Special Prosecutor Hackett to Investigate and Prosecute Former President Jammeh

Martin Hackett

By Fatoumata Jaiteh

The Gambia’s first-ever Special Prosecutor, Martin Hackett, is set to lead investigations and prosecutions involving former President Yahya Jammeh and 68 other individuals identified by the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC) for alleged crimes committed during his regime.

Hackett’s appointment comes at a critical time, as victims of Jammeh’s regime continue to demand justice and accountability. The now-defunct TRRC, established in 2017, identified at least 69 individuals for possible prosecution over crimes committed between July 1994 and January 2017, a period spanning Jammeh’s 22-year rule. These alleged offences include serious human rights violations and abuses.

In response, the government has created a special accountability mechanism to prosecute those recommended by the TRRC. At the centre of this accountability framework is the Office of the Special Prosecutor (SPO) that will lead efforts to investigate and prosecute atrocities linked to the Jammeh era. Under the SPO Act 2024, the office is entrusted with broad responsibilities, including investigating serious human rights violations committed between July 1994 and January 2017, as recommended by the TRRC and accepted by the government.

The SPO is expected to operate under the Attorney General’s Chambers and the Ministry of Justice. At a press briefing held on Wednesday, 8th April 2026, at the Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara Conference Centre, Minister Jallow updated the public on Hackett’s appointment and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to implementing the TRRC recommendations.

He revealed that Hackett, a British national with over three decades of experience in criminal and international law, has been appointed for a four-year term, renewable upon “agreement by the parties”.

The British national is a graduate of Aberystwyth University, where he obtained an LLB (Hons), and was called to the Bar in 1995. Over the course of his career, he has handled complex prosecutions involving war crimes, terrorism, serious organised crime, and other grave offences, positioning him as a key figure in The Gambia’s transitional justice process.

As the government takes steps to bring justice to the victims, Hackett’s appointment signals a transition from truth-telling to concrete accountability and demonstrates their willingness to confront past human rights abuses committed during Jammeh’s 22-year rule.