Alhaji Amadou Kora Testifies Before NA Select Committee on Sale of Jammeh’s Cattle in Kanilai

Alhaji Amadou Kora, Businessman & Politician

By Fatou Sillah

Businessman and politician Alhaji Amadou Kora, widely known as Manding Mansa, on Monday appeared before the National Assembly Special Select Committee investigating the sale and disposal of assets belonging to former President Yahya Jammeh.

Testifying about the controversial cattle sale in Kanilai, Kora told the committee that he visited the site “out of curiosity” after hearing about the event from people in Basse.

“I first heard about the sale from people in Basse. When I reached Kanilai Junction, I saw people with cattle and decided to go there and observe,” he said.

“Why did you go to Kanilai?” Counsel Kah asked.

In response, Kora explained, “I always wanted to go to Kanilai because I was curious about the place since Jammeh’s time; that is why I went.”

He recounted that upon arrival, he saw a man identified only as Mr. Jallow conducting the sale.

“I saw him pricing one of the cattle at D5,000. I told him that was too small and that he should make at least D12,000. He was surprised but continued the sales. After that, he started consulting me about prices, which annoyed some people, so I decided to leave,” Kora testified.

According to him, payments from the sales were made to the sheriff, a process he observed on the second day. Kora added that he left soon after because “people became suspicious” of his presence and he did not want any confrontation.

When asked if he purchased any cattle, Kora was emphatic: “I never bought any cattle there. I was only observing. I didn’t go there to buy and didn’t even have money at the time.”

He said that was his first and only encounter with Mr. Jallow, whom he never spoke to again. He further stated that he did not share his contact details with Jallow and was surprised when his name was later mentioned on the radio in connection with the sale.

The committee also confronted Kora with a past interview he granted Gambian Talents, in which he claimed to have heard about the cattle sale on the radio. Counsel Kah pointed out that the sale was never advertised publicly.

Kora responded that his current testimony before the committee represents the accurate version of events, admitting that his earlier statement to the media was “misleading.”