Gambia: “Sana Manjang Cuts A Man’s Head With Cutlass” Says TRRC Witness

Photo: Ensa Keita

By Ousman A. Marong  

Ensa Keita, former sand and gravel dealer alleged that Major Sana Manjang has cut the heads of his victims and threw their bodies to the former President Yahya Jammeh’s crocodiles in Kanilai.

Keita who was testifying before the Truth Commission has narrated a money problem that occurred between himself, Azziz Tamba and former President Yahya Jammeh.

Azziz Tamba is a nephew to the former President Yahya Jammeh who was stationed in Kanilai, the home village of former President Jammeh. He was the one responsible for the construction of the compound of former President Jammeh’s elders' brother.

According to the witness, he was working in Amadou Samba’s gravel company and later proceeds to Kanilai where he was working as a laborer.

 The 56-year-old said he is a native of Baddibu Kinteh-Kunda Marong-Kunda in the Central Baddibu.

“Azziz Tamba was the one overseeing the building project of the former President Yahya Jammeh’s elder brother in Kanilai. Upon completing the work and I requested my pay but Azziz Tamba kept pulling and pushing me. Anytime, I asked him about my money he would give excuses that the former President was busy,” he explained.

He made these remarks at Dunes Hotel in Kololi, while testifying before the Truth Commission.

The witness recounts his tussled with Azziz Tamba when he crabbed Azziz’s shirt and wanted to knock him but his hand was held by a friend.  

“It was during this time that I was arrested and detained by Musa Jammeh alias “Maliamungo”. I was arrested by Musa Jammeh and was accused of having a hand in smuggling guns to MFDC rebels in Cassamance. Musa Jammeh asked me to accept that I was directly dealing with the Cassamnce rebels which I refused and told him that I was not a soldier and have little or no knowledge with regards to guns so how could I deal with the MFDC rebels,” the witness quizzed.

He said he was arrested by Musa Jammeh and was taken to “Woni” an area in Kanilai belonging to former President Yahya Jammeh.

“Musa Jammeh slapped me upon arresting me. I was locked up in a house in “Woni” where all kinds of tortures were meted out on me. As I was serving my detention a man by the name Kajali Jarju was also arrested and brought by Sanna Manjang to join me. I asked the man his name and he told me his name was Kajali Jarju alias “Lacock”. He (Kajali Jarju) informed me that he brought some cannabis to sell in Kanaila to acquire some money to buy food and take it back to Cassamance in order to feed his family,” said the witness.

He said Kajali has told him that he was roaming at the backyards of Kanilai when he met [Major] Sanna Manjang and explained his mission to him.

“He said Sanna Manjang asked him to take him to the place where he hides the cannabis. When they reached the place, he (Kajali) bend to pull out the cannabis buried with a gun. As soon as Sanna Manjang saw the gun he pulled out his pistol and pointed at his ears and said to him ‘you are under arrest!’ and escorted him,” he asserted.

The witness alleged that Sanna Manjang later killed Kajali Jammeh by chopping his head off with a sword.

Describing the gruesome killing, the witness said “Sanna Manjang was standing face-to-face with the captive (Kajali) while exchanging words with him where he told the captive that he (Sanna Manjang) will kill him. They were standing facing each other when Sanna pulled out his sword to have his head chopped off.”

After chopping off his head, the man’s head felt on the other side of the ground while his body is shaking and tongue mumbling in his mouth.

“After having the man killed Sanna Manjang hatched his chest into pieces and cut-off his legs and put the head in a plastic bag and took his remains to crocodiles to feed on. I was told the head was to be given to former President Yahya Jammeh and he benefited them with rituals,” he noted.

Ex-President Jammeh Ordered Me To Close Ousman Koro Ceesay's Case File-TRRC Witness

By Ousman A. Marong Muhammed Lamin K. Bojang, a native of Sukuta and chief of Kombo North has said the former president Yahya Jammeh ordered him to close the investigation case into the murder of the late Ousman Koro Ceesay, former Finance minister in the early days of the military take over in 1994 in The Gambia. Bojang, 77, a former CID officer of the Gambia Police Force (GPF) was testifying before the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC) on Thursday at the Dunes Hotel in Kololi. “ We (the police) launched an investigation into the late Ousman Koro Ceesay’s death, but later got instruction from the former chairman of the military junta in 1994, Yahya Jammeh that we should close the case file,” he revealed. According to the witness, they received information at the police that the late Finance minister Ousman Koro Ceesay was involved in a car accident around Jambur -Jabang Highway and got burnt with his vehicle. He said they (the police) went to the scene to find out the root cause of the problem. “ Upon arrival at the scene together with the Gambia Fire and Rescue Services (GFRS); Alieu Njie , a photographer at the Gambia Police Force (GPF) took the real view of the vehicle and found the body of Koro Ceesay burnt into ashes, whilst the vehicle’s number plate was found lying down under the vehicle,” he asserted. He pointed out that the body of the late Ousman Koro Ceeesay was taken out from the vehicle by the Gambia Fire and Rescue Services and was taken to the RVTH, now Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital (EFSTH) in Banjul. “ We (the police) were surprised in the way and manner in which we found Koro’s vehicle. There were no knocks on the vehicle and the body of the vehicle was intact,” he explained. He said that if the vehicle was actually involved in an accident, then there must be some knocks on the vehicle. He described the engine of the vehicle as a sealed engine, and observed that if the vehicle had caught fire due to the accident, then it would have started burning from the engine. He alleged that they met all the junta members apart from the then chairman Yahya Jammeh, at the funeral of Koro Ceesay’s in Dippa Kunda and that, Peter Singhateh was seen with a wrapped bandage on his left hand. Bojang added that some angry people were saying at the funeral ceremony that it was the government that killed Ousman Koro Ceesay. He disclosed that during the burial, someone informed him (Muhammed L.K Bojang) that Edward Singhateh has a hand in Koro Ceesay’s death. When asked by the counsel, who is this person that you are referring to? The witness replied no! I wouldn’t tell you, because there is no law for me to tell you. Counsel Jahateh replied please proceed then. Bojang recalled saying during the investigation that no stone will be left unturned in the investigation of Koro’s death. He said his own words later turned to hunt him, as the then NIA officer Baba Saho was tasked to start a surveillance on him. He said Ebou Njie of the Gambia Police Force (GPF) was to first person to test Koro Ceesay’s vehicle and from there they (the police) continued to carry out their investigations. He emphasized that they (the police) were almost done with their investigation and were only waiting for the ‘autopsy’ report from country’s main referral hospital (RVTH) to conclude their report. He confirmed it was during this interval that ex-president Jammeh ordered them (GPF) to close the file of the late Ousman Koro Ceesay. Bojang further recalled that one Lamin Fatty commonly known as “Malakal Mawti” meaning the angel of death, who was then working at the State House, visited the police headquarters in Banjul where he (Muhammed Lamin K. Bojang) jokingly told him (Lamin Fatty) that; “since they refer to you as ‘Malakal Mawti’, let me rescue myself out.” He said as he was stepping down stairs in the building, he received information that Lamin Fatty came to tender the sacking latter of the then police IGP. The witness described Lamin Fatty to be someone very cruel and that anytime he (Lamin Fatty) is seen in government offices, he is there to either effect arrest on someone or to tender termination letters.

PHOTO Chief Bojang (PHOTO Credit TRRC)

Ex-Jungular Denise Involvement In Torture Of Victims at the NIA

By Ousman A. Marong

Alleged ex-Jugular Lamin Senghore(Photo Credit TRRC) 

Lamin Senghore, an ex-member of the former president’s hit-squad known as the jungulars of the defunct National Intelligence Agency (NIA) now changed to SIS, has denied participating in any torture of civilians and soldiers arrested by the previous government.

“Sir I can tell you that I have never participated in any beating or torture of civilians and soldiers during their interrogation at the NIA,” he remarked.
He revealed that he has never seen or participated in any torture or beating during his services as the security officer at the Gambia Armed Forces and at the NIA or the NDEA (drug squad).
Senghore, nicknamed “The Assassin”, made these remarks on the ongoing Truth, Reconciliaton and Reparations Commission (TRRC) at the Dunes Hotel in Kololi.
Further testifying on the allegations of torture of soldiers at Mile 2 prison, Senghore admitted being part of a group of soldiers headed by then Sergeant Alagie Martins (Brig. Gen). He said Martins led the team of torturers but he has never tortured any person at Mile 2 prison.
“They were tortured by kicking, slapping and beating,” the witness confirmed.
He said it was at this time he pleaded to Martins to allow him to take charge of RSM Baboucar Sanyang (now a Lieutenant-Colonel in the GAF), RSM Fatty and one Musa Colley.
“I did not torture them,” the witness said.
A video of RSM Sanyang’s testimony before the TRRC was played where he was giving an account of his torture at Mile II prison by Martins and his men including the witness.
“His (Sanyang’s) testimony is incorrect,” the witness said adding that as far as he could remember, he has only witnessed the torture of the first-badge of detainees at Mile II by Martins and his men.
“The Assassin means killer. You claimed that you have never participated in any torture or killing, yet they call you “The Assassin,” it means you don’t deserve the name “assassin,” the Lead Counsel Essa Faal told the witness.
“Yes. I have never participated in the killing or torture of any soldier,” the witness replied.
He said some years after the November 11, 1994 incident, he was part of a team of soldiers trained on counter-terrorism. He said the training lasted for about 4 months.
“Was that the jungulars training,” asked the Lead Counsel.
“Yes, it was,” the witness responded, adding that they were not taught to be killers but neutralize a defensive mechanism.
With a series of questions and answers between the Lead Counsel and the witness, he admitted that they were trained to be killers.
“I have never participated in the jungulars operations,” the witness stated.
He said in the year 2007, he joined the National Intelligence Agency as a security guard and later was promoted to be an operative under the Operations Unit at the NIA under one Edrisa Jobe popularly known as Alagie Morr.
“I have never participated in the torture of any person at the NIA,” the witness repeated, adding that he left the NIA and joined the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency- Gambia (NDLEA).
He said at the Drug Squad, he has never participated in the torture of any person. Senghore told the Commission that he has never done any trainings in relation to interrogation.
“How would you rate your success then?” Counsel Faal inquired.
“The rate of my success was very high,” the witness replied.
It was at this point that the Lead Counsel emphasized to the witness that lying before the Commission has consequences and if it is found out that he was lying, then he will face the consequences for lying.
“Would you maintain your testimony?” the Lead Counsel asked.
“Yes. I maintain my testimony as correct,” the witness replied.