Africa > West Africa > Gambia > Gambia's Exiled President Accused of Massive Public Theft

Gambia: Gambia's Exiled President Accused of Massive Public Theft

2017/06/06

Gambia's government used a court order Monday to seize assets belonging to exiled former President Yahya Jammeh.

They include nearly 90 bank accounts and 14 companies linked to Jammeh.

Justice Minister Abubacarr Tambadou says Jammeh stole $50 million in public funds before fleeing Gambia for Equatorial Guinea in January.

Jammeh and his associates have been unavailable for comment since he left the country.

Jammeh ruled Gambia for 22 years before losing December's presidential election to Adama Barrow. He contested the results for several weeks before giving up and fleeing the country.

His long-ruling political party lost April's parliamentary elections to the opposition United Democratic Party.

Along with allegations of looting public funds, investigators in Gambia are as well probing a number of disappearances under the Jammeh government.

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