Gambia to use US mansion sale proceeds for reparations fund

The Gambia announced Wednesday it has received $2.5 million from the sale of a luxury mansion in the United States that belonged to ousted former president Yahya Jammeh, with the proceeds earmarked for a reparations program benefiting victims of his regime.

Jammeh, who ruled the West African nation from 1994 to 2017 before fleeing to Equatorial Guinea following a regional military intervention, faces accusations of widespread human rights violations including extrajudicial killings, torture, and forced disappearances during his two decades in power.

The Gambian government has committed to using the recovered assets to establish a comprehensive reparations mechanism for those affected by abuses committed under Jammeh's administration. The property sale represents a significant step in efforts to hold the former leader accountable and provide restitution to victims and survivors.

The recovery of Jammeh's foreign assets has been part of broader international legal proceedings and asset-tracing operations involving multiple countries. The $2.5 million acquisition follows a 2019 truth and reconciliation commission that documented extensive allegations of state-sponsored violence and political repression during the Jammeh era.