By Kebba AF Touray
The Minister of Justice, Dawda A. Jallow, disclosed before the National Assembly on Wednesday that his ministry has received a total of 619 case files over the past five years, largely from law enforcement agencies, including the Office of the Inspector General of Police.
Responding to a question from Hon. Alhagie Mbowe, the lawmaker for Upper Saloum, Minister Jallow stated that the data reflected submissions received by the Ministry between 2021 and the present. “These include files relating to murder, rape, robbery, fraud and other offences,” he told lawmakers during the Assembly’s question-and-answer session on July 9, 2025.
While noting that the compilation was conducted manually and within a limited timeframe following the Assembly’s request, Minister Jallow cautioned that the figures should be treated as indicative rather than definitive. “Due to the limited time given for the submission of these answers, I am not able to provide detailed information regarding the status of all these cases,” he added.
Minister Jallow further acknowledged the need for a modernized system to manage the growing volume of case files. “The Ministry recognizes the urgent need for a digital case management system, to ensure real-time access to accurate case data,” he said.
In a follow-up question, Hon. Mbowe pressed the Minister on how long it would take to establish such a system, emphasizing its necessity. Jallow responded that the implementation timeline would depend on available resources. “Currently, we have a good IT officer at the Ministry from the Ministry of Digital Economy, who on his own is trying to help us domestically develop something that can help us to digitally monitor our cases,” he said. He added that discussions had already begun with development partners and that “some interest” had been shown, though he could not commit to a timeline.
Separately, in response to a question posed on behalf of the Brikama North lawmaker by Hon. Sulayman Saho of Badibu Central, Minister Jallow provided an update on the operations of the newly established Victims’ Reparation Commission.
He informed the Assembly that the President officially swore in the commissioners of the Reparation Commission on April 11, 2025, calling the event “a significant milestone” in the country’s transitional justice process. Under the strategic guidance of the commissioners, the post-TRRC Unit completed the recruitment process for an Executive Secretary, who assumed duty on June 1, 2025.
On infrastructure, the Minister revealed that, with support from the Peace Building Fund, in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Commission had secured office space for a one-year lease. The Ministry, he said, continues to work with its partners to provide necessary office equipment, furniture, and operational materials.
The Justice Minister also announced progress in establishing the Commission’s financial infrastructure. He said the Accountant General’s Department had facilitated the opening of reparation fund accounts in both Gambian dalasi and U.S. dollars at the Central Bank of The Gambia. These accounts, he added, had been formally transmitted to the United States Department of Justice to enable the transfer of proceeds from the sale of former President Yahya Jammeh’s mansion—a process he confirmed is now completed.
In addition, account details have been shared with the Ministry of Finance to facilitate the transfer of the government’s 2025 budgetary allocation to the reparation fund.
“The progress outlined demonstrates our government’s unwavering commitment to delivering meaningful reparations to victims and ensuring that the Victims’ Reparation Commission operates as an effective, well-resourced institution,” Minister Jallow concluded.
