In brief
The Gambia’s Reparations Commission has announced it received about $2.57m from the sale of Yahya Jammeh’s Maryland mansion, seized for criminal proceeds and misappropriated public funds. The money will be earmarked for victims, survivors and the public, with a promise of transparent management. Jammeh’s two‑decade rule, marked by disappearances and extrajudicial killings, led to an estimated 240‑250 deaths. A commission has also uncovered over $300m in misappropriated assets across the country. The transfer of funds marks a concrete step toward addressing the legacy of a brutal regime.
The Gambian Reparations Commission announced on Tuesday it has received $2,573,414.10 after the U.S. sold a former president’s Maryland townhouse seized for criminal proceeds and misappropriated public money.
The money will be directed toward victims, survivors and the public, with the commission pledging transparent and responsible management of the funds.
Yahya Jammeh seized power in a 1994 coup, ruled for more than 20 years and left a legacy of forced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, rape and torture. An inquiry estimates 240–250 deaths at the hands of the state or its agents.
The commission found Jammeh owned 281 Gambian properties, a U.S. house, a Moroccan home and controlled over 100 bank accounts, with at least $300 million misappropriated from public coffers.
The sale of the Maryland mansion, the latest of Jammeh’s assets to be seized, serves as a tangible step in restoring justice to those harmed during his rule. By channeling proceeds directly to affected communities, the government reaffirms its commitment to accountability and healing for the Gambian people.
