Posted by The Gambia’s Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Hon. Abubacarr Baa Tambedou, has assured that the former president Yahya Jammeh will face immediate arrest and charges of the most serious kind if he sets his foot in the Gambia.
Justice Minister Tambedou made this remark on Sunday morning during the official opening of the 2020 Legal Year, held at the High Court Complex in the country’s capital, Banjul.
He said it is evident that crimes against humanity have been committed in The Gambia, between July 1994 and January 2017, under former President Yahya Jammeh, and that those who will be identified by the country’s maiden truth commission (TRRC) will face certain prosecution in the most serious form.
Mr Tambedou also stated that there will be accountability of the highest order for the crimes committed under Jammeh’s dictatorship rule.
“I assure the victims that it is now only a question of when, and not if. Make no mistake about it, barring any findings or recommendations of the TRRC to the contrary, if former President Yahya Jammeh, ever comes back to this country, he will face immediate arrest and charges of the most serious kind, and no amount of irresponsible idle talk or political brinkmanship will prevent this from happening. He will be subjected to an accountability process like any ordinary accused person in this country,” Justice Minister Tambedou told the gathering.
Former dictator Jammeh has been living in exile in Guinea Equatorial since January 2017, following his defeat and ousting in the presidential election, held on 1st December 2016.
He has been accused of committing economic crimes, corruption and gross human rights violations on many innocent Gambians from 1994 to 2017.
Recently, Mr Jammeh issued an audio message via WhatsApp, calling on members and supporters of his party APRC, to stage a protest, and demand for his return. The Gambia government had also issued permit to the APRC and a peaceful demonstration was held this week.
The opening of the 2020 Legal Year was graced by the president HE Adama Barrow, Cabinet ministers, Chief Justice Hassan B. Jallow, legal luminaries, prominent among them were Lawyer Ousainou Darboe, former Vice President, Justice Surahata Janneh, chairperson of the Janneh Commission, and members of the Gambia Bar Association.
Written by Info Digest.