The Gambian government has been unable to account for 22.3 million Dalasi ($375,760) acquired from the sale of former president Yahya Jammeh’s assets, the auditor-general’s report says.
Jammeh’s assets were sold between 2017 and 2019 after he fled into exile in the Equatorial Guinea.
A commission that had been formed to investigate the former president recommended in December 2017 that his property, including cattle and houses, be sold and the proceeds forfeited to the state.
The commission said there was evidence that Jammeh and his close associates corruptly acquired the assets while in office.
Jammeh served as the President of Gambia between 1994 and January 2017, when he involuntary left office to Adama Barrow, who had defeated him in the December 1, 2016 presidential election. Jammeh, thereafter, fled into exile.
Gambia’s National Audit Office now says the funds raised after the sale of Jammeh’s assets in 2019 have not been accounted for, and that the book containing the sale records was missing from government custody.
“The proceeds of these receipts amounting to Dalasi 22,319,958 $375,760) were collected from the sale of government assets reported by the Janneh Commission. The audit noted that receipts were not used to collect payments. Instead, only written acknowledgements of receipt of payments were made," the auditor-general’s report said.
“There is an increased risk of lack of transparency and accountability resulting in loss of revenue due to the government."
'Suspicious' transactions
The report flagged other suspicious transactions by government and flouting of financial regulations in the country.
The auditor-general said that some 127.6 million Dalasi ($2.15 million) in the 2019 budget was either mismanaged, embezzled or unaccounted for.
The report said transparency was also lacking in some agreements signed by the Gambian government and continental and foreign agencies such as the African Development Bank.
