During the session, committee member, Hon. Alagie Mbowe, pointed out a significant issue: a letter dated July 24, 2017, bears a signature of the Solicitor General on July 17, 2017 – meaning it was signed before it was even drafted.
The minister admitted that he couldn’t explain this error and agreed that it was a problem. The committee then asked for the original communication from the ‘Department of Responsibility’ to investigate further.
Another committee member, Hon. Omar Jatta, asked whether government employees who were seconded to work on the commission should be receiving both their regular salaries and extra payments from the commission.
However, the Justice Minister responded that they should only get additional pay, not a second salary. However, he acknowledged that some staff were reportedly working for the commission while still holding their government jobs, which is usually not allowed.
They specifically pointed out a permanent secretary who might have been getting paid twice without following the proper process.
There was also confusion about the contract for the Lead Counsel Amie Bensouda.
While AG Jallow said it was an individual contract, committee members noticed that official letters were sent on her law firm’s letterhead. He recognised that this was unusual but insisted that it didn’t change the nature of the contract.
However, lawmakers pressed him for clear information about how these contracts were set up, especially since Jammeh’s assets are still in limbo after an important court order expired.
AG Jallow clarified that the expired order meant they could only look at actions taken while it was in effect. He mentioned that a letter ordered to seize livestock was ignored by the Livestock Marketing Agency, and promised to provide the communication that showed the agency’s refusal to comply.
When discussing the guidelines for the commission, AG Jallow mentioned that there are minimum requirements set by law if no specific guidelines exist.
He also noted that the Ministry of Justice should usually manage the commission’s budget, but he wasn’t sure if that happened.
Throughout the hearing, AG Jallow would say he didn’t know or couldn’t comment on specific details, highlighting that he was relying only on the documents he had.
He revealed that when he took office, he only received a general overview and not specific details about the Janneh Commission, which made it difficult for him to answer historical questions.
Frustrated with the lack of documentation and detailed responses, lawmakers made one last request which is: “We need all missing records immediately, especially those related to the letter issued and the Livestock Marketing Agency’s refusal. This transparency is crucial for a thorough audit and public accountability about how Jammeh’s assets are being handled and the commission’s operations,” insisted Chairman Abdoulie Ceesay.
