Gambiaj.com – (BANJUL, The Gambia) – National Assembly Member for Latrikunda Kunjang, Musa Badjie, has sharply criticized the government over what he described as serious shortcomings in the management of assets linked to former president Yahya A.J.J. Jammeh.
Badjie made the remarks during deliberations on the report of the Special Select Committee established by the National Assembly to investigate the sale and disposal of Jammeh’s assets.
Addressing lawmakers, the legislator argued that the government laid what he termed a “poor foundation” for the Janneh Commission, which was tasked with probing the former leader’s financial dealings.
“Like any structure, if the foundation is not correct, it will crumble,” Badjie said. “This report highlights the failure of the government in setting the foundation for a fruitful, result-oriented commission.”
According to him, some of Jammeh’s assets began disappearing even before the commission formally commenced its work, despite a court order obtained by the government to preserve them.
“The government obtained a court order to preserve the assets of the former president, but even before the commission started its work, some assets were already lost, destroyed, or dissipated,” he told the Assembly.
Badjie further accused the government of failing to properly safeguard assets recovered from Jammeh, saying authorities must explain how items worth billions of dalasis allegedly vanished.
“If you tell me Jammeh is a thief, who else is a thief?” he asked. “This report is telling us that assets worth billions were supposed to be preserved, yet they went missing.”
The lawmaker also pointed to what he described as administrative failures during the early stages of the commission’s work, including the absence of a clear organizational structure and operational regulations.
He argued that the lack of an organogram created confusion within the commission, leading to disputes between key officials such as the lead counsel and the commission secretary.
Badjie additionally questioned discrepancies in asset inventories, particularly regarding livestock and exotic animals reportedly found at Jammeh’s former properties.
Citing the committee’s findings, he said investigators visited locations where animals such as ostriches, camels, lions, and hyenas had reportedly been listed but found none of them.
“The commission itself said they went there and did not see these animals. So where did the list of hundreds of animals come from?” he asked.
Badjie insisted that accountability should be attached to individuals rather than institutions.
“It cannot simply be said that the Ministry of Agriculture is responsible,” he said. “Someone headed that ministry. We must hold individuals accountable.”
While commending the Special Select Committee for its work, the Latrikunda Kunjang lawmaker warned that the Assembly’s investigation should not end with the tabling of the report.
“This Assembly has spent resources on this investigation. Something must happen,” he said. “If nothing happens, then we will know the government itself is culpable.”
The committee’s report reviewed how assets identified by the Janneh Commission were managed and disposed of by the state following Jammeh’s departure from power in 2017.
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