Former Attorney General Says Political Pressure Prompted Freezing of Jammeh’s Assets

By Fatou Sillah

Former Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Abubacarr M. Tambadou, has told the National Assembly’s Special Select Committee on the sales and disposal of former President Yahya Jammeh’s assets that political pressure influenced the government’s decision to freeze those assets.

Testifying before lawmakers, Mr. Tambadou explained that the move to freeze Jammeh’s properties was not initially driven by evidence of wrongdoing but by a need for the government to be seen taking action.

“There was a lot of political pressure for the government to be seen doing something, and then the idea of freezing the assets of the former president was floated in cabinet, and I was instructed to take action,” he said.

Mr. Tambadou acknowledged shortcomings in the process but defended its legality, stressing that there was no unlawful intent. He described the parliamentary inquiry as an opportunity to dispel misinformation surrounding the matter.

“If you are looking for evidence of unlawful behavior or personal motives, you will not find any,” he told the committee, adding that he deliberately returned to The Gambia to testify in person. “I wholeheartedly welcome this committee. I have always advocated for open, transparent, and accountable government,” he said.

The former Justice Minister also emphasized his commitment to due process, saying he resisted rushing to court without adequate documentation. “I was not prepared to go to court without prima facie evidence in my hand. That is why it took time between my appointment and the freezing application in May,” he explained.

Mr. Tambedou said the decisive moment came when the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU), through the late Secretary General Fadera, submitted records detailing Jammeh’s financial transactions. “That document gave us the smoking gun we needed,” he told the committee.

He explained that the government categorized Jammeh’s assets into three groups: bank accounts, landed properties, and motor vehicles. Bank accounts were identified through the FIU report, properties were listed by the Ministry of Lands, and vehicles found on state premises were presumed to belong to the state until proven otherwise.

Mr. Tambadou added that the move to freeze the assets was also symbolic of a broader shift in governance. “For me, it was going to be a statement that this country was going to change. It was no longer going to be business as usual; it was going to be based on law,” he said.

The former Attorney General explained that freezing all of Jammeh’s assets was deemed necessary because the government lacked the capacity in 2017 to fully assess their scale or determine rightful ownership. He emphasized that the immediate priority following the political transition was restoring governance and stability, while asset management, though important, was a secondary concern.

“We did not have the means to identify the assets fully, so out of an abundance of caution, we froze all known assets,” he said.

He added that the government’s focus was on safeguarding the country’s future while preserving Jammeh’s assets for the state. “Our focus was on ensuring that the country could move forward and that the assets of the former president were preserved for the state,” he stated.