questioned about the absence of formal agreements or feasibility studies, Elhajj confirmed that all arrangements were verbal and that no formal business plans or investment valuations had been completed prior to his $2 million payment. He described the investment as a calculated risk based on trust and verbal commitments.
The commission raised concerns over the fact that Elhajj proceeded with the purchase without ensuring the land met his partners’ approval or business requirements. Furthermore, documents revealed that the initially allocated land behind the National Assembly was later deemed unavailable by BCC due to other development plans. The land rights were subsequently transferred to MK Stores, led by Mr. Nandu Rajuanu, who was relocated to a site on Bond Road.
The inquiry highlighted that Elhajj reportedly made a profit exceeding $13 million from the transaction, despite the absence of concrete investment groundwork. Elhajj acknowledged the profit but attributed it to the natural risks and judgments involved in business.
Elhajj’s testimony underscores possible irregularities in the handling of council land allocations and the need for transparent procedures to prevent suspected fraudulent profits from public assets.