Gambia’s Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission, TRRC, says former President Yahya Jammeh is responsible for the killing of West African migrants, which includes nine Nigerians.
Jammeh who had been in exile in Equatorial Guinea since he left Gambia in January 2017, was accused of human rights abuses, including extrajudicial killings, torture, and arbitrary detention.
The TRRC was set up by his successor, President Adama Barrow, to investigate the allegations against him.
Witnesses had informed the commission that migrants bound for Europe from Congo, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo, including their Gambian contact, were held by Jammeh’s top lieutenants in the security services before being murdered by the “Junglers,” a notorious paramilitary unit that took orders from the ex-president.
“Jammeh alongside Tumbul Tamba, Kawsu Camara (Bombardier), Bai Lowe, Musa Badjie, Landing Tamba, Sanna Manjang, Solo Bojang, Malick Jatta, Alieu Jeng, Omar Jallow (Oya), Lamin Sillah and Buba Jallow are responsible for the murder of the West African migrants,” the commission said in a report published on Friday.
The TRRC said the ex-president is also responsible for the persecution and unlawful detention of Gambian journalists, the killing of 17 civilians, and for the deaths, sexual violation, torture of persons accused of being witches or wizards.
He was also found responsible for the sexual abuse of three women, including the rape of Fatou Jallow, a former Gambian beauty queen.
The commission recommended the prosecution of Jammeh and payment of compensation to affected victims.
“Any adversely mentioned individual who has previously appeared before the commission and made a full disclosure of his or her involvement in human rights violations and abuses and has expressed remorse is hereby granted a period of 14 days to apply to the Commission for amnesty.” the TRRC said
“The Government will continue its review of the TRRC report as well as any recommendations for amnesty and shall issue a White Paper on or before the 25th of May 2022.”