Gambia Receives $2.5 Million from Sale of Ex-President Jammeh's Seized US Mansion
Funds will be used to compensate victims of Yahya Jammeh's authoritarian rule.
The Gambia has received over $2.5 million from the sale of a seized mansion in Maryland, United States, marking a significant step in compensating victims of former President Yahya Jammeh's rule. The Gambia Reparations Commission announced Tuesday that it has secured a total of $2,573,414.10 from the property sale.
The commission stated its commitment to managing these funds responsibly and transparently, prioritizing the rights and needs of victims and survivors. Jammeh, who lost the 2016 election to Adama Barrow, initially conceded defeat but later rejected the results. He eventually stepped down in 2017 and went into exile in Equatorial Guinea, following intense regional and international pressure that led to the deployment of West African troops, including those from Senegal.
A subsequent national commission uncovered that Jammeh owned 281 properties within The Gambia, along with the property in the US and another in Morocco. He also controlled over 100 bank accounts. Investigators concluded that his wealth far exceeded his official salary, indicating misappropriation of more than $300 million.
Jammeh is accused of severe human rights abuses during his tenure, including political assassinations, forced disappearances, rape, and torture. A commission of inquiry found that state-sanctioned abuses led to the deaths of an estimated 240 to 250 Gambians and non-Gambians.