President Barrow Accused of Interfering in State Land Audit Amid Revelations of Multiple Land Allocations to Him and His Private Business

Written by: Seringe S.T. Touray

President Adama Barrow allegedly pressured former Auditor General Modou Ceesay to halt an investigation into government land allocations, including an audit covering a period in which the President himself received state land, according to a new investigation by The Republic.

The publication reported that Ceesay told the Supreme Court that President Barrow repeatedly summoned him to State House and questioned his decision to investigate land allocations between 2021 and 2025. “He was specifically concerned why we chose the scope from 2021 to 2025,” Ceesay testified, according to the investigation.

The Republic further reported that its examination of government land records identified at least two allocations involving the President within the audit period. The publication also cited an unnamed State House source who claimed that the Presidency became concerned after auditors requested specific information about land allocated to Barrow and other individuals.

The allegations come months after the Supreme Court ruled in July that Ceesay’s removal from office in September 2025 was unconstitutional. The ruling concerned the legality of his removal, rather than establishing whether the President interfered with the audit. In an earlier statement, State House maintained that Ceesay’s proposed appointment as Trade Minister was based on his qualifications and was not intended to interfere with the National Audit Office.

Despite the court ruling, the land audit remained unfinished as of October, according to The Republic. The publication said a National Audit Office spokesperson confirmed that the exercise was on hold, “pending the team’s finalisation of internal discussions on some technical matters.”