By Fatou Dahaba
In a startling revelation before the Special Select Committee on Thursday, July 31, 2025, former High Court Sheriff Justice Sheriff B. Tabally admitted that his office failed to comply with a court order mandating the valuation of livestock assets linked to former President Yahya Jammeh before their sale. The assets were part of a disposal process ordered by the Janneh Commission, which investigated financial misconduct during Jammehβs regime.
Justice Tabally, under intense questioning, acknowledged that his office neglected to conduct the required valuation of the livestock, as stipulated in a High Court ruling dated January 3, 2018. The court order explicitly directed the Sheriffβs Office to coordinate with the Gambia Livestock Marketing Agency (GLMA) to assess the value of the livestock before any sale could proceed. βThere was no valuation conducted by the Sheriffβ¦ I accept responsibility for that,β Tabally stated, conceding that his office failed to adhere to Paragraph 4 of the courtβs directive.
The former Sheriff revealed that at the time the order was issued, he was absent from the office for personal reasons and endorsed the execution of the sale over the phone without reviewing the courtβs instructions. βI was merely informed by telephone,β he said. βI endorsed thatβ¦ Yes, I take responsibility for my actions.β Tabally further noted that he relied on assurances from then-Registrar General Alieu Jallow, who claimed to have contacted the GLMA. However, Tabally admitted that his office failed to follow up formally, describing the oversight as βan anomaly.β
The 2018 court order required the Sheriff to sell the livestock and deposit the proceeds into an interest-bearing account pending the Janneh Commissionβs findings or further court instructions. Crucially, the order mandated that a valuation be conducted with GLMAβs assistance and that the judgment debtor, former President Jammeh, be notified of the pending sales. Taballyβs office, however, proceeded with the sale without fulfilling either requirement.
Defending his actions, Tabally cited the urgency of the situation and the need to preserve the assets, noting that the livestock could deteriorate if not sold promptly. βThis is a very exceptional case,β he told the committee, adding that it was the first time during his tenure that the Sheriffβs Office had handled livestock sales. He argued that the unique nature of the case, combined with his officeβs lack of expertise, contributed to the procedural lapses.
Committee members expressed dismay at the breach of due process, with one member emphasizing, βThe court was very definitive in its order.β They pressed Tabally on why his office failed to inform the court of its limitations in handling the valuation and sale, to which he admitted that not doing so was a misstep. βWe lacked both the capacity and expertise to handle such sales,β he said, acknowledging that his office should have sought further guidance from the court.
The revelations have raised concerns about accountability and transparency in the handling of assets tied to the Janneh Commission, which was established to investigate financial dealings under Jammehβs 22-year rule. The committeeβs inquiry into Taballyβs actions is part of a broader effort to ensure compliance with legal processes in the disposal of seized assets.
As scrutiny intensifies, Taballyβs admission of responsibility has sparked debate about the mechanisms in place to enforce court orders and the capacity of public institutions to manage complex asset sales. The Special Select Committee is expected to continue its investigation, with further hearings likely to explore how such lapses can be prevented in the future.
The case underscores the challenges of implementing the Janneh Commissionβs recommendations and highlights the need for robust oversight in handling high-profile asset disposals. For now, Justice Taballyβs testimony serves as a cautionary tale about the consequences of bypassing due process, even in exceptional circumstances.
