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The Gambia's ex-ruler Yahya Jammeh plundered the state coffers in his final weeks in power, stealing millions of dollars and shipping out luxury vehicles by cargo plane, according to an aide to new president Adama Barrow.
Jammeh, who ruled the small West African country for 22 years, flew into exile late on Saturday [Jan 21] to Equatorial Guinea.
He had refused to concede defeat in a December 1 election but eventually relinquished power after a delegation of West African leaders convinced him to step down, even as troops from neighbouring countries entered The Gambia.
[...] But amid growing controversy over the assurances offered to Jammeh to guarantee his departure, Barrow adviser Mai Fatty said the new administration had discovered that millions of dollars had recently been stolen.
[...] "Over two weeks, over 500m dalasi ($11 million) were withdrawn" by Jammeh, he said. "As we take over, the government of The Gambia is in financial distress."
(Score: 3, Informative) by driverless on Friday January 27 2017, @09:16AM
Countries like Gambia have much smaller governments with political appointees (chosen for loyalty, not competence) likely having direct control of government funds. What bureaucracy exists is weak and unlikely to resist a request from the big man who has controlled the government for twenty years.
It's not just that, this is Spar... uh, sub-Saharan Africa. "Ex-dictator looted country's finances" isn't news, it's daily reality. "Ex-dictators retires peacefully to modest country house and a small pension", now that would be news if it ever happened.