By Baba Sillah
Former President Yahya Jammeh has been summoned by the Janneh Commission, The Standard has learned.
A source close to the commission who preferred anonymity told this paper: “The former President, Yahya Jammeh, has been summoned by the commission through The Gambia Embassy in Ethiopia which is the nearest country to where he is in exile, since The Gambia does not have an embassy or diplomatic representation in Equatorial Guinea. We have received confirmation that the notice of summon has been delivered.”
The Janneh Commission is probing the financial dealings of Jammeh, his family and certain close associates. However, the source did not disclose whether the summons letter has been received by Jammeh himself.
During the testimonies before the commission so far, scores of witnesses have testified that the former president personally instructed them to withdraw monies amounting to millions of dollars from the national exchequer, among other things.
The summons has been issued for him to come and testify and shed light on the gross economic malfeasance and crimes he is being accused of.
However, President Jammeh is in exile in Equatorial Guinea and it is not clear whether The Gambia has any extradition treaty with that country.
But our source said Banjul should engage Malabo to ensure that Jammeh is extradited to face the commission.
Asset freeze extended
Meanwhile, in a separate development, this newspaper has learnt that the high court has extended the order freezing the assets of the former president by another 180 days. The judge issued the original interim injunction on 22 May 2017. It restrained Jammeh, his agents or associates from disposing off or dealing with all his listed moveable and immoveable properties pending the conclusion of the investigation initiated by the Attorney General into his alleged criminal conduct.
The state was represented by counsel Binqa D Esq. No one appeared for Jammeh.
