Africa-Press – Gambia. The recent statements by Dr. Ismaila Ceesay, Minister of Information and Broadcasting, regarding the Janneh Commission’s report on the disposal of former President Yahya Jammeh’s assets, has raised serious concerns about transparency and accountability within the Barrow administration. Dr. Ceesay’s claim that the Commission did not submit a report on asset sales is blatantly false, as evidenced by clear references to multiple appendices within the Commission’s volumes, appendices that remain hidden from the public.
A thorough review of the Janneh Commission’s published volumes reveals at least 20 appendices referenced but conspicuously absent from the Ministry of Justice’s website. These include:
Appendix 1: Detailed reports on the disposal of vehicles, tractors, and movable assets, including bank statements showing proceeds from public auctions.
Appendix 5: Receivership reports (e.g., Augustus Prom) and inventories of seized assets.
Other appendices: Documentation of asset valuations, auction records, and expert inventories, all critical to verifying the legality and fairness of sales.
Despite these references, the Barrow government has failed to publish these appendices, fueling suspicions of a deliberate cover-up. The Ministry of Justice’s selective release of only four volumes, while withholding Volume 4 and all appendices, suggests an attempt to obscure irregularities in the asset sales process.
Dr. Ceesay’s assertion that the Commission did not submit asset sale reports is either a result of gross negligence or complicity in misleading the public. The Commission’s own volumes explicitly state:
“The Receiver has since done a good job and the accounts they presented are attached hereto marked in Appendix 1”.
“Proceeds from Public Auctions of Vehicles… A copy of the Bank Statement is attached hereto in Appendix 1”.
GMD Account No. 1601000363. A total of D100,617,442.46, which was collected from various sources, was actually deposited into this account.
USD Account No. 1603000013. A total of US$498, 481.25 was collected from different sources. A copy of the Bank Statement is attached in Appendix 1.
If Dr. Ceesay is unaware of these documents, it exposes the Barrow administration’s failure to scrutinize the Commission’s full findings. If he is aware, his statements constitute a deliberate distortion of facts to shield the government from accountability.
It looks like the government is hiding Something.
The Barrow administration’s handling of the Janneh Commission report has been marked by opacity and double standards:
Monopolizing the Report: As noted by Professor Yerro Mballow, the government treated the report as a secret document rather than a “national property,” releasing it only under public pressure.
Unlawful Asset Sales: Investigative reports reveal that senior officials sold Jammeh’s assets, including luxury cars and livestock, at suspiciously low prices, often to allies, while the Commission was still sitting.
Failed Oversight: President Barrow admitted he was unaware of many transactions, proving his government’s failure to monitor the very task force it authorized.
The UDP demands for:
Immediate release of all Janneh Commission appendices and Volume 4.
An independent audit of asset sales, free from executive interference.
Prosecution of officials involved in undervalued or unauthorized sales.
A public apology from Dr. Ceesay for spreading misinformation.
Gambians deserve the full truth, not a government that throws the Janneh Commission “under the bus” to hide its own failures. The appendices must see the light of day.
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