By Momodou Justice Darboe
President Adama Barrow has said in 2017 that Gambia’s former President Yaya Jammeh has stolen an estimated 4 billion dalasis from public funds. But according to the Organised Crimes Reporting Project, President Yaya Jammeh has orchestrated the embezzlement of nearly $1 billion of public funds and illegal timber revenue during his 22-year-rule. The former President is accused of looting the treasury in a long-running conspiracy that crippled the country.
The documents analysed by OCCRP show a web of fraud that far exceeds the figure offered by President Barrow.
According to OCCPR, Jammeh and his associates looted or misappropriated at least $975 million. The organisation says Jammeh and his associates stole $363.9 million from Gamtel/Gamcel, $325.5 million in illicit timber revenue, more than $100 million in foreign aid and soft loans from Taiwain, $71.2 million from the Central Bank of The Gambia, $60 million from the Social Security and Housing Finance Corporation and $55.2 million from Gampetroleum.
Jammeh is also accused of plundering major accounts such as The International Gateway Account of $363 million through secret contracts, $43 million from the State Aircraft Fund to purchase a luxury jet,buses and vehicles. He is also accused of stealing $466,000 from the State Security Account for entertainment,travel, payments to his favorite wife Zeinab and other expenses.
Jammeh and his associates have also been accused by OCCRP of embezzling $35,706 from a fake Office of the First Lady Account and $4.5 million from National Youth Development Fund which is funded by revenue from a 10 percent fee on fish caught by trawlers in Gambian waters.
So, what is the Gambia government doing to recover some of these monies that were suspected of been sent to foreign shell companies about which little is known?
“Tracking and recovery is a very sensitive matter. People have the ability to move assets around the world. We are cooperating with several governments. Let’s remember that asset recovery efforts outside Gambia are not unfortunately within our control. They are in foreign territories. They are subjected to foreign laws and we can only rely on the goodwill and support of those countries where these assets are,” the Gambia’s minister of justice recently told the press.
Meanwhile, Jammeh’s manipulation of the Central bank may have violated several of Gambia’s laws, including the Government Budget and Management Accountability Act of 2004, the Social Security Act of 2010 and the Public Finance Act of 2004. His assets have been forfeited to the state but is yet to be charged of any crimes.
