Gambians have been hammering the government since reports emerged online of justice ministry officials taking 10 million dalasis in money given to The Gambia over the Rohingya.
What’s On Gambia in a Facebook post on Thursday said six government officials were pocketing between two million dalasis and 1.4 million dalasis from money donated by the Bangladeshi government to support The Gambia at the International Court of Justice.
The current justice minister Dawda Jallow as well as his predecessor Abubacarr Tambadou were named to be among the officials set to share 10 million dalasis among themselves.
An investigation by The Fatu Network revealed the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation in November 2019 approved a budget to pay the legal fees of international law firm Foley Hoag that ran into more than five million dollars. The budget also include honoraria for local legal officials who were set to work with Foley Hoag.
One person who is familiar with the issue confirmed that the local lawyers at the ministry of justice who are to work with Foley Hoag on the ICJ case were to receive $200,000 honoraria.
Still, one named official said ‘some’ people do not know the definition of a scandal as the official explained that all the work done including a 500-page memorial of The Gambia to the ICJ was the joint work of the two legal teams, Foley Hoag and the local lawyers. The total amount payable to the international firm is over five million dollars and we are crying over $200,000 being paid to our own lawyers, the official said.
Another official told The Fatu Network: “What is being said is a lie. The OIC had a budget for the case. The budget included fees for the international law firm and honoraria for the local lawyers working on the case.
“The whole budget per annum is 1.5 million dollars goes to the international law firm and $200,000 goes to the local lawyers working on the case with the international law firm. Many countries made contributions, it’s not just Bangladesh. It’s a budget that is with the OIC in Saudi. I’m confused by Gambians.
“So they don’t have a problem with 1.5 million dollars to foreigners in a law firm but they have a problem with $200,000 coming to Gambians. The law firm has been dealing with many countries and it is practice that whenever there is an international case by a state, there has to be local counterparts.”
Justice Minister Dawda Jallow told The Fatu Network his ministry will respond to the claims at the appropriate time.
