08/04/2026
The Government of The Gambia has officially introduced Mr. Martin Hackett as the Special Prosecutor to lead post-Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC) investigations and prosecutions, marking a significant step toward justice and accountability for past human rights violations.
Since the TRRC submitted its report to President Adama Barrow in November 2021, Gambians have awaited the commencement of prosecutions recommended by the commission. In May 2022, the government responded with a White Paper endorsing these demands for justice. Over the following two years, collaboration with victim-led organizations, the Gambia Bar Association, ECOWAS, and international criminal justice experts shaped the country’s post-TRRC accountability framework.
By April 2024, the National Assembly passed the Special Accountability Mechanism Act and the Special Prosecutor’s Office Act, laying the legislative foundation for prosecutions. On 8 April 2026, during a press briefing, the Attorney General and Minister of Justice unveiled Mr. Martin Hackett as the first Special Prosecutor.
Mr. Hackett is a British barrister with over 30 years of experience in criminal and international law. Called to the Bar in 1995, he has prosecuted complex cases involving international terrorism, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. His previous roles include Senior Trial Counsel at the United Nations Special Tribunal for Lebanon, head of the War Crimes Division in Kosovo, and senior prosecutor with the UK Crown Prosecution Service specializing in serious sexual offenses and counter-terrorism. He has also advised on war crimes and genocide investigations in Ukraine and multiple other jurisdictions.
The TRRC documented extensive human rights abuses in The Gambia from July 1994 to January 2017, including enforced disappearances, torture, sexual and gender-based violence, and murder. While the TRRC report provides a historical record, the Special Prosecutor’s Office will ensure these violations have legal consequences.
As an independent and autonomous body, the Special Prosecutor’s Office, under Mr. Hackett’s leadership, will hold perpetrators accountable. It represents the first phase of a broader Special Accountability Mechanism, which includes domestic prosecutions before the Special Criminal Division of the High Court and, eventually, cases heard by a Special Tribunal for The Gambia established in partnership with ECOWAS.
The Attorney General emphasized the urgency of beginning prosecutions, noting that delays risk losing critical evidence and witness testimony. The government’s phased approach starts with domestic prosecutions while preparing for the Special Tribunal’s full establishment. Despite challenges in funding and sustained engagement, these efforts demonstrate clear momentum toward justice.
Gambians now look forward to a future where truth leads to accountability, victims receive more than acknowledgment, and the rule of law applies equally to all. Mr. Hackett’s appointment signals a turning point—transforming remembrance into active justice and making accountability a tangible process rather than a distant promise.
