PHOTO: Mustapha Ceesay (Credit culled from his Facebook)

Former IGP Promotes Officers Based On Their Loyalty to Former President Jammeh – Says Mustapha Ceesay

By Ousman A. Marong

Mustapha Ceesay former Administrative Officer of the Gambia Police Force (GPF) has allegedly told the Truth Commission that former Inspector-General of police Ensa Badjie alias Jesus promote police officers based on their loyalty to former president Yahya Jammeh.

Testifying before the Commission in Dunes Hotel, via Skype from his UK base, Ceesay informed the Commission that former Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Ensa Badjie informed them (police officers) that their promotion was to done be based on their loyalty to former president Yahya Jammeh.

He said Mr. Badjie made the pronouncement at Kanilai during harvest to former President Jammeh’s farm.

“During the harvesting condoms were been distributed amongst security officers. I felt offended and asked myself to as why would a president called us to harvest on his farm and condoms are been distributed. I went straight into the mosque and put all the mikes on and started preaching,” he explained.

He named names such as Modou Sowe, Aziz Bojang, Ousman Cham, and Ousman Sonko amongst others to be those present during the harvest to former president Jammeh’s farm.

He said prior to the witch-hunt, former IGP Ensa Badjie was present at the parade held at the police headquarters in Banjul.

“He (Ensa Badje) was present at the parade ground prior to the witch-hunt and he made the announcement before us that there will be a witch-hunting exercise to be conducted at the police headquarters and any police officer who refused to be obliged will be sacked off their job. The witch-hunters were dressed in complete red. Their leader had a big mirror and in the middle of the mirror there are small cowries surrounding all over his body,” he remarked.

The witness recalled seeing Solo Bojang former State House officer in the midst of witch-hunters accompanying them.

He alleged that the witch-hunters were using state vehicles with security officers to accompany them in carrying out their duties.

He further alleged that former IGP Ensa Badjie conducted the parade and informed them (the officers) that former president Jammeh had ordered witch doctors to effect search on officers. He added that Ensa Badjie told them whosoever was identified as witch or wizard will die or something will happen.

"Ensa Badjie told us that each security officers were to swear Allegiance to former president Jammeh. He said some officers were going to be identified and whosever failed to oblige will face the consequences," said the witness.

He informed the Commission that Ensa Badjie was the one who slaughtered the cock while FRI Jammeh slaughtered the goat. 

“The witch-hunters went away with a bottle of the concoction which was buried in the premises of the police headquarters,” he asserted.

 The witness said he was informed by one of his colleagues who went to Baba Jobe’s compound and confirmed that the July 22^nd boys were torturing old women.

“They saw them beating them and pouring water on them telling them “Atoll mu buwaleelati” meaning they were witches. They were not only beating them but pouring water on them,” he said.

He said when he visited his grandmother in Kiang Kantong-Kunda, he saw her running from the back attempting to climb over the fence.

“I rushed to her and announced myself to her. She was trembling and she was 85 at the time. I was told that the neighbors were threatening her that Yahya Jammeh’s witch – hunters will come for her. My grandmother told me she prefers to die than to drink their concussion and be labeled as a witch. She said she has lived her life in the most dignified way and she has never been labeled as a witch and therefore, she preferred to die than been called a witch,” said Mr.Ceesay.

He said he was told by an official at the Ministry of Finance that his aunty was raped multiple times by the green boys after drinking the concussion.

"Official from the Ministry of Finance informed me that my father had a kidney problem as a result of the concussion. One Sergeant Jahateh, a PIU officer was beaten severely after he attempted to defend his father from taking the concussion," he said.

He said some of the abductees were taken to Kanilai. He gave detailed testimony as to what he was told happened in other communities in Foni, Kombo and Nuimi areas as a result of the invasion of  Yahya Jammeh’s witch-hunting exercise.