The increasingly erratic Gambian President Yahya Jammeh has openly accused a foreign Embassy in Banjul of interfering with the former Ghanaian born Chief Justice’s office. The President who appears to be very insecure and uncomfortable with mounting criticism on his poor human rights records and bad governance, have recently been making incendiary remarks against the West and his political opponents.
Jammeh during a swearing in ceremony of his newly appointed Chief Justice Ali Nawaz Chowhan – a Pakistani Sharia-law expert at the State House made direct accusations against a foreign Embassy he did not name as harboring the former Chief Justice and allegedly interfering with her work. Jammeh said “That is why the former CJ is nowhere to be seen, because despite the fact that she was being appointed by us; interestingly enough, she was taking orders from elsewhere…a country, from an embassy whose country is hostile to our country; despite the fact that we are the one paying her salary. And that is why she had not handed over to Justice Fagbenle; because she disappeared. Nobody has seen her up to today”. Jammeh went further to insinuate that the some countries cannot accept that the Gambia is independent and as a result are trying to do everything to destabilize the country.
Without naming the alleged Embassy involved, Jammeh made open threats to deal with the embassy hiding the former Chief Justice when he added “But we know that she’s being hidden by a particular embassy. We are not in a haste. Whatever happens, we will see the person; where she is, and we will deal with the embassy concerned; because this is unacceptable”,
Sources close to the government alleges that a letter was intercepted by government from a particular Embassy instructing Chief Justice Mabel Yamoa Agyemang on how to run her office and rule on certain cases. The Chief Justice was then immediately fired and she fled to the embassy where she has been seeking refuge since her removal from Office.
Since the abrupt pulling of the Gambia from the Commonwealth sometimes in 2013, the Gambian leader has stepped up his criticism of the British and United States governments of wanting to recolonize and dominate the Gambia which he said will never happen in his watch. The President seems not too happy with the European Union Demands for good governance and respect for human Rights by his government. In a recent meeting with his cabinet the President angrily made threats to withdraw English as Gambia’s official language and replace it by a local language. The President said “the British has no moral rights to preach good governance” to the Gambia after robbing the tiny West African country of its meager resources during its years of colonial rule.
As a result of all the pressure and frustrations coupled with an alleged ailing health, the Gambian President now resorts to playing the colonial card while his government is increasingly marginalized around the globe. His appointment of a Pakistani born Chief Justice is seen as a desperate move to reach out to what he may perceive as a country that is equally hostile to the West. Given the history of instability in the Gambian Judiciary it is hard to imagine Justice Ali Nawaz Chowhan will last any longer than his predecessors. Justice Ali Chowhan has an extensive resume including serving as Adviser to the current Pakistani President and as an international judge of the United Nations from 2006 to 2009 for the UN at The Hague in The Netherlands.
Many close political observers believe that President Jammeh is showing signs of desperation and insecurity. He felt that he is being undermined both by citizen opponents and foreign nations. He is very suspicious of any citizens serving under him and finds it difficult to trust anyone. Others commented that the ruthless President is at his usual game of distraction from the real economic and political problems confronting the Gambian nation. He therefore gets more attention from his opponents by making wild pronouncements.