On September 12, Gambia's Compensation Commission announced it had received more than $2.5 million from the sale of a property owned by former President Yahya Jammeh, located in Potomac, Maryland, an affluent suburb of Washington, DC. The money will be used to compensate victims persecuted under Jammeh's government.
According to the commission's statement, the funds were transferred directly into the Compensation Fund account at the Central Bank of Gambia and "will be used solely for the purpose of paying compensation." The commission pledged to manage the money responsibly, transparently and accountably, while giving due attention to the rights and needs of victims and survivors.
Jammeh is living in exile in Equatorial Guinea after West African neighbors pressured him to leave the presidency in 2017, following his defeat by current President Adama Barrow in the 2016 election. He is accused of ordering the killings of political opponents, disappearances, rape and torture during his 22 years in power.
An investigative commission estimated that between 240 and 250 victims were killed by Jammeh's forces in the West African nation of about two million people.
Funds traced to corruption
President Barrow has said his government will follow all recommendations from official audit bodies on how to distribute the money to victims.
In 2020, the US Department of Justice filed a civil lawsuit seeking forfeiture of the property, alleging it was bought with corruption money. In 2022, a court ordered the forfeiture. According to the Justice Department, the property was purchased through a trust set up by Jammeh's wife.
In September, the US Department of Justice announced it would return the proceeds from the mansion's sale to Gambia.
