By Omar Bah
The opposition United Democratic Party (UDP) spokesperson, Almamy Fanding Taal, said. However, Jammeh’s crimes must effectively deny him any post-presidential largesse, and there is no law prohibiting him from benefiting from the just-passed former president’s bill.
Last week, the National Assembly passed the controversial former president’s bill despite strong opposition from critics who considered the bill inconsiderate to the plight of the Gambian taxpayer.
But moments after the bill was passed, the Justice Minister told lawmakers that former president Yahya Jammeh was not excluded. Still, like any other citizen, Jammeh must first deal with the law before getting such benefits.
However, reacting to the development, Mr Taal, a lawyer and former judge of the high court, said any law disqualifies Jammeh. “A relevant question is, will dictator Jammeh benefit under the enhanced law going by the bill as drafted? The answer is a resounding yes. Jammeh is entitled to all these benefits as a former president. Modern legislatures have evolved the excellent governance practice of public consultations with key stakeholders before legislation is made by carving out time for comments and recommendations from the public.
“The National Assembly was misled. The Justice Minister didn’t rely on the laws of this country. In other countries, his action would be considered misleading by the parliament. This is why Boris Johnson resigned. You cannot go to the National Assembly as the chief legal adviser of the government and say things on a hypothetical basis or a hooch,” he said.
He said everyone knows Jammeh has been indicted by the Commission of Inquiry and the TRRC
“A US court relied on the Janneh Commission report to forfeit his property, but unless and until you are before a court and there is a bill of indictment saying that you are accused of so and so, your rights are preserved under all the laws, especially in a new law that has all these facts before it and doesn’t indict them into its definition. I think this is very indigenous. I think the NAMs have been taken for a ride. Of course, we don’t want this to be a political football. Still, ministers, the president, and the vice president cannot mislead the public, especially when issues like this are discussed in parliament,” he added.
He said the interpretation of statutes is the job of the courts. “So, Jammeh is the only living former president, and this law is for him. If it was not, why the need for a certificate of urgency?” he argued. Taal argued that the Minority Caucus of the National Assembly should consider making recommendations along this line for better laws. “Merely reacting to the agenda of the Executive Branch of the Government, no matter how well articulated, is not a substitute for having a clear vision and the strategic thinking necessary for the transformation of our nation,” he stated.
