Gambia Receives $2.5 Million from Sale of Ex-President Yahya Jammeh’s US Mansion
The Gambia has received more than $2.5 million recovered from the sale of a mansion belonging to former president Yahya Jammeh in the United States, with the funds earmarked for compensation to victims of abuses committed during his 22-year rule.
The Gambia Reparations Commission confirmed on Tuesday that it had received $2.57 million from the sale of the property in Potomac, Maryland, near Washington, DC. The money has been deposited into the Reparations Fund account at the Central Bank of The Gambia and will be used exclusively to pay reparations to eligible victims and survivors.
The United States recovered the proceeds through a civil forfeiture case involving the mansion, which US authorities alleged was purchased using proceeds of corruption and misappropriated Gambian public funds. The property was forfeited and sold following legal proceedings.
Jammeh ruled The Gambia from 1994 until 2017, when he left the country after refusing to accept defeat in the 2016 presidential election. His government was accused of widespread human rights abuses, including torture, arbitrary detention, enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings.
A commission established to investigate abuses during his rule documented numerous cases involving victims and their families. The reparations programme was created to provide compensation and support for those affected.
The return of the money follows an agreement between the Gambian and US governments. In September, the US Department of Justice announced that approximately $2.5 million in proceeds from the property would be returned to The Gambia.
The Reparations Commission said it was committed to managing the funds transparently and ensuring that they benefit eligible victims and survivors.
The transfer marks a significant step in The Gambia’s efforts to address the legacy of Jammeh’s rule through financial reparations and transitional justice.
