By Omar Bah
The Office of the President yesterday confirmed the resignation of Abubacarr Tambadou and his replacement with Dawda Jallow as Attorney General and Minister of Justice.
“Mr Tambadou submitted his resignation as Attorney General and Minister of Justice and President Barrow accepted it with effect from 30 June 2020.President Barrow sincerely thanks Tambadou for his patriotic and selfless service to country, for his steadfastness, honesty, professionalism and candour during his tenure… He has successfully initiated and diligently executed several of the government’s key governance reform activities such as the establishment of the CRC, TRRC, NHRC, the Janneh and Faraba Banta commissions of inquiry, and several other legislative reforms. With his guidance, we have now transformed our judiciary in particular and the administration of justice system in general into a truly independent and robust organ of the state that all Gambians should be proud of.
“He also helped restore The Gambia’s regional and international image and leadership in the global human rights movement. Every Gambian should be proud of his achievements. Therefore, President Barrow, his entire cabinet, and the government wish Attorney General Tambadou well in his future endeavours.
“Consequently, President Barrowhas appointed MrDawda AJallow as Attorney General and Minister of Justice from 1stJuly 2020.
What next?
Although details of his new remit are yet to be released, Mr Tambadou who served for many years under Hassan Jallow at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, is expected to take up a new job at the level of Assistant Secretary General of the United Nations to be based at The Hague in Holland.
Information relating to his new job is embargoed until Monday when the United Nations Secretary General is expected to announce it. However, Mr Tambadou is expected to provide some details at a presser he is addressing this morning.
“The questions now arise: what happens next with the final draft constitution, now that AG Tambadou is resigning? What does Tambadou’s resignation mean for Team Barrow, who are against the final draft constitution? Or what does the AG’s resignation mean for the legal reform? Will the new AG, Tambadou’s successor, be committed to the final draft constitution? Will AG Tambadou’s resignation now make a doctored or tampered constitution more likely? Why has Tambadou resigned, and what does it mean for the future? Of course, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure that Tambadou’s departure could possibly throw the adoption of the final draft constitution into doubt, as he was one of the few cabinet ministers in favour of the approval of the new constitution,” former Gambian newspaper editor now a top academic and an expert on Gambian affairs Dr Ebrima Ceesay noted.
The new man
The new justice minister Dawda A Jallow is a private legal practitioner at Kansala Law Chambers of Fajara. He served as principal legal officer at the Ministry of Finance & Economic Affairs from April 2015 to May 2016; Ist Class and principal magistrate from March 2012 to April 2015; programme officer at the National Council for Civic Education between April 2002 and March 2011; assistant teacher at Charles Jow Memorial Academy, Bundung from September 2000 to March 2002.
Minister Jallow has a Master of Laws (LLM) Human Rights & Humanitarian Law from the University of Essex, England; Barrister at Law from Gambia Law School; Bachelor of Laws (LLB) Honours from the University of The Gambia and a Higher Teacher’s Certificate from the Gambia College School.
