Former IGP Led Witch Hunters to the Police Headquarters - Former CDO Tells TRRC

PHOTO: Abdou Colley

By Ousman A. Marong

Abdou Colley former, Chief Disciplinary Officer (CDO) of the Gambia Police Force (GPS) has told the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparation Commission (TRRC) that former Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Ensa Badjie led the team of witch-hunters to the police headquarters in Banjul.

According to him in the early morning of March 2009 he falls in his men and prepared them well, and they both dispersed and went into their various offices.

“Upon reaching our office we (the staff) saw a group of marabouts who were dressed in red, red uniform with their animal horns, mirrors, and cowries appearing before us. They were accompanied by former Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Ensa Badjie alias Jesus. They started searching the four corners of the buildings at the police headquarters in Banjul with their horns, mirror, and cowries. I was searched and nothing was found on me,” he explained.

He made the revelation at Dunes Hotel, testifying before the Commission.

“Former IGP Ensa Badjie alias Jesus ordered me to blow the horn during the searching at the police headquarters and I did,” he remarked.

He recalled former State House officer in the person of Solo Bojang to be part of the security officers who were accompanying the witch-hunters.

He revealed that the witch-hunters were rounding the four corners of the buildings of the police headquarters as if they were searching for something.

The witch-hunting was the state kidnap of over one thousand (1,000) villagers across the country in pass purge of witchcraft.

The witch-hunters were reported to have arrived in The Gambia from Guinea in the early years of March 2009, following the death of former president Yahya Jammeh's aunt.

He (Yahya Jammeh) was said to believe that witchcraft was used to kill her aunt.

“The witch-hunters pointed their horns, mirror, and cowries at Yahya Darboe, Mustapha Ceesay, Kumba Dampha, and selected them as witch and wizards,” he asserted.

He said the witch-hunters slaughter a goat together with a cock and dug a hole under a palm tree and buried them in the ditch.

“After burying them the marabout’s who were dressed in red, red asked the identified witches and wizards to report to them,” he said.

He alleged that former IGP Ensa Badjie alias Jesus ordered that the identified witch and wizards be taking to Kotu.

“Yahya Dorboe refused to go and nothing came out of it. Mustapha Ceesay was later transferred to Fatoto police station. His transferred might have some connection in his identification as a wizard," he opined.