We overthrew Ex-President Jawara's Government Because of Corruption-Says Former Junta Vice Chairman

PHOTO Sanna B. Sabally (Photo Credit TRRC)

By Ousman A. Marong

The former Vice Chairman of the AFPRC Military Junta in The Gambia, Sanna B. Sabally told the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC) that the main purpose of their (council members) military overthrow of the democratically elected government of ex-president Sir Dawda Jawara was because of the presence of the NATAG forces who took over the entire control and command of the Gambia National Army in 1994, coupled with political suppression in the country.

According to him, command in the army was directly coming from the NATAG forces, leaving the Gambian officers behind.
“ The Nigerian army commanded us anyhow without giving us any regard,” he said.
Sabally was testifying at the ongoing TRRC proceedings at the Dunes Hotel in Kololi. He revealed that they (the soldiers) took it upon themselves to stage a coup and that, they thought it was necessary to do away with the NATAG forces.
He disclosed that it took them almost 7 months discussing and planning how to go about with the coup. Sabally revealed that the formation of July 22, 1994, was planned by five of them, ie; himself (Sanna B. Sabally), Yahya Jammeh, Yankuba Touray, Sidibou Hydara, and Edward Singhateh. He said they informed 2nd Lt. Alfa Kanteh, Lt. Basiru Barrow, and Major Ndure Cham. He added that both Basirou Barrow and Ndure Cham rejected the idea of the coup and did not participate.
He highlighted that their last meeting before the July 1994 coup was held at the ex-president Jammeh’s residence in Fajara, and that, it was on the 20th July 1994.
The former Junta Vice Chairman Sabally further revealed that he was responsible for blocking of the telephone communications, and was also responsible for the supply of arms and ammunition.
“ Our first plan was to arrest ex-president Jawara at the airport, but it failed because Yahya Jammeh was disarmed at the airport,” he explained. He outlined that July 22, 1994, was their last day and it was a day of doing or die game because their names had already been mentioned in a planned coup.
According to him, they seized Radville Farm’s bus together with civilian vehicles and drove to Banjul where they found all the gates of the State House opened and from there they entered and occupied the presidential palace.
He revealed that they (coup plotters) swore to the Quran and Bible that they will rule for only 6 months and then hand over power to the civilians.

Fabakary Tombong Jatta Says TRRC Is a Joke

PHOTO Tombong Jatta (PHOTO Credit Online)

By Ousman A. Marong    

The party leader of the opposition Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction (APRC) Fabakary Tombong Jatta has described the Truth Reconciliation and Reparation Commission (TRRC) as a joke. 

Jatta told NEWS BITE that the execution of the remains of November 11^th, 1994 alleged coup plotters was nothing.  

Jatta challenged Gambian’s to remember 1981 coupled by Kukoi Samba Sanyang where almost thousands of Gambian’s were buried in a mass grave.

  “APRC is not part of the TRRC and our reasons are as follows Alhagi Barrow was part and percale of the December 30^th attack and he into America where he was caught and jailed”, he remarked.

He added that when Alhagi Barrow was returning back home from exile, he was welcomed like a king.

“Should Gambian’s take someone like Alhagi Barrow with serious?” He questioned.

He queried that how can someone like Alhagi Barrow be entrusted to serve as a board member at the TRRC?

“How can you appoint someone like Alhagi Barrow whose hands are already dirty to the TRRC?”

He made this disclosure in his Tallinding resident yesterday after embarking on a nationwide tour with the party surrogates.

Jatta questioned whether the upright men of this great nation are no more existing to serve the TRRC instead of people like Alhagi Barrow whose hands are already stocked with blood.

He said another reason why they (APRC) rejected the TRRC was that the 1997 constitution stated that there is no guarantee on any courts base on commissions to warrant an investigation into any institution or person since July 1994 up to December 1^st, 2016.

He challenged the Justice Minister to advice the government on a certain clause of the law.

He said there should be no investigation of commissions probing into the former head of state’s financial dealings, but was quick to add that they (APRC) never deny anybody or institutions to investigate the financial dealing of the former head of state.

He poised that before the Barrow administration start their investigation into the financial dealing of an ex-president, they must first change the 1997 constitution first.

He disclosed that if the president violate the constitution, the MP’s have all the rights to impeach and oust him out.

“Is it that all our MP’s wanted?”

L.t Edward Singhateh Suggested Basirrou Barrow & Co Should Be Blown Up In A Military Truck-TRRC Witness Revealed

PHOTO Eddard and Jammeh (PHOTO Credit Online)

By Ousman A. Marong

Baboucarr Njie, alias ‘Njie Ponkal’ a former Warrant Officer Class 2, (WO2); former Orderly to the then Vice Chairman of the AFPRC Military Junta, Sanna Sabally, Monday told the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC) that the former junta member, Lt. Edward Singhateh suggested to Captain Sanna Sabally that they (the council members) should launch a grenade on the military truck carrying Lt. Basiru Barrow, Lt. Abdoulie Dot Faal and other security detainees of the November 11, 1994 alleged coup plotters.
According to him, Edward Sinagateh further made a second suggestion of moving the truck near the armory store to explode bodies of the security detainees, but Sanna Sabally refused and said they will be taken to the State Central Prison Mile 2.
Mr. Njie made these revelations at Dunes Hotel in Kololi while testifying at the ongoing TRRC proceedings.
He revealed that on November 11, 1994, Sanna Sabally ordered them (the Orderlies) to load their guns without telling them what happened or where they were going to. He said he loaded his Anti-Aircraft Machine Gun (AAG) and they drove to Sadibou Hydara’s residence around Fajara where they picked him up and drove back to the Yundum Barracks.
He disclosed names of the soldiers who went with Sanna Sabally and Edward Singhateh to the Mile 2 Central prison to be Peter Singhateh, Lamarana Barry, Alfusainey Suso, Zakariya Darboe, Private John CB Mendy, Baba Njie, Lamin Marong alias ‘Kinkong’ Mustapha Manneh alias ‘Chewru’ Ensa Mendy and one Jassey whom he said could not recall his first name.
He stated that upon arrival at Mile 2 prison, they found all the doors of the prison opened.
“While at the Mile 2 Central prison Sanna Sabally ordered them (the Orderlies) to move the security detainees from the Maximum Security Wing number 5 to security wing number 1. I personally dragged Ebrima Chongan. I found some detainees sitting on the bare floor while others lying on the floor,” he explained.
Asked by Counsel Horaja Balla Gaye did you beat any of the detainees? Njie answered in the negative and said I did not beat anyone of them, in fact, my consent wouldn’t allow me to do so because some of the security detainees were my senior men and they were far older than me.
Counsel Gaye again asked your consent didn’t allow you to beat them but allows you to drag them on the floor? “There was nothing I could do because both Sanna Sabally and Edward Singhateh were behind me by then.” He admitted dragging some detainees on the floor for almost 72 hours. He alleged that Yankuba Touray had put his pistol in Ebrima Chongan’s mouth threatened to pull the trigger on him at the Mile 2 prison. He said Lt. Basiru Barrow together and Lt. Dot Faal were both arrested at the gate of Yundum Barracks.
Njie Ponkal also revealed that the detainees were beaten mercilessly. He recalled Basiru Barrow telling them (soldiers) that “you are killing me.” He confirmed that Basiru Barrow was suffocated and later got fainted due to the beatings.