The Special Select Committee on the Inquiry into the Sale and Disposal of Assets Identified by the Janneh Commission has noted an ostensibly attempted intimidation by Ex-Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Hon. Abubacarr Tambadou, of the Ex-Minister of Finance, Hon. Mamburry Njie, into silence.
The Janneh Commission is the Commission of Inquiry into the Financial Activities of Public Bodies, Enterprises and Offices as regards their dealings with former President Yahya Jammeh and connected matters.
The corrupt sale and disposal of the former dictator’s asset came under the limelight following an investigate report, ‘The assets of Gambia’s former dictator go for a song’ by Mustapha K. Darboe of The Republic and protest by Gambians Against Looted Assets (GALA).
In reference to a letter, the Special Select Committee revealed that Hon. Tambadou apparently threatened criminal proceedings against the Minister of Finance for insisting on compliance with the Public Finance Act.
It also expressed deep concern in its report as it evidences an attempt at the wrong use of official positions, as Attorney General, to silence legitimate concern from a Cabinet colleague.
“Beyond the violations pointed out by Hon. Njie’s letter, the Committee notes that it reveals what appears to have been an attempt by Hon. Tambadou to intimidate the Minister of Finance into silence,” the report stated.
It quoted Hon. Mambury Njie as stating: “Honourable Colleague, allow me to reiterate that your personal prejudices about me should remain what it is, personal, and should not negatively influence your obligation to be professional in your dealings with the Office of the Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs. Your personal prejudice does not and should not justify your blatant refusal to engage the office of the Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs in its legislative mandate.”
The Committee said Hon. Njie revealed: “This, Honourable Colleague, is a call of caution for you to comply and act within the realms of the law. Do not, therefore attempt to frighten me into submission and restrict my participation in the assets recovery process by your threats of initiating criminal proceedings against me.”
It continue with excerpts of Njie’s statement: “What baffles me though, is that it is undeniably a paradox that in the same letter where you accuse me of an alleged earlier conduct that ‘could amount to aiding and abetting and/or complicity in criminal acts’, you feel justified to insist that I remain silent while you violate the same law you swore to uphold and safeguard. Are you being fair to insist that I make myself vulnerable to future allegations of complicity in your irregularities with the law?”
According to the report, the Committee observes that Hon. Tambadou only began to comply with certain legal requirements after being repeatedly challenged by the Ministry of Finance.
It went further as noted in the same letter in which Hon. Njie stated: “Though a sober reflection on your letter by any discerning mind will reveal that all you had done is to adopt a diversionary tactic in which you cleverly and concertedly cast aspersions on my person as the reason for not fully complying with the law and an attempt to disguise the fact that in this recovery process you are only partially complying with the law and that some of these acts of compliance were done only after the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs sent advisory letters to your office such as the inclusion of the MoFEA Permanent Secretary in the technical committee established to deal with the disposal of landed properties, the sharing of the Receiver’s progress reports with the Presidency, and the matter of the Ministry of Justice being the recipient of enquiries from the National Assembly.”
“I am satisfied that I have fulfilled my duty as Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs by calling you out on the need to comply with the Law as you lead the Assets Recovery Process of the Janneh Commission. History will be the ultimate Judge, not I,” Hon. Njie reportedly concluded his letter.
However, the Committee pointed out that Mr. Tambadou further testified that the Inter-Ministerial Committee met several times to deliberate on issues relating to the landed properties identified by the Commission. He informed the Committee that the Ministerial Committee relied on the Technical Committee to carry out its mandate, and that the said Technical Committee produces reports which the Inter-Ministerial Taskforce reviewed and adopted.
It recalled that the former Justice Minister testified that the Cabinet was fully briefed about the activities of the Ministerial Committee.
