Answering oral questions of deputies on Wednesday, at the National Assembly, Hon. Dawda Jallow, the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, provided several details on the sales of assets belonging to former President Yahya Jammeh. This appearance followed a question posed to him regarding the sale of various assets, including land, ships, camels, tractors, cars, trucks, vehicles, furniture, gold, and other valuable assets.

Hon. Jallow began by outlining the process that was undertaken regarding the sale of these assets. He mentioned that in March 2019, following the submission of the Janneh Commission’s report, the government published a white paper accepting the majority of the Commission’s recommendations. Subsequently, in September 2019, the white paper was gazetted, and a ministerial task force was established to decide on the fate of the forfeited properties of former President Jammeh and his associates.

Alpha Capital Advisory, a reputable local chartered accountant firm, was appointed to liquidate the properties identified for sale by the Interministerial Task Force. The sale process involved close bids, with reserved prices determined through valuations by an independent professional valuer. To ensure transparency and wider participation, a website was created to showcase all the properties earmarked for sale, alongside newspaper advertisements. The auction was conducted in phases, with successful bidders receiving formal letters detailing the property bid amount and a seven-day payment deadline.

Hon. Jallow provided details on the assets sold, including 36 properties, six vehicles, and the total amount realized from the sale, which amounted to D1,240,052,593. He also mentioned that for properties sold but with occupants, eviction notices of at least six months were issued to allow for a smooth transition to vacant possession.

About the much debated cattle…

Regarding other assets such as rice, cattle, sheep, and various animals, Hon. Jallow mentioned that the commission did not deal with the sale of rice. The cattle and sheep were sold by the Sheriff under the instruction of the Janneh Commission, and the total amount from the sale was about $8 million. The tractors were also sold by the Janneh Commission, and the sales proceeds were paid into the asset recovery account at the Central Bank of The Gambia. However, there was no gold recovered.

When asked about the independent valuer who valued the properties before sale, Hon. Jallow indicated that the information could be provided upon request, as there may have been more than one valuer involved in the process.

In conclusion, Hon. Dawda Jallow emphasized that the information provided was done with utmost sincerity, and he could only speak to the details available in the reports submitted to them. He assured the assembly that if substantive corrections or additional information were needed, they would provide it accordingly.

The session at the National Assembly seems far away from providing all the answers on the government’s managing the assets of former President Jammeh, ensuring that the proceeds from the sale are utilized for the benefit of the Gambian people.