The Gambian government is set to compensate victims of former President Yahya Jammeh’s 22-year rule using proceeds from the sale of his seized mansion in the United States.
The country’s Reparations Commission announced that it had received $2.57 million from the property’s disposal in Maryland.
The amount, totalling $2,573,414.10, will support survivors and individuals affected by abuses during Jammeh’s administration.
In 2022, American authorities obtained legal approval to sell the mansion after establishing that it had been purchased with proceeds linked to criminal activities and the misuse of Gambian state resources.
Jammeh seized power through a military coup in 1994 and governed until 2017.
His administration faced numerous accusations of torture, unlawful killings, enforced disappearances and other human rights violations.
In a statement released on Tuesday, the Reparations Commission confirmed receipt of the money and pledged to administer it openly and responsibly, prioritising the interests and welfare of those affected by the former regime.
Jammeh’s political downfall followed the 2016 presidential election, in which opposition candidate Adama Barrow defeated him.
Although he initially acknowledged the outcome, he later disputed the results and refused to relinquish power.
His eventual departure in January 2017 came after mounting diplomatic pressure and the deployment of regional military forces, including troops from Senegal, to enforce the election outcome.
Jammeh subsequently went into exile in Equatorial Guinea.
Investigations conducted after his removal uncovered extensive assets allegedly linked to the former president.
A national inquiry identified 281 properties within The Gambia, alongside holdings in the United States and Morocco, as well as more than 100 bank accounts.
Investigators concluded that Jammeh had unlawfully diverted over $300 million in public resources, noting that his official earnings could not reasonably account for the wealth accumulated.
The former leader has also been accused of involvement in the murder of political opponents, sexual violence, torture and enforced disappearances.
A commission of inquiry estimated that between 240 and 250 Gambians and foreign nationals died at the hands of state authorities or individuals acting on their behalf during his administration.
By: Magdalene Agyeiwaa Sarpong