Attorney General: Preference for Private Practice Hindering Appointment of Gambian DPP

By Makutu Manneh

The Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Dawda Jallow, has said the government continues to face challenges in appointing a Gambian as Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), citing a strong preference among qualified lawyers for private practice over public service.

In an interview with QTV, Minister Jallow stated that while the government is keen to appoint a suitably qualified Gambian to the role, attracting candidates has proven difficult.

“The government would be more than happy to appoint a Gambian; we just don’t have it. When I took over office, the position had been vacant for two or three years,” he said.

He emphasized that the challenge is not a lack of capacity, noting that The Gambia has a significant number of highly qualified legal practitioners. However, many opt to remain in private practice rather than transition into public service roles such as the DPP.

Minister Jallow also highlighted broader staffing challenges within the Ministry of Justice, particularly the difficulty in retaining experienced personnel. He observed that many lawyers leave the ministry in pursuit of more attractive opportunities in the private sector.

“I believe they are looking for something better than what we are offering at the Ministry of Justice, but it is really affecting us,” he said. “We have a lot of young brilliant lawyers, but having them stay until they become senior petitioners is the challenge, and once they leave, is difficult to attract senior ones.”

To address the impact of staff turnover, the Attorney General underscored the importance of digitalization within the ministry. He explained that a more robust digital system would help preserve institutional knowledge and reduce disruptions caused by staff departures.

“There is no way you can stop people from leaving, but when they leave under a manual setup, most of the time they leave with their expertise and precedence on most of the things they have been doing, but when we fully digitalize, I think that will go a long way in mitigating the problem,” he noted.

Despite this, Minister Jallow acknowledged that retaining skilled personnel remains critical, emphasizing that sustained service is essential for building and maintaining institutional memory within the justice sector.