Gambiaj.com – (BANJUL, The Gambia) – A special select committee of the National Assembly of The Gambia on Tuesday tabled its long-awaited report on the sale and disposal of assets belonging to former president Yahya A. J. J. Jammeh, raising serious concerns about the management of proceeds generated from the properties.
The report, which has attracted significant public attention, details the committee’s findings following its review of how assets linked to the former leader were handled after he left office in 2017.
Massive Financial Irregularities Highlighted
According to the committee, the review uncovered what it described as alarming irregularities, including the possible mismanagement of about D1.7 billion in proceeds from the disposal of the assets.
It also cited concerns about $302 million in foreign currency that remains unaccounted for, while identifying several senior officials whose actions may warrant criminal investigation.
Institutions such as the Ministry of Justice of The Gambia and the Central Bank of The Gambia were also criticised in the report for what lawmakers described as major institutional failures in the oversight and administration of the assets.
The Committee Calls for Criminal Investigations
Among its key recommendations, the committee urged the Executive to instruct the police to open criminal investigations under the supervision of the Director of Public Prosecutions.
The proposed probe would examine the role played by former Attorney General and Minister for Justice Abubacarr M. Tambadou in the management and disposal process.
Lawmakers said investigators should examine allegations including systematic and deliberate violations of the Public Finance Act 2014, abuse of office, and other possible economic crimes linked to the handling of Jammeh’s assets.
The committee further recommended that, if sufficient evidence is established, criminal proceedings should be initiated in accordance with Gambian law.
Conflict of Interest Concerns Over Janneh Commission Counsel
Lawyer Amie Bensouda, former Justice Minister Abubacarr M. Tambadou and current Attorney General Dawda A. Jallow
The report also raised concerns about a possible conflict of interest involving prominent lawyer Amie Bensouda during her tenure as Lead Counsel of the Janneh Commission, which was set up to investigate the financial dealings of Jammeh and his associates.
According to the committee, a perceived conflict arose because Bensouda’s law firm, Amie Bensouda & Co LLP, was representing the Social Security and Housing Finance Corporation (SSHFC) at the time of her appointment. SSHFC was among the institutions listed to be investigated by the commission.
The report noted that lawyers from her firm, including Counsel Anna Njie, represented SSHFC in court matters related to the recovery of funds from companies linked to Jammeh. Some of these cases reportedly continued even after Bensouda had assumed her role with the commission.
In her testimony before the committee, Bensouda denied that the situation constituted a conflict of interest. She argued that both the commission and SSHFC shared the same objective of recovering public funds and ensuring accountability.
She also told lawmakers that she had stepped away from the day-to-day management of her law firm after taking up the position.
Despite this explanation, the committee concluded that the arrangement created both real and perceived risks of bias. It stressed that maintaining public confidence in the commission’s work required avoiding any circumstances that could cast doubt on its impartiality.
Reprimand Recommended for Current Justice Minister
The committee also recommended that the current Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Dawda A. Jallow, be formally reprimanded.
According to the report, the minister allegedly perpetuated and validated unlawful administrative arrangements initially established by his predecessor in relation to the management of Jammeh’s assets.
The committee said its findings form part of a broader parliamentary review of how properties and financial resources linked to Jammeh were administered and disposed of following the change of government.
The report is expected to trigger debate among lawmakers and the wider public as authorities consider the next steps, including whether to pursue criminal investigations and possible prosecutions arising from the findings.
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