Gambia Appoints British Barrister To Prosecute Jammeh-Era Killings

Gambia has taken a decisive step toward justice for victims of former President Yahya Jammeh’s 22-year regime by appointing British barrister Martin Hackett as the country’s first special prosecutor to handle cases of human rights abuses committed during Jammeh’s rule.

Hackett will lead a newly established office tasked with prosecuting individuals responsible for widespread repression, extrajudicial killings, and enforced disappearances that marked Jammeh’s tenure, which ended when he went into exile in 2017.

Truth Commission Findings Drive Action

The Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC), created to document Jammeh-era abuses, submitted its final report to current President Adama Barrow in 2021. The commission identified the most responsible perpetrators and recommended their prosecution, while also calling for reparations to be paid to victims.

While the TRRC has begun phased compensation payments — starting with victims targeted shortly after Jammeh’s 1994 coup — many survivors have emphasized that accountability and justice remain their top priority. Among the most notorious cases highlighted by the commission were the 2004 assassination of journalist Deyda Hydara and the killing of over 50 primarily West African migrants falsely accused of plotting a coup.

International Precedent and Domestic Accountability

Some perpetrators have already faced justice abroad under universal jurisdiction, with former members of Jammeh’s paramilitary unit, known as “the Junglers,” imprisoned in Germany and the United States.

Hackett, who previously served at the UN-backed Special Tribunal for Lebanon and investigated war crimes in Kosovo, brings extensive experience in prosecuting high-profile human rights cases. His appointment, with a four-year mandate, was confirmed by Attorney General Dawda Jallow, who noted Hackett was selected from a wide pool of international candidates.

Jammeh’s Exile and Legacy

Jammeh, now 60, refused to cooperate with the TRRC and only relinquished power after regional leaders intervened with military pressure following his unexpected defeat in the 2016 presidential election. He is currently believed to reside in exile in Equatorial Guinea and has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.

The appointment of Hackett marks a major step toward domestic accountability, signaling The Gambia’s determination to confront past abuses and ensure that impunity does not endure.