NGOs Issue Statement of Support for Alhaji Mamadi Kurang
Date Published: 16 July 2025
Below is the statement of support Issued by the Platform to Protect Whistleblowers in Africa (PPLAAF) and the Whistleblowing International Network (WIN)
The Platform to Protect Whistleblowers in Africa (PPLAAF), with the support of the Whistleblowing International Network (WIN) and the undersigned partner organisations, expresses our concern regarding the alleged retaliation against Mr. Alhaji Mamadi Kurang. We recognise the public interest issues he raised and affirm our position that individuals who have a reasonable belief they reported truthful evidence of misconduct or mismanagement should be afforded protection from retaliation.
Mr. Kurang is a qualified accountant who served as Executive Secretary of The Gambia’s Janneh Commission, a truth-seeking body established by President Adama Barrow in 2017 to investigate financial wrongdoing under the regime of former President Yahya Jammeh. Appointed by the President himself, Mr. Kurang accepted this responsibility in what he has described as a good faith effort to serve the Gambian people and the principles of justice.
While carrying out his mandate, Mr. Kurang alleges that he uncovered and formally reported serious irregularities within the Janneh Commission. These concerns, according to Mr. Kurang, included potential conflicts of interest among Commission members, procedural irregularities in the handling of evidence and testimonies, interference in Secretariat operations, concerns over transparency and financial management of public funds, and a lack of internal accountability mechanisms. He has stated that these issues, in his view, compromised the Commission's credibility and impartiality.[1] Rather than remain silent, Mr. Kurang reportedly raised his concerns first internally by submitting a petition to the Office of the President. Kurang shared certain evidence with the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), the outcome was The Great Gambia Heist, an investigative project examining alleged misappropriation of public funds under the Jammeh administration.
In July 2018, following his disclosures, Mr. Kurang was reportedly dismissed from his position.[2] He has since alleged that the Commission subjected him to a campaign of harassment, including what he describes as arbitrary arrest and two nights in detention without access to legal counsel, reportedly in connection with his participation in a peaceful public demonstration in May 2025. Although he was eventually released, he has reported that reprisals against him have continued and escalated since then.
In June 2025, Ms. Amie Bensouda, former lead counsel to the Janneh Commission, filed a defamation lawsuit against Mr. Kurang before the High Court in Bakau.[3] The suit reportedly seeks D144 million (USD 2.4 million) in damages over remarks Mr. Kurang made concerning Ms. Bensouda’s alleged conduct during the Commission’s mandate. These remarks, according to statements Mr. Kurang has made in numerous media interviews, were based on his direct experiences and intended to foster public dialogue on the transparency of a significant national process.[4]
The legal proceedings and institutional pressures surrounding Mr. Kurang’s disclosures reflect growing international concern over the treatment of whistleblowers. According to some advocates familiar with the case, the legal and institutional pressures he faces may illustrate broader systemic challenges in protecting individuals who disclose alleged wrongdoing in the public interest.
In light of these concerns, we respectfully urge the Gambian authorities to:
- Intervene to protect Mr. Kurang from actions taken and threatened that could be perceived as retaliation or intimidation;
- Ensure that legal proceedings involving whistleblowers respect due process guarantees and do not have the effect of deterring lawful disclosures of public interest violations;
- Reaffirm The Gambia’s commitments under international human rights and anti-corruption frameworks, including obligations to protect individuals who report allegations that they reasonably believe evidence of wrongdoing.
Mr. Kurang’s decision to report wrongdoing, despite the personal and professional risk, reflects his values of public service and civic responsibility. He has consistently stated that his goal was not personal benefit or impunity but to uphold principles of truth and transparency to restore public trust.
[5]
This matter underscores the urgent need to strengthen legal protections for whistleblowers in The Gambia and ensure that transitional justice processes remain open to scrutiny. Efforts to silence or punish those who raise legitimate concerns, if substantiated, risk undermining public confidence in such reforms.
PPLAAF, WIN and the undersigned partners express solidarity with Mr. Kurang’s right to raise concerns and urge all relevant authorities to ensure that he and other whistleblowers are afforded the legal protections they are guaranteed under domestic and international law.
GlobaLeaks (International)
Panafrican network against corruption in Africa UNIS (Congo DRC):
African Resource Watch Afrewatch (Congo DRC)
Congo is not for sale (International coalition )
Climate Whistleblowers (International)
The Whistleblower House (South Africa)
Jeggan Grey-Johnson former Anti-Corruption cluster lead AfRO, (South Africa)
Campaign for Free Expression (Canada)
The Signals Network (International)
Public Interest SA
Afrikajom Center, Senegal
Transparency International Italy
Transparencia por Colombia
Oživení z. s., (Czech Republic)
Open Secrets, South Africa
Blueprint for Free Speech (International)
Transparency International
Psst.org (USA)
Congo Nouveau (Congo, DRC)
Observatoire d’Etudes et d’Appui à la Responsabilité Sociale et Environnementale (Congo, DRC)
Whistleblowers & Journalists Safety International Center (Ghana)
Tiger Eye Foundation (Ghana)
African Centre for Media & Information Literacy (AFRICMIL), Nigeria
Filimbi (CONGO DRC)
Government Accountability Project (USA)
[1] For detailed information on the irregularities alleged by Mr. Mamadi Kurang in his petition to the Janneh Commission—including conflicts of interest and procedural improprieties—see
“Standoff at the Janneh Commission: The Petition of Former Secretary Mamadi Kurang,” The Standard (Gambia), July 2018, available at:
https://standard.gm/standoff-at-janneh-commission/ (accessed 15 July 2025).
[3] Amie Ndoungou Frammeh Bensouda v. Alhaji Mamadi Kurang, High Court of The Gambia (Bakau), Civil Suit No. HC/570/25/C0/091/C1 (
filed 25 June 2025) (Plaintiff’s Complaint and Witness Statement). Records are available for public access at the
High Court of Bakau, The Gambia.
Read the full PDF in English, & French.