A UK-based Gambian businessman Laggie Gumaneh, has taken legal actions against Khadijatou Kebbeh and her father Muhammed Kebbeh, proprietor of African international Trading for allegedly defrauding him of over D4, 468, 800.
Madame Kebbeh, a businesswoman and CEO of The Kloset was recently sued together with the former Gam-petroleum boss Saihou Drammeh by GACH for alleged fraud of D58, 961, 150 and $221, 000, 00 which was supposed to be paid for petrol product supplied by Gam-Petroleum Storage Facility.
According to the writ of summons obtained by The Standard, Mr Gumaneh is suing the two for fraudulently acquiring D4, 468,800 which was supposed to be paid for 4 containers containing 5,320 20 litre Jerry Cans of Fleure Vegetable Cooking Oil and D446, 880.00 being legal and administrative expenses.
In his affidavits, Gumaneh said he contracted Mr Kebbeh to purchase 4 containers of Fleure RBD Vegetable Cooking Oil comprising 5,320 20 Litres Jerry Cans that were to be shipped to Dakar Port and transited to Banjul Port.
However, he said on 7th May 2020 the Mr Kebbeh issued him a “Facture” Proforma invoice Number 07052O/L2 with a total sum of 53,200,000 CFA equivalent to D4,468,800.00 for the 4 containers. He said Kebbeh instructed him to deposit the money into Khadijatou Kebbeh’s account at GTBank.
“On 8th May 2O2O I made full payment of the purchase price for the 4 containers of Vegetable Cooking Oil by RTGS transfer; I transferred the sum of D4, 468,800.00 from my Trust Bank account to Madame Kebbeh’s GTBank account,” he said.
Gumaneh said after the making the payment, the accused persons “inadvertently” forwarded him a Bill of Lading dated 2nd May 2O2O indicating that 3 containers of Vegetable Cooking Oil comprising 3,960 cartons have arrived but upon calling their attention that the amount paid was for 4 containers of the same product, he was forwarded another undated Bill of Lading Bill Number 592460557 for 4 containers.
“Mr Kebbeh informed me that the 4 containers will be delivered on or before the 20th July 2020 however, no such delivery was made and the he eventually informed me that he did not have the Vegetable Cooking Oil anymore but was able to convert my purchase for building materials which I turned down,” Gumaneh said.
He said for over “a period of 1 year he kept demanding through several telephone calls, text and Whatsapp messages from the defendants the return of his money but to no avail”.
“In June 2021 the Mr Kebbeh informed me that he was in Spain and that I should travel to that country for us to discuss how he was going to return my money; when I got to Spain he had unfortunately moved out of the hotel he had been living at. That as a result of the Defendant’s breach of the contract of purchase and trust, as a businessman, I have suffered considerable economic and financial losses including substantial business hardship and inconvenience in my relationship with other businesses and businessmen with whom I had contracted to sell the products that the Defendants were to supply me,” Gumaneh said.
He informed the court that: “I have incurred additional expenses to the tune of D446, 880.00 as legal and administrative expenses to institute this suit against the Defendants for the recovery of the sum of D4, 468,800.00 that I paid for the Vegetable Cooking Oil. 18.”
In conclusion, Gumaneh said Mr Kebbeh have “no defence to this suit, and I therefore crave on the Honourable Court to assist me recover my claims and consequential losses by placing this suit on the Undefended List, failing which, the Defendants will not pay me. That I make these statements solemnly and sincerely to the best of my knowledge, information and belief.”
The case resumed on February 7 at the high court before Justice Oledi Uko Uduma.