The Gambia will use approximately KSh332 million recovered from the sale of a United States property belonging to former President Yahya Jammeh to compensate victims of human rights abuses committed during his rule.
The Gambia's Reparations Commission announced that it had received 2,573,414.10 US dollars from the sale of a mansion in Maryland previously owned by Jammeh, who ruled the West African nation for more than two decades.
Using an exchange rate of 1 US dollar to KSh129, the recovered amount translates to approximately KSh332.0 million.
The United States secured the right to sell the property in 2022, arguing that it had been acquired using criminal proceeds and misappropriated Gambian public funds.
In a statement, the Reparations Commission said it was committed to ensuring the money would be managed responsibly and transparently, with due consideration for the rights and needs of victims and survivors.
The funds are expected to support reparations for people who suffered abuses during Jammeh's 22-year rule, which began after he seized power in a military coup in 1994.
Jammeh's government was accused of widespread human rights violations, including torture, forced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, rape and the persecution of political opponents.
A national commission of inquiry established after his departure found that Jammeh had amassed extensive wealth, including 281 properties in The Gambia, alongside assets in the United States and Morocco, as well as control over more than 100 bank accounts.
The inquiry concluded that Jammeh had misappropriated more than 300 million US dollars, raising questions about how he acquired wealth far beyond what could reasonably be explained by his presidential salary.
At the exchange rate of KSh129 to the dollar, the alleged misappropriated amount would be equivalent to approximately KSh38.7 billion.
A separate inquiry into abuses during his administration found that between 240 and 250 Gambians and non-Gambians had died at the hands of the state or its agents.
Jammeh lost the 2016 presidential election to Adama Barrow. Although he initially accepted the result, he later rejected it and refused to leave office, triggering a political crisis.
Troops from several West African countries, including Senegal, were deployed to The Gambia after regional leaders threatened to remove him by force if he did not relinquish power.
Jammeh eventually stepped down in January 2017 and went into exile in Equatorial Guinea, where he has remained.
The recovery of the Maryland property proceeds marks another step in efforts to secure compensation for victims of abuses committed during his administration.
However, the broader process of delivering justice and reparations remains a major challenge, with authorities continuing to pursue accountability for the abuses and the recovery of assets linked to the former leader.
For survivors and affected families, the KSh332 million represents a financial resource that could help support reparations, although the impact will depend on how the funds are distributed and the wider needs of those affected.
