“I Was Arrested For Refusing To Cut-Down Citizen FM Transmitter” Says Witness

Photo: TRRC Commissioners. (Credit culled from TRRC FB Page)

By Ousman A. Marong

Former Gamtel Senior Manager, Mr. Ebrahima Yarbo, has conjugated his arrest and detention by the defunct National Intelligence Agency (NIA) now Security Intelligence Services (SIS) to his refusal to cut-down the transmitter of Citizen FM Radio Station.

The sixty-seven (67) year old Yarbo, explained in April 1995 on a faithful Friday morning that he had received a telephone call from the NIA requesting him to go and answer to them.

“Upon arrival at the NIA, I met senior officers including FRI Jammeh, Samba Bah, Numo Kujabi and Francisco Kosaso. It was Numo Kujabi who welcomed me and requested that I should accompany them to the Gamtel House to switched-off Citizen FM’s radio transmitter. I told him that wouldn’t be easy and that it was not under my domain to do such. They informed the former President Yahya Jammeh that I refused to cut down citizen FM’s radio transmitter citing to him (Yahya Jammeh) that I must be part of the revolutionary movement groups who were not in support of the regime at the time,” Ebrahima Yarbo said.

Yarbo made these revelations via skype from his UK based while testifying before the country’s Truth Commission on Tuesday morning.

Arrest and Detention         

In his own leeway, he said he was arrested at around 3am local time. He added that his arrestees used a rope in getting to the floor he was living in.

“They appeared in my house at about 3am local time and they were knocking my door that I should come out. I telephoned the police but they complained about the lack of fuel. I told them that I was just next door to them. As soon as the police arrived, they found these mobs with their riffles that identified themselves as NIA Operatives. The police made it clear to them that was not the way to arrest someone,” he remarked.

He added: “I was arrested for refusing to cut-down Citizen FM transmitter.”

Inhuman Prison Condition

The witness revealed that he had spent 4-years and 4 months in prison.

He made mention of names like Saul Ndow, Lieutenant Omar Darboe, Modou Drammeh and Modou Dumo Saho whom he was detained with at the infamous “Bamba Dinka” cell.

He said Saul Ndow later escaped when the state wanted to use him as a prosecution witness.

Yarbo adduced that they were charged with treason but were later acquitted and discharged. He informed the Commission that upon his discharge he received a letter from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution (DDP) stating he would not be reinstated.