By Omar Bah and Olimatou Coker
The Gambia Reparations Commission says it has not yet received the $2,507,911.73 recovered from the forfeiture and sale of former President Yahya Jammeh’s mansion in Potomac, Maryland, United States — despite a signed agreement between Banjul and Washington for the transfer.
In a statement issued yesterday, the Commission sought to clarify the status of the funds to the victim community and the general public amid growing expectations that compensation is imminent.
The Commission confirmed that The Gambia and the US Government have signed an agreement for the recovered proceeds to be transferred to The Gambia to support compensation and reparations for eligible victims of Jammeh’s 22-year dictatorship under the national reparations programme.
“The recovered proceeds will be transferred to the Victims Reparations Fund Account. However, the Commission wishes to inform the victim community and the general public that the funds have not yet been received and the process is ongoing,” the statement said.
“The Commission is awaiting the completion of the transfer process that will lead to the funds becoming available for implementation of the Commission’s reparations programme.”
The Potomac property — a multi-million-dollar luxury home bought by Jammeh at the height of his rule — was seized by US authorities as part of international efforts to recover assets linked to grand corruption and human rights abuses under his regime.
The US Department of Justice pursued forfeiture on grounds that the house was purchased with proceeds of corruption, and later sold it, netting $2.5 million earmarked for Gambian victims.
The sale was hailed as a landmark victory for international asset recovery and transitional justice. For victims of killings, torture, enforced disappearances and sexual violence documented by the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC), it represented the first time Jammeh’s foreign loot would directly benefit them.
Under the Victims Reparations Act, 2023, all recovered funds are to be lodged into the Reparations Fund Account and utilised strictly for reparations — including financial compensation, medical support, education and livelihood support for victims.
The Commission said once the funds are formally received, it will provide detailed information on their utilisation in line with the Act and its mandate.
“The Commission remains committed to transparency, accountability and responsible management of resources dedicated to the provision of transformative reparations to victims,” it said, adding that it will continue to keep victims, survivors and the wider public informed of all significant developments.
The delay highlights the bureaucratic complexities of international asset repatriation, even after political agreements are signed.
For hundreds of victims waiting for reparations since the TRRC concluded in 2021, the $2.5 million is more than money — it is proof that justice can return what dictatorship stole.