By Yankuba Jallow & Nelson Manneh
The Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction (APRC) has called on the Gambia Government to return their properties.
Fabakary Tombong Jatta, APRC’s interim leader on Wednesday, 10th June said they are writing to the Government for the final time to return their properties failure of which they may resort to court action.
The former Majority Leader said APRC wouldn’t relent in their pursuit to regain the properties that were taken from them by the Janneh Commission. According to Jatta, these properties were not mentioned in the Commission’s Report and they do not form part of the White Paper by the Government.
He disclosed that about 20 or 30 of their vehicles were seized from them which have never been returned.
“You cannot find the vehicles anywhere,” he said.
The veteran politician said the Government should be cautious in the way they deal with people, adding that they must not take the law into their own hands.
He said the Government should have been able to reflect on their mistakes and put in measures to avoid its reoccurrence and ensure that the country moves forward. He said instead of focusing on development and taking the country forward, the current Government is focused on repeating the same thing they alleged APRC has committed.
He told the press that the recent decision of the Gambia Court of Appeal in the case of M.A. Kharafi and Sons versus the Attorney-General was that the actions of the Government to selling the properties of persons adversely mentioned was illegal. The renowned politician said the confiscated properties of people sold and those that are to be sold should be returned to them.
The former lawmaker said the properties that were confiscated by the Commission should have been managed by the Asset Management and Recovery Commission (AMRC).
“The judgment rendered whatever they have done (in the sales of properties) illegal,” Jatta said.
He said Jammeh’s family home has now been turned into a military barracks adding this shouldn’t have been done.
“The land belongs to his brothers, sisters and family,” he said.
He said APRC is no more in power adding “since APRC is no more in there, bring a system better than ours and correct our wrongs. Do not repeat our mistakes.”
The former legislator challenged the Minister of Justice to be transparent in the way they sell their Leader’s properties.
He said the Government that claims to stand for democracy and human rights would do whatever possible to ensure that people have justice. He cited the killing of Haruna Jatta of Kanilai adding the Government is not doing anything for the ‘young family’ of the deceased.
Honourable Jatta argued that whatever Barrow’s administration accuses that of Jammeh’s, they are doing the same thing, now.
