By: Fatou Krubally
A Special Select Committee of the National Assembly of The Gambia on Tuesday tabled its report on the sale and disposal of assets belonging to former president Yahya Jammeh, recommending a criminal investigation into the role of former Attorney General and Minister of Justice Abubacarr M. Tambadou.
The committee reviewed how assets linked to the former leader were managed following his departure from office in 2017.
In its report, the committee urged the Executive to instruct the police to open criminal investigations under the supervision of the Director of Public Prosecutions into Tambadou’s role in the handling and disposal of the assets.
According to the report, the investigation should examine allegations of systematic and deliberate violations of the Public Finance Act 2014, abuse of office and other possible economic crimes related to the management of the assets.
The committee recommended that, if sufficient evidence is established, criminal proceedings should be initiated in accordance with the laws of The Gambia.
The report has already sparked debate in the National Assembly. Hon. Kebba T. Sanneh, Member for Foni Jarrol, claimed that several sales of Jammeh-linked assets were not captured in the Janneh Commission’s report, calling for greater scrutiny and transparency in how the transactions were documented.
Hon. Sulayman Jammeh, representing Bundungka Kunda, also criticized the Janneh Commission, asserting that it failed to meet the expectations of Gambians in managing the process. “The commission did not conduct its work in a satisfactory manner,” he said, underscoring concerns over gaps in accountability and oversight.
The report also recommended that the current Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Dawda A. Jallow, be formally reprimanded over issues relating to the handling of assets belonging to Jammeh.
Lawmakers said the minister should be reprimanded for allegedly perpetuating and validating unlawful administrative arrangements initially established by his predecessor.
The report forms part of a broader parliamentary review into how assets linked to Jammeh were managed and disposed of following the change of government.
The committee’s findings and recommendations are expected to generate debate among lawmakers and the public as authorities consider the next steps regarding accountability in the handling of the former president’s assets.