Gambia’s government has warned that former leader, Yahya Jammeh would be arrested if he returns home from exile.
The country’s justice minister, Abubacarr Tambadou gave the warning on Sunday days after Jammeh’s supporters protested to call for his return.
“If former President Yahya Jammeh, ever comes back to this country, he will face immediate arrest and charges of the most serious kind,” Tambadou said at the opening of the judicial year.
He said after almost a year of investigations into abuses under Jammeh “it can no longer be ruled out that crimes against humanity have been committed in The Gambia.”
Tambadou added that “There will be the accountability of the highest order for these crimes and I assure the victims that it is now only a question of when, and not if.”
Yahya Jammeh has been in exile in Equatorial Guinea since 2017 after he was forced out of the country.
Initially he didn’t want to let go power despite losing the 2016 presidential election to now president, Adama Barrow.
After negotiations led by regional body ECOWAS, Jammeh agreed to go into exile in Equatorial Guinea.
But while in exile Jammeh has carefully orchestrated his imminent return to the country ahead of presidential elections in 2021.
He is reported to be lonely in exile and constantly desiring to return home. That loneliness sparked series of well thought out plan to force his way home on his own terms.
Leaked WhatsApp audio this month revealed that Yaya Jammeh has been in touch with his supporters constantly.
Jammeh has been encouraging them to push for his return, although he had asked for that to be done in a peaceful way.
He has assured his supporters of his return to the country very soon and that has caused panic within the Barrow administration which is also having issues with the ruling coalition.
Barrow recently launches his own party to enable him seek re-election in 2021, going against an agreement with the ruling coalition that brought him to power.
This weakened front has given Jammeh and his supporters a window of opportunity to push for his return home.
Source: Africafeeds.com
