Welcome to Freedom Newspaper Online

Breaking News:President Wade's Body Guard Lamin Fye Named In a Corruption Scandal!

A top Security aide of President Abdoulaye Wade of Senegal Lamin Fye has been engulfed in a major corruption racket with a Gambian national Ebrima Sohana alleging that he was duped by Fye, who allegedly took away his 2004 GMC Envoy truck, without paying him. Mr.Sohana who claimed to be a naturalized US Citizen charged that despite repeated demands from Fye to pay him his money totalling at 15Million CFA, which is equivalent to $26,000 dollars, but Fye kept on giving him excuses here and there. Mr.Sohona who is currently resident in Raleigh, NC was speaking in an interview with the leading Senegalese online radio called "Radio Tam Tam." Wednesday evening.

Mr.Sohona accuses Lamin Fye, who is often called"Commander" at the Senegalese palace of "official corruption" and abuse of office. "The Senegalese Presidential palace has been reduced to a task collection centre. The likes of Lamin Fye are using the place for their own business. There are so many dubious things happening at the palace. As a stranger, I was able to know the corrupt activities going on there. I don't need to know it under normal circumstances. President Wade should look into this issue seriously. The palace should be respected."said Mr.Sohona.

Callers upon callers to the Tam Tam show anchored by veteran broadcaster Modibo supported Mr.Sohona's claims. A majority of the callers sympathized with Ebrima Sohona, while urging him to keep the faith. Mr.Sohona earlier told Radio Tam Tam that he was threatened at gun point by Lamin Fye who he exchanged bitter arguments at his home in Dakar. Sohona widely known as "Ebsa Sohona" charged that Fye was restrained by one of his colleagues who prevailed over him not to shoot at him.

Sohona also named Samuel Sarr, a former business partner to Gambia's President Yahya Jammeh, as one of those officials in Dakar who appealed to him to give them time to settle the debt, which according to him was yet to be settled by Fye. Mr.Sarr whose name featured on the Jammeh/Abacha 1996 crude oil scandal after he was issued with Gambian diplomatic passport to negotiate on behalf of the Gambia was said to have told Ebrima Sohona that he would ensure that he gets his money back from Mr.Fye. But this never happened according to him.

Sohona who was recently divorced by his partner, who is currently residing in the United Kingdom, blamed Lamin Fye for his matrimonial woes. He charged that Fye was in contact with his wife during the period in question and was bent on smearing his image with stories of adultery against him. Ebou Sohona, who claimed to have been evicted by his former hotel host because of Fye's pressure said at some point armed police officers came to pick him up at his hotel, where he was threatened at gun point again. "They told me that I was needed at the Police Head Quarters known as police centeral. I told them that there was no point for them to place me at gun point as I committed no crime. I later joined them, but interestingly, when we reached Lamin Fye's home they asked me to join them there but I refused. They insisted that I should go. I told them that I will not move an inch. I insist to be taken to the police station and not at Fye's house. At the police station, I told them that I'm an American Citizen and they would be held responsible for anything that happened to me. I was later released." Sohona said.

According to Mr.Sohona, Lamin Fye at some point handed him with a bounce check, which attracted a scandal in Senegal. " The said Check was put in one of my friend's bank account. The check was a government check and was from the agriculture Department. When I informed him about the said faked check, Fye asked me to hand over the check to him with a promise that he was going to settle my money. I went to state palace more than ten times without getting my money. I remember him effecting some payments at the palace at one occasion. But as we speak, he owed me more than 7Million CFA, which is equivalent to $14,000 dollars."said Sohona. Lamin Fye is said to be a close relative of President Wade of Senegal.

Sohona who had his 40 foot container recently auctioned in Banjul due to lack of funds to settle port and shipping charges appealed to President Wade to help him bring Lamin Fye to justice. He says the likes of Lamin Fye "are undermining Senegal's image locally and internationally." Sohona adds that"I doubt if there is justice in Senegal. Throughout my stay there, I couldn't believe the amount of official corruption I witnessed. There is corruption everywhere. The worse place is the state palace. It's disheartening. President Wade should intervene in the interest of the sub-region. I doubt if he would condone such official corruption. Lamin Fye is driving my car in the streets of Dakar with impunity. He demonstrates no sign of commitment to pay me my money." Mr.Sohona lamented.

While in Dakar, Sohona said he was asked by Mr.Fye to move from his previous hotel and was later lodged at a Presidential villa hotel where important dignitaries were hosted. He says while there he met one of President Wade's relatives. "I had to pay the bills by myself at some point, even though he earlier promised to foot the bills. All my claims were reported by a local paper in Dakar. I stand by what I said." he posited.

Mr.Sohona says he is not afraid to travel to Dakar and was ready to furnish information to the media regarding the said case. Earlier on, some callers claimed that Mr.Lamin Fye was in the business of duping people and therefore urged Mr.Sohona not to give up his case. Mr.Sohona says he hired the services of two Senegalese lawyers with the aim of seeking justice but only to discover that the lawyers were not keen at representing his interest. He later decided to let them go, he said.

A Senegalese caller Mass wondered why Sohona did not report the matter to the Gambian High Commission in Senegal or to the US emebassy since he claimed to be a US subject. In response Sohona said one Antouman Saho a govenment official in the Gambia advised him to report the matter to the High Commissoner Seedy Sanneh who was replaced the next day by the government. He says Sanneh received his complain before his sacking. Mr.Sohona claimed to have reported the matter to the US embassy in Dakar. However, there was independent confirmation to his claim at press time.

The Radio Tam Tam host Modibou says he made repeated attempts to reach Mr.Lamin Fye for his side of the story without success. Modibou says he got a voice mail on Mr.Fye's cell phone. This paper would make further follow up to the story. We have Mr.Fye's cell number would solicit his reaction in due cause. The allegations brought against him are wild. It needs some clarification from his end, in the interest of fair reporting.

The editor can be reached at the following addresses:editor@freedomnewspaper.com or panderry_mbai@yahoo.com If you know that it is happening or is about to happen, please contact us. The Freedom Newspaper is your leading source of news. At Freedom, we have the required professionals to serve you round the clock.

Posted on Wednesday, November 22, 2006 (Archive on Monday, December 25, 2006)
Posted by PNMBAI Contributed by PNMBAI

Return