Banjul, 28 October 2025 — The Gambia Government has declared its firm stance that former President Yahya Jammeh will face the full force of the law should he return to the country.
In a statement issued on Monday, the government said that while every Gambian, including Jammeh, has the constitutional right to return home, this right does not shield anyone from prosecution for serious crimes.
The announcement follows recent comments by the former leader expressing his intention to return after years in exile. The government said it found it necessary to clarify its position to citizens and international partners.
“The right to return home is guaranteed by the Constitution and respected under international law. However, it does not exempt any person from accountability for serious alleged crimes,” the statement said.
The government cited findings of the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC), which implicated Jammeh in “grave human rights violations, including murder, torture, enforced disappearances, and sexual violence.” It stressed that these findings are taken with “utmost seriousness” and that robust legal measures will be activated in line with Gambian law.
“If and when Mr. Jammeh returns, there will be investigation, arrest, and prosecution — with guarantees of due process, fair trial standards, and respect for the rights of all involved,” the statement added.
The government also refuted claims that Jammeh was granted immunity or protection from prosecution, describing such reports as false. It explained that no Memorandum of Understanding exists, and the only document related to Jammeh’s 2017 departure was an unsigned joint declaration by the African Union, ECOWAS, and the United Nations — a diplomatic effort to secure a peaceful transition, not a legal shield.
“As a sovereign nation, The Gambia retains the right and duty to prosecute serious crimes within its borders,” the statement emphasized. “No political understanding, signed or unsigned, can override this obligation.”
The government reassured victims and their families that justice remains central to national reconciliation, affirming that the TRRC’s recommendations — as endorsed in the Government’s White Paper — reflect an enduring commitment to accountability, justice, and non-recurrence.
Concluding the statement, the government pledged to uphold the rule of law and ensure that impunity is never tolerated. “The Gambia remains steadfast in building a just, peaceful, and democratic society for all, where the rights of every person are safeguarded,” it said.
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