Gambian Parliament Launches Probe into Sale of Jammeh’s Assets

Sixth Legislature © Askanwi

By Edward Francis Dalliah

In response to an investigative report by the Republic and three days of youth-led protests, the Gambian National Assembly has established a Special Select Committee to investigate the sale of former President Yahya Jammeh’s assets by the Janneh Commission. The decision was taken during the Assembly’s first Extraordinary Session of the 2025 legislative year, held on May 14th and 15th.

The newly formed committee comprises seven members, chaired by Hon. Abdoulie Ceesay (NPP) and co-chaired by Hon. Madi MK Ceesay (UDP). The other members include Hon. Kebba Lang Fofana (Nominated and NPP), Hon. Alhagie Mbow (NRP), Hon. Omar Jammeh (Independent), Hon. Suwaibou Touray (PDOIS), and Hon. Sherif Sarr (APRC).

Following the vote to establish the committee, Speaker of the National Assembly, Hon. Fabakary Tombong Jatta, addressed the chamber, stating:

“The creation of this Special Select Committee to investigate the alleged mismanagement of former President Jammeh’s assets is a clear demonstration of this parliament’s commitment to truth, accountability, and justice.”

He further emphasised the legislature's responsibility:

“The Gambian people have entrusted us not only with the power to legislate but with the solemn duty to uphold the principles of good governance, transparency, and the rule of law.”

Speaking directly to the committee members, Speaker Jatta expressed his confidence:

“I have no doubt that you are committed, patriotic, and dignified enough to fulfill this critical mandate. Your task is to uncover the truth behind the accusations of mismanagement and potentially unlawful disposal of state assets linked to the former president. Your findings will inform this Assembly, the public, and contribute to broader efforts to strengthen accountability in governance.”

According to the motion passed, the Special Select Committee is mandated to conduct “a full, impartial, and independent inquiry” and submit its findings and recommendations to the Assembly within 120 days of its first sitting. Despite concerns raised about the tight timeline, Majority Leader, Hon. Billay Tunkara, who moved the motion, defended the schedule as “well calculated and thought through by the Committee of Selection.”

The Janneh Commission—formally the Commission of Inquiry into the Financial Activities of Public Bodies, Enterprises, and Offices Regarding Dealings with Former President Yahya Jammeh—was established in July 2017 under President Adama Barrow. Its investigations revealed extensive misappropriation of public funds through a complex web of bank accounts, shell companies, and state-owned enterprises.

As a result of the Commission’s findings, the government froze and seized numerous assets belonging to Jammeh, including luxury properties, vehicles, businesses, and bank accounts. Some of the seized holdings included farmlands, high-end homes, hotels, and a lavish estate in Kanilai, Jammeh’s home village.

To recover the stolen public funds, the government began auctioning off the seized assets. However, the Republic’s investigation revealed troubling irregularities in the sales process—among them, a Fajara property reportedly sold at a “giveaway price” and apparent conflicts of interest involving certain buyers.

Following the exposé and growing pressure from the youth-led organization Gambia Against Looted Assets (GALA), the Ministry of Justice released documents listing the buyers of Jammeh’s assets. These records indicated that several luxury properties were sold at suspiciously low prices.

Further concerns were raised by the National Audit Office’s 2020 report, which noted that although GMD 706,306,614.07 was declared as revenue from asset sales, no supporting documentation was provided. Missing records—such as sales contracts, buyer identities, or payment trails—not only violate Section 160(4) of the Constitution, which mandates full cooperation with audit processes, but also undermine transparency and accountability.

The report also flagged broader systemic issues in government financial oversight, including discrepancies in official financial statements, irregularities in cash and bank balances, and missing payment vouchers. These findings call into question the integrity of the asset recovery process itself.

The Special Select Committee is now expected to seek answers from the Ministry of Finance and other relevant institutions regarding the handling of these substantial public funds without proper documentation. The committee will also investigate whether any laws were breached during the sales.

On the same day the committee was approved, President Adama Barrow addressed the issue, revealing that some of the transactions detailed in recently released documents were previously unknown to him.

“My initial instinct was to establish an independent panel to thoroughly investigate every aspect of these sales,” he said. “However, in keeping with our constitutional framework, I have chosen to act in close coordination with the National Assembly and the National Audit Office, both of which are already conducting inquiries.”

President Barrow assured the public that the findings from these institutions would be published and that his government would act on their recommendations.

“We will not hesitate to hold accountable any individual or entity found culpable,” he concluded.