Edward Francis Small Centre for Rights and Justice (EFSCRJ), has withdrawn its endorsement of former Justice Minister Abubacarr M. Tambadou’s candidacy for the International Court of Justice (ICJ), citing serious concerns of alleged corruption and abuse of office linked to the sale of assets belonging to ex-president Yahya Jammeh.

The group, which had publicly backed Tambadou’s nomination in February 2025, said the move followed revelations in a damning investigative report by The Republic, published on April 30, titled “The Assets of Gambia’s Former Dictator Go for a Song.”

The investigation exposed major discrepancies in the handling of Jammeh’s seized properties, raising questions about transparency, fairness, and potential self-dealing by public officials.

In a statement issued on Sunday, EFSCRJ said Mr Tambadou, who served as Attorney General and Minister of Justice from 2017 to 2020, had been “severely implicated” in the report and that his public denial, issued on May 3, failed to address key concerns.

“Our endorsement was based on Mr Tambadou’s leadership in transitional justice and legal reform,” the organisation said.

“But the allegations reported by The Republic, and the questions left unanswered in Mr Tambadou’s rejoinder, compel us to reconsider that support.”

EFSCRJ is calling for a full and impartial public inquiry into the disposal of Jammeh’s assets, demanding that President Adama Barrow establish a presidential commission to investigate the legality of the sales. The group also urged the National Assembly to launch a parliamentary probe into the process.

It also called on the Ministry of Justice to release the full auction report, including the list of buyers.

By Adama Makasuba