The former Attorney General Ba Tambadou has said the ongoing inquiry into the disposal of former President Yahya Jammeh’s assets has finally cleared years of “misinformation, false accusations and political convenience” that tarnished his reputation.

Mr Tambadou, who served from 2017 to 2020, told the committee that he “suffered in silence” as his name was dragged through the mud, despite the fact that all decisions relating to the sale of Jammeh’s properties, vehicles, tractors, and cattle were made by legally mandated institutions.

He said he had long refrained from responding publicly out of respect for his oath of office.

He explained that it was the High Court that ordered and supervised the sale of the cattle, and the Janneh Commission that ordered the sale of tractors and vehicles and later recommended the disposal of the landed properties.

According to him, the government merely accepted the Commission’s recommendations and approved the sale as part of the transitional justice process.

Tambadou insisted that his own role was limited to serving on a four-member ministerial task force established by the President and endorsed by Cabinet in the White Paper.

He stressed that neither he nor any member of his family purchased any of Jammeh’s assets.

He also clarified controversies surrounding the appointment and replacement of receivers.

He said he identified Augustus Prom to the High Court in accordance with Section 51 of the Anti-Money Laundering Act, but did not dismiss him. Prom’s mandate, he argued, expired naturally as stipulated by law.

The Janneh Commission, not the Ministry of Justice, recommended his replacement, and the ministerial task force subsequently approved Alpha Barry, whom Tambadou also identified in keeping with standard procedure.

Tambadou said both receivers were appointed on identical terms for renewable six-month periods and were initially paid the same rate.

He noted that Alpha Barry’s fee was later cut by half after sales exceeded expectations. He stressed he had never met either man prior to becoming Attorney General.

He further highlighted that the sale of landed properties was conducted through a transparent public bidding process under the supervision of the ministerial task force.

He described the exercise as highly successful and beneficial for the State.

He added that although he left office in 2020, the government continues to renew Alpha Barry’s mandate “to this day”, underscoring that the decisions taken during his tenure were neither irregular nor personal.

Ending his statement, Mr Tambadou repeated a warning he first issued in 2020, cautioning that misinformation poses one of the gravest threats to The Gambia’s fragile democracy.

He urged the media to distinguish facts from political agendas, warning that false reporting can destroy lives, damage families and deter honest professionals from entering public service.

“By all means expose corruption,” he said, “but do so with facts. When you allow misinformation to prevail, you risk undermining both public trust and the future of this country.”

By Adama Makasuba