Gambia’s “missing millions”: Over 38 top officials, businessmen indicted by Janneh Commission inquiry

The Gambian authorities have already taken over assets belonging to former president Yahya Jammeh and Muhammed Bazzi, a Lebanese business tycoon found to be a close associate of the former strongman by the Inquiry.

By Mustapha K Darboe

The Commission of Inquiry into the financial transactions of the former President Yahya Jammeh has indicted at least 38 top government officials and private businessmen and several financial institutions for their alleged roles in looting the Gambian coffers.

The 1600-page report has indicted President Jammeh for theft of a billion dalasi and over 304 million Dollars; over 29 million Euros, and over 2 million Pounds Sterling.

The Janneh Commission report will be released tomorrow with a government plan of action by the Justice Minister Abubacarr Tambadou.

At the top of the list of those indicted is former dictator Jammeh and his wife Zineb Souma Yahya Jammeh.

Also indicted by the report are General Sulayman Badjie, Isatou Njie Saidy, Amadou Samba, Tarek Musa, Mohamed Bazzi, Fadi George Mazegi, Nicolae Buzainu and Dragos Buzainou, Illeja Reymond and Martin Keller, Ali Yousseh Sharara, Ansumana Jammeh, Woreh Njie Ceesay, Alhagie Ousman Ceesay, Fatou Njie, Toni Ghattas, Sira Wally Ndow Njai, Amadou Colley, Basiru Njai, Oumie Savage Samba, Baboucarr Sanyang, Balla Jassey, Njogou L. Bah, Momodou Sabally, Noah Touray, Kebba S. Touray, Fatou Mas Jobe Njie, Feryale Diab Ghanem, Mohamadou Lamin Gibba, Momodou O. S. Badjie, Edward Graham, Abdoulie B. Cham, Manlafy Jarju, Ismaila Kabba Sambou, Momodou Aki Bayo, Ebou Jallow, Edward Signhatey and Yankuba Touray.

These people were held responsible for either civil and criminal wrongs or sometimes both. There were several others outside of the 38 who were also indicted in the report.

The Commission sat for about 2 years looking into the Ex-President‘s financial dealings. “During the course of its inquiry the Commission identified seventeen persons as close associates of Ex-President Jammeh based on the evidence before it at any stage,” a part of the report stated.

“These  include  military  officers  who  left  with  the  Ex-President  into  exile,  private individuals and companies that had business dealings with the Ex-President either directly or indirectly through companies in which the Ex-President has an interest. The investigations have however shown that apart from persons who fall in the said category there are others who worked with the Ex-President by virtue of the offices they held, many of whom were also involved in the Ex-President‘s financial dealings and activities.”