By: Fatou Krubally
The Special Select Committee on the Sale and Disposal of Assets Identified by the Janneh Commission has been told that a Cabinet decision from 21st June 2018 continues to block the sale of assets recovered from former President Yahya Jammeh.
Testifying before the committee on Wednesday, August 6, 2018, Cabinet Secretary Alieu Njie confirmed that the decision was conveyed in a letter dated July 3, 2018, which referenced the earlier Cabinet meeting. The letter placed a moratorium on the sale of tractors and other assets linked to Jammeh, pending further Cabinet instruction.
“The file is not closed,” Mr. Njie told the committee, confirming that no official policy reversal has been issued and the matter remains active.
Members of the committee emphasized that the letter, found in Volume 44, is central to understanding why certain assets have not been disposed of. The lead counsel clarified that the document bears no confidentiality classification and can be discussed publicly.
The committee further examined Folio 96, which contained a Cabinet decision imposing a broader moratorium on the sale of all assets identified by the Janneh Commission. Asked whether that moratorium is still in force, Mr. Njie responded: “I don’t want to say I don’t know, but I have no idea about that.”
Despite this uncertainty, committee members noted that the open and active status of the file implies the moratorium remains effective and that assets have yet to be sold. “You cannot put a moratorium on the sale of assets unless there are still assets to be sold,” Hon Kebba Lang Fofana said.
Mr. Njie also confirmed that he assumed the role of Cabinet Secretary in January 2023 and has since participated in relevant Cabinet meetings dealing with asset matters.
The committee continues its probe into the handling of Jammeh’s assets, including questions over transparency, delays in disposal, and compliance with the recommendations of the Janneh Commission.
