Junguler Explains Execution Of 9 Inmates, Strangling Of Others

PHOTO: Junguler Malick Jatta, Omar A. Jallow and Amadou Badjie.

By Ousman A. Marong

Omar A. Jalllow, a member of The Gambia Armed Forces (GAF) who doubles as one-time ‘Junguler’ under the APRC regime has informed the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC) that he has participated in the execution of the Mile ll 9 inmates.

According to him, prior to the execution of the 9 death row inmates, his co-jungulers were constantly calling him (Omar A. Jallow), but to no avail simply, because his phone was switched - off.

He made this revelation recently at the Dunes Hotel in Kololi where he was testifying before the Commission.

He said: “They (the jungulers) later phoned Alieu Jeng who brought me the phone to talk to them. They told me that they were behind Hamza Barracks and that I should join them to the Mile ll State Central prison where we should pick the 9 inmates.”

Omar A. Jallow who goes with the nickname ‘Oyaa’ said they were dressed in military uniform at the time they were going to Mile ll prison.

“Upon arrival at Mile ll prison. the security officers on duty opened the gate for us where Nuha Badjie and the former Interior Minister Ousman Sonko together with former Justice Minister Lamin Jobarteh alias Babadinding Jobarteh all entered in the cells to identify the 9 inmates to be picked up,” he remarked.

He revealed that they picked up the Mile ll 9 inmates and transported them to Lance Corporal Bojang’s Firing Range in Brikama where they (the jungulers) put plastic bags on their heads and strangled them to death one after the other.

He mentioned names such as Modou Busso, Lamin Sambou, Buba Badjie from The Gambia Police Force (GPF) to be part of the execution team.

“After strangling them to death we (the jungulers) transported their remains and disposed them into a well in Kanilai,” he revealed.

Didn’t they (the 9 inmates) deserve a proper burial, why dumping them into a well? Asked the Lead Counsel Essa M. Faal. The witness answered in the affirmative and added: “dumping them into a well was meant to serve as concealment.”

The witness further went on to explain how they killed Alhagie Mamud Ceesay and Ebou Jobe, the two Gambian – American citizens.

He said: “I was called by Modou Njie who informed me that there were two foreign nationals from America who sneaked into the country with the aim of toppling the government of former president Jammeh.”

He said Nuha Badjie asked them (the jungulers) to get prepared to join Sang Michael Correa who was at the station at Senegambia Beach Hotel monitoring the movement of the two (2) Gambian-Americans.

He alleged that himself Omar A. Jallow, Nuha Badjie, Modou Jarju alias Rambo, Lieutenant Michael Jatta, WO2 Nfansu Nyabally, Sergeant Amadou Badjie, Captain Saikou Jarju, Sang Michael Correa, etc, were the jungulars who participated in the arrest of Alhagie Mamud Ceesay and Ebou Jobe.

“We arrested the duo together with two (2) ladies and a driver and we conducted a search on Alhagie Mamud Ceesay and Ebou Jobe where we found some dollars together with some Gambian dalasis. We gave the money to Nuha Badjie,” he disclosed.

He further alleged that former president Jammeh also requested meeting the duo.

“We transported them to Kanilai where former president Jammeh ordered for them to be killed and slice their bodies into pieces,” Jallow told the TRRC.

The witness said it was Solo Bojang who led them into a garden called ‘Younor’ belonging to former president Jammeh, where Malick Badjie and Nfansu Nyabally slaughtered the duo and buried them together into a ditch.

Angry Protesters Set Anti-crime Unit Boss's House Alight

PHOTO: The Commissioners House

By Ousman A. Marong

Angry protesters have on Wednesday burnt into ashes, a compound in Ebo Town, belonging to Gorgie Mboob, commander of the Gambia Police Force’s Anti-Crime Unit.
The angry protesters were demonstrating against police brutality and the beating to death of a young market vendor called Amadou Darboe, by members of the police anti-crime unit.
The deceased is said to be a Sierra Leonean national resident in the Gambia. The protesters started stoning in the senior police officer’s compound and later set the house ablaze.
The fire almost consumed all the belongings in the house.

Gambia: Dozens Hospitalized In Brikama, Others Arrested After Police Fired Tear Gas On Peaceful Protesters

PHOTO: Red Cross Volunteers (Photo Credit Modou Jeng Member Red Cross)

By Ousman A. Marong
A total of fifty (50) people have been hospitalized at the Brikama Health Center and at the country’s main referral hospital, the Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital (EFSTH) respectively.
The incident occurred when the anti-riot police fired tear gas at peaceful protesters who were demanding better service delivery from the Brikama Area Council.
The protest for “#OCCUPYBAC” saw a lane race between security officers and the organizers into a resolution but to no avail. The police have rejected the application for a permit from “#OCCUPYBAC” team to hold the protest.
As early as 8:00 O’clock Wednesday morning peaceful protesters gathered near the Brikama market chanting with placards ‘BAC must deliver’. The Anti-riot police came and fired tear gas to disperse the protesters, resulting in many injuries, with some others hospitalized. Also, a student of the University of The Gambia Amadou Ceesay was arrested but later released.

PHOTO:Malick Jatta. (Photo Credit TRRC)

By Ousman A. Marong

Malick Jatta, a member of The Gambia Armed Forces (GAF) who doubles as a one-time ‘Jungular’ under the AFPRC/APRC government has told the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC) that the late Tumbul Tamba was the master minder behind the setting up of the jungulars.

According to him, Ndong Mboob was executed by Major Sanna Manjang in a forest called ‘Bunubor garden’ in Kanilai. The garden, he said belongs to the former head of State Yahya Jammeh.

“Tumbul Tamba came with Mercedes Benz 204 and we boarded it and drove to Kanilai to carry on the execution,” he explained. He mentioned names such as himself Malick Jatta, the late Tumbul Tamba, Alieu Jeng, and Sanna Manjang as persons who took part in the execution.

He made this revelation at the Dunes Hotel in Kololi while testifying before the commission.

“After carrying on the execution, the following day Tumbul Tamba gave us some dollars amounting to fifty thousand dalasi (50,000) on an envelope, saying it was a token from the president in appreciation to our job,” the witness revealed.

“I am totally displeased with my own action. It was my responsibility to protect lives and properties, instead I ended up terrorizing those I supposed to protect,” he cried.
The jungular in his own words informed the commission that they (the jungulars) killed the late Deyda Hyara on the order of former President Yahya Jammeh.

“Get him killed without any delay,” he alleged they were instructed by former president Jammeh. He said he was shocked after hearing former president Jammeh denying having knowledge about Deyda’s death.

“I was shocked simply because the guy on whose order we have killed the journalist is here denying to have knowledge about the incident.
He revealed that the following day after they short the late Deyda Hydara to death, he demanded meeting Major Kalipha Bajinka, but was told by Bajinka he (Malick Jatta) won’t be able to meet him.

How many shots did you fire? Ask lead Counsel Essa M. Faal. The witness responded, “I shot only once.”
How many did your colleagues shot? He replied in the affirmative “I can only tell about mine,” he responded again.
Hearings continues tomorrow.

MUSA SAIDYKAN TELLS WOES OF BROKEN HAND, ELECTROCUTION BY NIA

PHOTO: Journalist Musa Saidykhan's Back. (Photo Credit Online).

By Ousman A. Marong

Musa Saidykhan, former editor-in-chief of The Independent newspaper has said that he was stripped naked at the headquarters of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) where his hands were broken three (3) times and his genitals electrocuted.

He said they stamped their feet on his hand until it was broken, adding that the electrocution of his genitals sent him to a comma.

Testifying before the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparation Commission (TRRC) via Skype, one time Daily Observer reporter explained that his hand had to be broken three (3) again in order to fix it properly.

He disclosed that he was arrested together with Madi M.K. Ceesay and were put behind a pickup and transported to the NIA headquarters in Banjul.

He stated that while at the NIA, he met two (2) Ghanaian boys who were illegally detained there without been brought before any court of law.

He explained how he started taking account of the story which nearly filled a notebook, saying that the NIA mounted a search and later found the book with him and seized it.

He stressed that the NIA was very upset with him after they found the notebook.

He revealed that the NIA tried, by all means, to implicate him to the point of sending young beautiful girls to seduce him, but to no avail.

Recalling his time at Daily Observer, he told the TRRC that they (the reporters) of the paper resigned as staff due to former President Yahya Jammeh’s interference with the paper’s editorial board.

He said Jammeh was never pleased with seeing his photo lingering on top of The Daily Observer facing that of opposition leaders like Lamin Waa Juwara.

He further said Jammeh preferred seeing his photo alone on top of Daily Observer lead stories.

He recounted his previous arrest by a team of four (4) operatives from the NIA where he was whisked away and escorted to their headquarters.

Musa said upon arrival at the NIA he was interrogated by a panel who asked about his origin and after a short interrogation he went scot-free.

He said after his short released, he was informed that it was because of pressure from West African leaders who wrote a petition to the South African president, Tabo Mbeki to convey to ex-president Jammeh to release him failing which will lead to the boycott of the AU Submit to be held in The Gambia.

Omar Barrow Was Shot To Death By The Security Officers – Pa Modou Faal Tells TRRC

PHOTO: Pa Modou (Photo Credit TRRC)

By Ousman A. Marong

The Gambia Daily News reporter Pa Modou Faal has told the Truth, Reconciliation, and Reparations Commission (TRRC) that the late journalist Omar Barrow was shot to death by the security officers of The Gambia Armed Forces (GAF).
According to him, he saw the late Omar Barrow lying at the mortuary at the then Royal Victoria Teaching Hospital (RVTH), now Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital in Banjul.
“I saw the dead body of late Omar Barrow on a blue shirt lying down at the mortuary of the RVTH,” said Mr. Faal.
He made this revelation at the Dunes Hotel in Kololi where he was testifying before the commission.

“I was informed by a colleague that the late Omar Barrow was shot to death by members of The Gambia Armed Forces during the April 10-11 students’ demonstration,” he further explained.
He revealed that the Sud FM reporter Ousman Ceesay was manhandled by the security officers while covering the April 10-11 students’ demonstration too.
“The security officers confiscated Ousman Ceesay’s tape recorder while he was covering the demonstration,” he stated.
He informed the commission that ‘plainclothes officers’ once appeared at the studio of Radio Sud FM demanding for the closure of the Radio. “There was a reason given to us to why the radio should be closed down,” he disclosed.
He alleged that former Information Minister Neneh Macduoll Gaye had a hand in the closure of Sud FM radio. He opined that The Gambia and Senegal border crisis also contributed to the closure of the radio.
Narrating his ordeal with the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) officers in 2009 when he and some other executive members of the Gambia Press Union were arrested, Mr. Faal said a former NIA officer called Alhagie Morr Jobe phoned him and informed him that he is wanted at the NIA for questioning and he reported himself to the NIA.

“While at the NIA, I was interrogated about a press release of the GPU against the former president Yahya Jammeh, which was published by The Point and Foroyaa newspapers. I was also forced to log into my email account upon arrival at the NIA,” he outlined. He further informed the Commission that all of them (the arrested journalists) especially Mr. Pape Saine, Managing Director of The Point Newspaper was totally paranoid while in detention, as they had always thought the hit-squad (Jungulars) will come to torture them.
Mr. Faal also described the country’s central prison Mile II, where they were remanded during their trial, as a horrible place and not fit for human beings to stay.
“We have spent 27 days in prison, and we were pardoned when the former Nigerian president at the time visited the country.

We are Going to Operate within the Confinements of the Law – Says the police PRO

PHOTO: Group of Security officers Trained on (CCM)

By Ousman A. Marong

The police PRO ASP Lamin Njie Friday told waiting journalists that The Gambia Police Force (GPF) is going to operate within the confinements of the law.

According to him, The Gambia Police Force (GPF) did not order equipment’s to target or harassed any particular groups or individuals, he stated.

“We are doing our job and that is to enforce laws, and we are going to operate within those confinements,” he remarked.

He made this revelation on Friday 21st June 2019 during the graduation ceremony of 40 Personnel from the Police Intervention Unit (PIU). The 40 officers include platoon and section commanders who were trained by the French National Police (FNP).

The 40 officers concluded a two (2) weeks long training exercise on crowd control management (CCM), as part of the country’s ‘Security Sector Reform’ (SSR).

“In spite of what the honorable Minister said, I want to assure the general public that The Gambia Police Force (GPF) is going to operate within the confines of the law,” he confirmed. He added that The Gambia Police Force (GPF) will make sure they protect lives and properties,” he said.

“As far as our types of equipment are a concern, we are going to handle them professionally. Our mandate is to protect lives and properties and we would make sure we do just that,” he asserted.

In his part the French Ambassador the Gambia Mr. Christophe Bigot revealed that his government will do all it takes to support the government of The Gambia in the areas of security management. He disclosed that the French government had provided The Gambia government with a tone of £50 loan during their meeting in Brussels.

Part of the £50m loan he said would be used to build French school, military training schools, teacher’s training school, naval training, school etc, he noted.