By: Fatou Krubally
Mamadi Kurang, former Secretary to the Janneh Commission, has told the National Assembly that political interference and confusion over asset ownership significantly hindered the Commission’s efforts to recover wealth linked to former President Yahya Jammeh.
Appearing before the Assembly’s committee investigating the disposal of recovered assets on Thursday, Kurang confirmed that senior executive officials attempted to influence the Commission’s work. “Yes, that is my view,” he said, when asked whether these actions amounted to interference.
Kurang detailed how the Commission inspected all vehicles associated with Jammeh, including those at the State House, to determine which were state property and which were personally owned. He stressed that not all vehicles were seized, noting, “Gambia was not a destitute state. We did own at least some vehicles. They didn’t all belong to Jammeh.”
On the matter of tractors supplied under the India-Gambia cooperation agreement, Kurang said approximately 500 were delivered and assembled locally. However, some had already been sold by Jammeh’s associates before the Commission began its work. During his tenure, 43 tractors were recovered and sold under an interim order—though he acknowledged he did not have a copy of the order during his testimony.
The valuation of the tractors was carried out by Mr. Ndiaye, a retired head of the Kotu workshop and a Commission witness. Kurang admitted that no formal procurement process was used to appoint him, and suggested the arrangement was handled through the Commission’s legal team.
He also stated that certain tractors were returned to individuals or communities who could prove legitimate purchase from Jammeh-linked entities. The asset recovery process, he said, was complicated by overlapping claims and widespread community use.
Kurang, who served from July 2017 until his dismissal in 2018, maintained that all decisions made during his tenure were based on commission directives and backed by interim orders.
The National Assembly’s investigation continues, focusing on whether asset disposals followed due process and upheld the public interest.
