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[caption id="attachment_42567" align="alignleft" width="960"] Former Gambian President Yahya Jammeh and First Lady Zineb Jammeh arrive for a dinner hosted by President Barack Obama in Washington, D.C. Susan Walsh / AP.Justice Minister Aboubacarr Tambadou is urging the US to include the former first lady on the list of those sanctioned.[/caption]The Gambia government is aiming high above the announced suspension by the United States on Thursday with the country’s Justice Minister today calling for the extension of sanction to the family including the wife of the ex-president Yahya Jammeh
The Justice Minister Aboubacarr Tambadou told journalists at a press conference on Friday that the government welcomed the decision of the US treasury department.
“While we commend the US Government for this laudable act, we would like to encourage them to do more and therefore call on the United States to include on this list some family members of former President Jammeh especially his wife Mrs Zainab Souma Jammeh,” he said.
He commends the US government for its commitment in taking action less than a year by supporting the people of The Gambia in their quest for justice.
Tambadou said the move is as a result of cooperation between US authorities and the Government of The Gambia.
“It underscores the resolve and determination of The Gambia Government to recover every single butut (penny) that rightfully belongs to the people of this country and we will not relent until we are satisfied with our efforts,” he said.
The government reaction came following the US announcement that their sanction list include the former Gambian leader Yahya Jammeh and his spy Chief Yankuba Badgie as well as associated companies. Jammeh is currently in exile in the Equatorial Guinea while Badgie is currently being prosecuted for murder of a political activist Ebrima Solo Sandeng.
In justifying their move, the US says it is to taking a strong stance against human rights abuse and corruption.
Meanwhile, this sanction causes asset freezing with in order to set a ‘steep price to pay for their misdeeds.’