For years now Gambians have been crying about corruption in government departments. Indeed, the perception is that corruption is so rampant that there is not a single government department that is not affected. It is very common to read in the newspapers about reports of massive corruption in one department or the other.
Government officials keep talking about how the fight against corruption will be intensified to ensure that the coffers of the state are not looted by greedy and unscrupulous individuals who care only about filling their pockets. This is done to the detriment of the general population, majority of whom are extremely poor.
For years now there has been talk of an anti-corruption commission but it is yet to see the light of day. The most worrisome aspect of the fight against corruption in The Gambia is the lack of prosecutions. It has been many years since there was a case of economic crimes in the country.
Meanwhile, hardly a day goes by without there being reports of some form of corruption or another. When the media makes noise about these, the alleged culprit is usually sent on administrative leave and that the case is referred to the Serious Crime Unit of the Gambia Police Force.
More often than not, that would be the last the public would hear about the said case or cases. When there is media interest on it again, then they are told that the investigation has been completed and that the file has been forwarded to the attorney general’s office for legal advice.
Of course, one can understand that the government cannot prosecute cases where there is no evidence or the evidence is not sufficient to secure a win in the courts, but it seems that that is the case all the time. This, logically, is not possible. There must be some cases where there is evidence and that prosecutions would be successful if pursued.
In a recent interview however, the president, His Excellency Adama Barrow has promised to take tougher stance against corruption. It is hoped that this will not be just rhetoric this time round. The words must be backed by action!