“I Never Got the Visa”: Witness Testifies in D100,000 Scam Case

Lady Justice Statue at Banjul High Court © Askanwi

By Fatoumata Jaiteh

The multi-million dalasi visa fraud case resumed on 23rd February 2026 before Magistrate A. Manneh at the Kanifing Magistrate Court, with fresh testimony detailing how the accused, Manjang Cham, obtained D100,000 from one of his 23 alleged victims.

Cham is alleged to have fraudulently obtained over D3 million from 23 people in exchange for visas to Canada and Spain and could be sentenced to over 60 years in prison if found guilty of obtaining money by false pretence.

Each of the 23 counts corresponds to a separate instance where Cham is accused of obtaining money in exchange for securing visas for his clients. However, authorities say he never fulfilled his end of the bargain.

Cham is charged under section 265 of the Gambia’s Criminal Offences Act for allegedly obtaining goods by false pretence, which is a form of fraud. If found guilty, Cham could face three years for each of the 23 counts, totalling 69 years of jail time.

When the case was called, the accused, Manjang Cham, appeared visibly limping and was assisted into the courtroom. Struggling to walk, he was given a seat beside the dock to enable him to participate in the hearing.

The prosecution’s second witness (PW2), Muhammed Sallah, a businessman resident in Brikama, was sworn in and led in evidence by Prosecutor Trawally.

Asked whether he knew the accused, Sallah responded in the affirmative. He told the court that it was his brother who introduced him to Cham.

“My brother was the one who introduced me to the accused,” Sallah testified.

According to him, their first meeting took place at a restaurant in Brikama, where they were formally introduced. During that meeting, Cham allegedly asked whether he had a passport.

“He asked if I had a passport, and I said no,” Sallah told the court.

Sallah said the following day Cham asked him to meet in Banjul to facilitate the processing of a passport. After applying, he said they met again in Banjul, where he collected the passport from Cham.

“After applying for the passport, we met again in Banjul, where I collected it from him,” he recounted.

He added that shortly after, the accused informed him that he was travelling to Dakar.

Sallah testified that upon Cham’s return from Dakar, he was called to meet the accused along Kairaba Avenue at a place he referred to as “Mr Bah’s Office.”

There, he said, the accused prepared documents for him in relation to a hotel booking and asked him to pay D100,000 as visa processing fees.

“He wrote some documents for me regarding a hotel and requested D100,000 from me for the visa fee,” Sallah said.

He told the court that he paid the full amount. Thereafter, Cham allegedly took him to the Spanish Embassy, where his documents were submitted.

When asked by the prosecutor whether there had been any prior discussion before going to the embassy, Sallah replied in the negative.

“He said we should go there; that’s where he applied for the visa,” the witness said.

According to Sallah, Cham told him that once the Spanish Embassy completed processing the visa, “they will call us.”

He further recalled the accused saying: “We have applied, so now let us pray that it comes out well.”

Under questioning, Sallah confirmed that the D100,000 was the only amount he paid to the accused.

“That’s the only amount I paid to him,” he said.

However, he told the court that since making the payment, he has not received any visa.

“I never got the visa,” he stated.

Sallah further testified that the accused gave him a specific date on which the visa would be ready. When that date passed without any communication, he contacted Cham.

“I called him, but he said he was going to link me with someone, and until now that person has never called me,” Sallah said.

When asked whether he ever demanded a refund, the witness replied that he did not.

“I never asked for the money because I never knew things would turn out this way,” he explained.

Sallah told the court that while he was still waiting for news about his visa, his brother called one day to inform him that Cham had been arrested and detained at the police station following complaints from other individuals.

“He told me that Cham was arrested and detained at the police station after some other people reported him, alleging he scammed them, and that I should also go and lodge my complaint,” Sallah testified.

Asked how he felt upon realising he would not receive the visa, Sallah responded quietly: “I left everything in the hands of God.”

He also disclosed that he has yet to regain possession of his passport, which he said remains with the accused.

“I am yet to even access my passport because it still remains with Cham,” he said, adding that he has not yet asked the accused for a refund of the D100,000 because he has not had the opportunity to sit with him to discuss retrieving it.

The case, which involves allegations that Cham defrauded 23 individuals under the pretext of facilitating visas, was adjourned to 26th February 2026 and 4th March 2026 for the continuation of proceedings.