Gambia: CSOs Demand Independent Probe Into Jammeh-Era Assets Disposal
Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in The Gambia demand independent investigations into the sale and disposal of assets recovered from former President Yahya Jammeh, citing concerns over alleged governance, transparency and financial management failures of the said assets. The CSO groups also demanded a nationwide forensic audit of the assets recovered, managed or sold following the findings of the former Janneh Commission.
These demands followed a two-day CSO engagement convened by 'Gambia Participates' last April 2026, while examining the report of the National Assembly Special Select Committee on the disposal of Jammeh-era assets.
In a joint position paper, CSO groups, legal practitioners, journalists and governance experts said the parliamentary report raised concerns about alleged conflicts of interest, undue influence, irregular procedures and weak financial controls, and identified the handling of assets covered by court preservation orders as one of their major concerns. They said the High Court had ordered certain recovered assets to be frozen and preserved pending further legal proceedings. However, the evidence reviewed by the parliamentary committee suggested that some aspects of the disposal process went ahead. The groups said this could raise questions about compliance with court orders and the constitutional separation of powers. They stated, however, that whether any conduct amounted to contempt of court remains a matter for the courts to determine.
The CSO groups said the position paper also raised concerns about the valuation and sale of recovered assets, and alleged that some assets were sold without competitive bidding. They also said that inconsistent or unverified valuation methods created a risk that public property was sold below its true value. The groups said this raises questions about whether the state received fair value from the assets recovered for the public's benefit.
According to the Groups' position paper, responsibility for managing Jammeh's recovered assets was spread across several institutions which included the Executive, the Janneh Commission, ministerial task forces, receivers and government agencies.
They said overlapping mandates and unclear responsibilities made it difficult to establish who was accountable for key decisions. They also identified poor record-keeping as a major concern, and said records relating to livestock, vehicles, land and financial assets were, in some cases, incomplete, inconsistent or unavailable. The groups said these gaps made it difficult to establish a reliable audit trail. The Group also raised concerns about financial management including active and dormant accounts, inadequate reconciliation of recovered funds, financial reporting and anti-money-laundering controls, and said the controversy dates back to the end of Jammeh's 22-year rule.
Former president Jammeh lost the December 2016 presidential election but initially refused to leave office. He eventually went into exile in Equatorial Guinea following regional and international pressure. The new government that followed established the Janneh Commission of Inquiry to investigate allegations of financial misconduct, abuse of office and unlawful acquisition of public assets. The Commission concluded its work in 2019, when the government accepted its findings concerning Jammeh and his associates and also accepted recommendations for the forfeiture of properties, companies, shares and other assets to the state. The new government later began disposing of some of the recovered assets.
In May 2025, the Ministry of Justice published documentation covering vehicles, tractors, scrap materials, furniture, livestock, properties and shares that had been sold or allocated through different processes. President Adama Barrow said at the time that the disposal had generated significant public concern. He defended the government's efforts to manage the property transparently. The controversy later prompted parliamentary scrutiny. The National Assembly established the Special Select Committee in May 2025 to investigate the sale and disposal of assets identified by the Janneh Commission. The Assembly adopted the committee's report in March 2026 and published it in July. The report has since emerged as a major accountability document linked to The Gambia's post-Jammeh transition.
Its findings highlighted alleged administrative irregularities, weak inter-agency coordination, poor documentation and questions over the disposal of land, livestock, vehicles and other assets. The committee also submitted an addendum after discovering that sections covering companies, equity holdings and other assets had been omitted from the original report. The civil society groups said the controversy should not be viewed only through the question of whether individual officials broke the law. They argued that the episode exposed deeper institutional weaknesses.
Among their recommendations is the creation of a comprehensive Asset Recovery and Management Law.
The proposed law would define who should have custody of recovered assets, how assets should be valued and sold, and which institutions should oversee the process. The groups are also demanding:
Independent investigations into individuals and institutions implicated by the parliamentary report;
Administrative, civil or criminal proceedings where sufficient evidence exists;
A nationwide forensic audit of recovered assets;
Publication of a verified national register of Jammeh-era assets;
Disclosure of asset valuations, sales, beneficiaries and proceeds;
Digitisation and modernisation of government records; and
A central professional authority to manage recovered assets.
They also want the National Assembly's recommendations placed under a formal implementation framework with clear deadlines, responsible institutions and regular public reporting. A key question is whether the parliamentary findings will lead to prosecutions, recovery of public funds or institutional reforms. The civil society position paper acknowledges that the Special Select Committee's report is not a court judgment. Its findings do not automatically impose criminal or administrative penalties. The groups said recommendations from the report require action by the Executive, National Assembly, relevant administrative bodies or the courts, depending on the matter. They stressed that allegations contained in a parliamentary or investigative report should not automatically be treated as proof of criminal wrongdoing. The groups said accountability should also extend beyond criminal prosecutions. They identified administrative sanctions, civil recovery, restitution, parliamentary oversight and greater public disclosure as possible responses. The government has previously committed to transparency in the disposal of the former president's assets. The civil society organisations said the real test will be whether authorities act on the parliamentary findings. They described the handling of Jammeh's assets as more than a dispute over property sales. They said it has become a test of The Gambia's post-authoritarian transition, the strength of its institutions and its commitment to the rule of law.
Read the original article on Foroyaa.