Claim: The National Association of Cooperative Credit Unions of The Gambia (NACCUG) says a D1 million loan granted to the wife of former Army Chief Lieutenant Gen. Cham, Amie Secka, complied with GAF Credit Union lending policies.
Verdict: Misleading! Findings show that Lt. Gen. Cham did not meet the Credit Union’s requirements to act as a guarantor for a loan of that amount. The conduct was contrary to the institution’s established lending policy.
Full Text
On May 29, 2026, the National Association of Cooperative Credit Unions of The Gambia (NACCUG) issued a press release giving a detailed account of how the former Chief of Defence Staff of the Gambia Armed Forces (GAF), Lieutenant General Mamat O. Cham, obtained a loan of D1 million for his wife, Amie Secka. The loan, which came from the credit union, forms part of mounting allegations of corruption involving the top military brass.
In the statement, NACCUG said it had investigated allegations of financial irregularities and found that the loan applicant met the loan eligibility requirements, in line with lending and procedures policies.
“At the time of the loan application and approval, the member met the eligibility requirements for the loan amount granted under the credit union’s lending policies and procedures,” NACCUG said.
The statement added, “The review also indicates that the loan application process complied with the standard operational procedures of the credit union, including the fulfilment of guarantor requirements and internal approval processes.”
This statement comes after days of speculation that the former army chief was engaged in corruption as he obtained a loan from the army credit union for his wife.
Against this backdrop, DUBAWA runs a fact-check to verify the claim’s authenticity, as it has the potential to mislead the public.
Verification
DUBAWA reviewed several reports indicating that, on Sept. 10, 2025, barely one year after joining the credit union, the former army chief’s wife, Amie, was issued a D1 million loan.
Image of a GT Bank cheque issued to the former army chief, Amie Secka. Source. What’s On Gambia
The GAF credit union policy allows a loan portfolio of only three times one’s savings, guaranteed by someone whose savings are at least one-third of the amount.
Section Z of the GAF credit union policy only allows guarantors to withdraw “not more than 30 per cent of their savings.”
An earlier investigative report published by DUBAWA detailed how the CDS breached this section of the policy in obtaining a loan for Amie.
Checks by DUBAWA with officers of the military who are familiar with the credit union’s lending policy show the CDS had savings of D144,829, and a loan balance of D300,000, with at least 52% in deficit, which makes him ineligible to guarantee for Amie.
Attached documents of the GAF credit union policy. Source. DUBAWA
“Based on the loan Cham owed, and the savings he has at the credit union, he is not qualified to guarantee his wife a loan of one million,” DUBAWA quoted credible military sources.
The former CDC has since tendered his resignation following this and other allegations of abuse of military office.
Conclusion
Based on evidence from documents reviewed by DUBAWA, the claim that the former CDS wife, Amie, had met the lending requirements from the credit union to obtain a loan of one million dalasis is misleading.
Findings show that Lt. Gen. Cham did not meet the Credit Union’s requirements to act as a guarantor for a loan of that amount, contrary to the institution’s established lending policy.