Africa-Press – Gambia. Former Lead Counsel of the Janneh Commission, Amie Bensouda, appeared before the special select committee investigating the sale and disposal of assets identified by the Commission, clarifying her office’s role in the high-profile inquiry.
Bensouda told the committee that she never held official custody of Janneh Commission records or electronic files. She emphasized that all official documentation, including transcripts, exhibits, and electronic records, were managed exclusively by the Commission’s secretariat. “Whatever I kept were my own work files, notes, or copies of documents I needed for legal briefs. I never held the Commission’s official files,” she explained.
On devices and electronic storage, Bensouda confirmed that she and her staff used personal equipment for their work. Any electronic records generated during the Commission’s operations were submitted to the secretariat, she said.
Addressing concerns about lawyers and interns from her office, Bensouda clarified that ten lawyers assisted in summarizing evidence and coordinating legal processes but were never formally employed by the government. “They were bound by contracts with my firm and never exposed to confidential material beyond what was already publicly tendered before the Commission,” she said.
Bensouda was clear that the Janneh Commission itself did not conduct the sale of government assets, including vehicles, cattle, or the Canberra sites. She reiterated that the commission never conducted sales of former President Yahya Jammeh’s assets, including properties, vehicles, and other government holdings. She emphasized that the Commission’s role was strictly to issue orders on how such sales should be executed, leaving implementation to the secretariat.
“The Janneh Commission issued orders regarding the sales, but neither my office nor any counsel working with me took part in carrying out the sales,” Bensouda told the committee. She explained that all sales were handled by the secretariat, including assistant secretaries tasked with implementing the Commission’s directives.
She stressed that claims suggesting her office led or participated in these sales were inaccurate.
Regarding investigations, Bensouda said her role was advisory. She coordinated meetings with investigators to review evidence, offered legal guidance on further inquiries, and helped determine which witnesses should be called for statements or public hearings. “I was not the head investigator, and no single person led all investigations. Each investigator was assigned a specific institution or issue, and their work remained independent,” she explained.
She also addressed specific financial inquiries, including the handling of Qatari grants and a flagged €1 million transfer to the Gambia government, pointing to the Commission’s report for detailed findings. Her office was responsible for legal guidance and document review, not financial audits.
Throughout her testimony, Bensouda emphasized that her focus remained on the legal and procedural aspects of the Commission’s work, leaving administrative duties, investigations, and asset sales to the secretariat and assigned investigators.
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