The Edward Francis Small Centre for Rights and Justice welcomes the announcement by the National Assembly of the conclusion of public hearings by the Special Select Committee investigating the sale and disposal of assets belonging to former autocrat Yaya Jammeh. The Committee concluded its hearings on 26 November 2025.
We commend the Committee for the seriousness, diligence, and commitment with which it has executed its mandate over the past months. We particularly appreciate the extensive engagement with witnesses and the effort invested in gathering relevant and credible evidence. It is our considered view that the Committee heard from all essential stakeholders and obtained the information necessary to shed light on the opaque and troubling process surrounding the disposal of Jammeh’s assets.
As the Committee now transitions into the crucial phase of reviewing the evidence and compiling its final report, we eagerly await its findings. Gambians deserve nothing less than the full truth about how these public assets were managed, sold, or otherwise disposed of. It is deeply regrettable that six years after the Janneh Commission completed its work in 2019, the public still does not have full and accurate information on what became of Jammeh’s seized assets. It was only through the courageous investigative reporting of The Republic and the protests led by Gambians Against Looted Assets (GALA) that the government was compelled to release even a fraction of the truth and for the National Assembly to finally establish this Committee.
EFSCRJ therefore considers it a grave dereliction of duty on the part of the Government for failing to proactively ensure transparency and accountability in this matter at the right time. We hold both the President and the Minister of Justice squarely responsible for this failure. Likewise, we hold the National Assembly accountable for its failure to exercise robust and timely oversight into the sale of Jammeh’s assets.
The Janneh Commission Report was never, and should never have been treated as, a private presidential document. It is a national report and an essential pillar of the transitional justice process. It contains extensive findings on the rampant mismanagement of state resources under the former regime, widespread institutional weaknesses, and systemic disregard for due process. More importantly, it provides critical recommendations for legal, institutional, and administrative reforms that, if implemented, would have strengthened governance and safeguarded public resources.
By neglecting to implement the Janneh Commission findings despite issuing a White Paper, both the Executive and Legislature failed the Gambian people. This neglect wasted millions in public funds spent on the Commission and contributed directly to the resurgence of unchecked and widespread corruption, inefficiency, and abuse of office that we are witnessing today across government institutions.
EFSCRJ therefore views the work of this parliamentary committee as a vital opportunity to correct past failures. We urge the National Assembly to ensure that once completed, the Committee’s final report is made public and fully implemented. This moment must mark a decisive step toward building a new Gambia grounded in the rule of law, transparency, and accountable democratic governance.
2025 – The Year of Transparency and Accountability
