The Gambia’s Reparations Commission announced it has received approximately $2.5 million from the sale of a Maryland mansion formerly owned by former leader Yahya Jammeh. The funds will be allocated to compensate victims and survivors of abuses perpetrated during his tenure.
The US secured the right to sell the property in 2022 after determining it had been acquired through criminal proceeds and misappropriated public funds from The Gambia. The Reparations Commission stated it received the full proceeds from the property sale and expressed commitment to managing the funds responsibly and transparently while prioritizing the rights and needs of affected parties.
Jammeh ruled The Gambia for over two decades following a coup in 1994. His administration became associated with serious allegations including forced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and other human rights violations. A commission of inquiry later determined that between 240 and 250 Gambians and foreign nationals died as a result of state actions or actions by state agents during this period.
Following his electoral loss to Adama Barrow in 2016, Jammeh initially conceded before reversing course. Regional and international pressure, including military deployments from West African nations such as Senegal, eventually prompted him to step down in 2017. He subsequently relocated to Equatorial Guinea.
Post-departure investigations revealed Jammeh had accumulated 281 properties within The Gambia in addition to real estate holdings in the US and Morocco, and controlled over 100 bank accounts. Authorities concluded he had misappropriated more than $300 million, a sum far exceeding what his official salary could have provided.
Article Attribution | Read More at Article Source
Article summary produced by Claude AI