The Gambia’s former Secretary General and Head of Civil Service, Njogou Bah, has been banned from holding public office for life on the recommendation of the Janneh Commission Report.

The report was published on Friday by The Gambia government along with a White Paper accepting the recommendations and findings of the Janneh Commission.

Mr. Bah was found by the Commission to have being actively involved in “aiding and abetting” the former president Yahya Jammeh in misappropriating public funds for his own personal use.

The Commission Report said that Mr. Bah’s many involvements in the financial transactions of former President Jammeh, which was not part of his official duties, especially as Secretary General, demonstrated “the enthusiasm with which he facilitated these transactions”.

His conduct was said to have “fallen far short of the standards of professional conduct expected of the Head of the Civil Service at the time”.

The Janneh Commission’s findings also said that Mr. Bah was signatory to various public accounts and was also involved in the withdrawal of public funds and other matters concerning former president Jammeh.

“He assisted in the opening of accounts, and facilitated the withdrawal and transfer of millions of dollars from and to various accounts on the instructions of former President Jammeh. The Commission found that Mr. Bah also obtained several loans from SSHFC on the instructions of former President Jammeh which were never repaid.”

The Commission found that Mr. Bah and former President Jammeh were jointly liable for the misappropriation of public funds by the latter.

Mr. Bah is also banned by The Gambia government from serving in any public office again or be appointed as director for any State-Owned Enterprise for at least 10 years.

He is one of 31 people that included former ministers, military personnel and business leaders that the Commission identified as close associates of former president Yahya Jammeh.

The list of Jammeh’s close associates includes General Sulayman Badjie, Amadou Samba, Tarrek K Musa, Muhammed Bazzzi, Fadi Mazegi, Nicolai Buziainu and Dracos Buziainu, Illija Reymond and Martin Keller, Ali Youssef Sharara, Ansumana Jammeh, Worreh Njie Ceesay, Alhagie Ousman Ceesay, Tony Ghattas, Sira Wally Ndow Njie, Amadou Colley, Basiru Njie, Oumie Savage Samba, Njogou Bah, Momodou Sabally, Noah Touray, Kebba S Touray, Fatou Mass Jobe, Feryale Diab Ghanem, Momodou Lamin Gibba, Momodou OS Badjie, Edward Graham, Abdoulie Cham, Manlafy Jarjue, Ismaila Kaba Sambou, Momodou Aki Bayo, Ebou Jallow, Edward Singhateh and Yankuba Touray.

The Gambia government has pledged to act on the recommendations and findings of the Janneh Commission Report and promised to institute actions against the close associates of the former president.