Dawda A Jallow, The Minister Of Justice
By Ramatoulie Jawo
The Minister of Justice, Dawda A. Jallow, has informed the National Assembly that the government has allocated D20 million in the 2025 annual budget for victim reparations. Additionally, proceeds from the sale of the former president’s property in Potomac, USA, will be repatriated directly into the Victims’ Fund to support compensation efforts.
Minister Jallow made these remarks while responding to a question from Hon. Madi Ceesay, the National Assembly Member for Serekunda. Hon. Ceesay had inquired about the reasons behind the delayed balance of reparations payments to victims since the conclusion of the Truth, Reconciliation, and Reparations Commission (TRRC) findings.
In his response, the justice minister reiterated that the government had accepted all TRRC recommendations related to reparations. He emphasized that an independent commission had been established to oversee the administration of these funds. This commission will reassess the monetary reparations initially determined by the TRRC to ensure they align with international best practices.“The recruitment of seven commissioners has been successfully carried out and their tenure will commence next month April 1, 2025, the government has included the sum of D20 Million in the 2025 annual revenue and estimate. Proceeds of the sale of the former president’s property in Potomac USA will also be repatriated straight into the victim’s fund. These sums will start as the initial funds for the victim’s reparations fund soon to be established,” Minister Jallow stated.
Hon. Ceesay further questioned why the balance of reparations, which victims were initially promised, is now contingent upon the establishment of a commission.
Minister Jallow clarified that the TRRC’s mandate only allowed for interim reparations. Once the commission’s mandate ended, the government had to take over, but it lacked the necessary expertise to administer reparations directly.“So as soon as the TRRC completed their mandate, and they dissolved, that mandate was gone with it. Now it is for the government to take over from where TRRC stopped and the government is not competent. We do not have the capacity and the expertise to administer reparations, therefore, we suspended reparations matters until a competent institution is created that will take over from where TRRC stopped,” he said.
He explained that they are equally committed to addressing the concerns of the victims and are working to expedite the process. He expressed hope that by April 1st, the commission would be fully operational, as their office space has been secured, furniture arranged, and he has already signed their appointment letters.
The Member for Central Badibou, Sulayman Saho, expressed disappointment with the minister, stating that after the TRRC’s mandate ended, there was no expertise available to continue providing reparations to victims. He stressed that many victims are passing away without receiving justice and questioned whether there is a mechanism in place to ensure their families receive compensation.
In response, the minister assured that victims entitled to compensation have already accrued their benefits. He emphasized that even if they are no longer alive, their estates will still receive the payments.“But still I maintain that it is not the competence of the government to administer reparations, in fact I think in 2022 or 2023 one of these years I cannot remember clearly the government has even allocated funds for reparations. We invited the victims if they can put in a mechanism in place to agree with government, a mechanism that government can trust we are willing to issue the money out that money lapses for that budget year because we were not able to have a mechanism, and we cannot administer reparations as a government it not our area of expertise,” he said.
Hon. Fatou Cham, the National Assembly Member for Sannehmentereng, inquired about the number of victims expected to benefit from the D20 million allocation.
Minister Jallow responded that the newly established commission would determine the exact number of beneficiaries.
“So it is the commission once they start work they will do a reassessment, and they will start developing the victim’s database, but part of their functions is to come up with another compensation mechanism based on best practice and base on that mechanism then they will apportion the resources,” the minister responded.