Infacet the lavish way of life of ex-Gambian president as probe hyperlinks $362 million in public funds to jets, luxurious vehicles and properties

A state investigation discovered former Gambian president Yahya Jammeh liable for at least $362 million in misappropriated public funds, a lot of it used to accumulate luxurious belongings together with plane, limousines and actual property.

According to Kerr Fatou, citing a National Assembly committee report, lawmakers say they’ve been unable to verify the place a part of the $740,000 generated from the sale of state-owned plane was deposited.

The findings have raised new issues about transparency within the restoration and administration of belongings seized after Jammeh’s fall from energy.

The investigation sheds gentle not solely on how these belongings have been acquired throughout Jammeh’s rule but additionally on how they’ve been dealt with since he went into exile in Equatorial Guinea following his 2016 election defeat to President Adama Barrow.

Despite cultivating a public picture as a pan-Africanist and outspoken critic of Western affect, former Gambian president Yahya Jammeh amassed a set of luxurious belongings throughout his 22 years in energy, lots of them high-end Western merchandise.

A state investigation on the time additionally indicated that giant sums have been withdrawn from state coffers shortly earlier than he left workplace.

Media reports quoting an adviser to President Adama Barrow stated about $11.45 million was taken within the last weeks earlier than Jammeh went into exile.

Jammeh’s abroad belongings have additionally come below scrutiny.

In December 2017, through the first time period of U.S. president Donald Trump, an govt order below the Global Magnitsky Act named Jammeh amongst people whose belongings within the United States have been to be blocked.

According to The Gambia Times, U.S. prosecutors on July 15, 2020, filed a civil lawsuit within the U.S. District Court in Maryland in search of to forfeit a Potomac property owned by Jammeh and his spouse, Zineb Jammeh.

Court filings say the property was bought in September 2010 for almost $4 million by way of the MYJ Family Revocable Trust.

During Jammeh’s rule, The Gambia remained a small, low-income and closely indebted financial system, with per-capita earnings estimated at between $543 and $1,101 yearly.

By the time he left energy in 2016, the nation’s nationwide debt had reached roughly $1.1 billion, equal to about 130% of GDP.

These included 35 actual property holdings, 458 autos, 197 tractors, livestock, 5 plane, shares in a number of corporations and precious gadgets recovered from his Dunes Resort and Casino.

Despite the nation’s fragile financial scenario, Jammeh amassed an in depth assortment of luxurious autos throughout his presidency.

He reportedly acquired customised Rolls-Royces, Bentleys, Cadillac Escalades and a number of limousine-style Hummers, some engraved with the names of his spouse, youngsters and himself on the inside.

An stock compiled shortly after he left energy listed a Chevrolet, limousine bus, VIP Mercedes-Benz B5, Bentley, Cadillac Escalades, 5 prolonged Hummer limousines, two lengthy pickup Hummers and two shorter Hummers, representing solely a fraction of the autos linked to the ex-Gambian chief.

Among the most costly belongings tied to Jammeh’s administration was a fleet of plane acquired throughout his time in workplace.

These plane have been later recognized throughout inspections at Banjul International Airport by investigators from the Janneh Commission.

The Air Tractor plane, registered in 2005 and manufactured in 2004, had logged fewer than 100 flight hours however have been thought-about unairworthy by 2017.

Meanwhile, the Ilyushin Il-62M, manufactured in Russia in 1993, had flown fewer than 5,000 hours however required upkeep estimated at $2 million, exceeding its market worth.

Two Boeing 727-100 plane, manufactured in 1966 and 1971, had lengthy been out of service and have been ultimately categorized as scrap.

By distinction, the Bombardier Challenger CL601, a 12-seat VIP plane manufactured in 1985, was considered the best-maintained plane within the fleet.

Despite an aviation valuation suggesting the fleet might be value as a lot as $2.2 million, 5 of the plane have been ultimately offered for $740,000.

Two Air Tractor plane have been offered in May 2018 for $240,000, although earlier estimates positioned their worth at about $900,000, in response to aviation valuation agency Virdis.

The sale was performed by the Ministry of Finance whereas the inquiry into Jammeh’s belongings was nonetheless ongoing and a court docket freeze order remained in place.

Three extra plane: an Ilyushin jet and two Boeing 727 plane have been reportedly offered in 2019 for $500,000 to Sankajula Holding Company.

Reports by Gambian outlet The Republic later steered {that a} businessman concerned within the transactions could have made not less than $340,000 in revenue from reselling the plane or their parts.

Sources cited by Gambian media additionally stated one of many Air Tractor plane was later offered to a U.S. aviation firm for $350,000.

Meanwhile, the scrapped stays of two Boeing plane stay parked at Banjul International Airport awaiting dismantling.

The disposal of the plane has drawn criticism over how the transactions have been performed.

Officials on the Ministry of Finance had proposed making a public internet portal the place all Jammeh-linked belongings could be listed to draw consumers by way of an open course of.

Shortly earlier than the plane have been offered, former everlasting secretary Lamin Camara instructed AFP that the federal government was designing a platform to publicise the belongings and invite consumers.

“What we are doing is to design a web portal. All the assets will be put there. The information of the vehicles, of the planes, will be posted,” Camara stated.

However, the portal was by no means launched.

Former finance minister Amadou Sanneh later stated the plane have been finally offered by way of direct gives fairly than aggressive bidding, a course of that has since come below scrutiny.

Lawmakers reviewing the transactions say the shortage of clear documentation and aggressive gross sales procedures highlights broader governance weaknesses within the restoration of Jammeh-era belongings.

The parliamentary committee has really useful stronger transparency measures, urging that future gross sales of state property be publicly marketed by way of broadly circulated media platforms to make sure accountability and honest worth for public belongings.