Another ‘jungler’ admits strangling innocent victims to death 

By AMADOU MANJANG

Omar A. Jallow of the Gambia Armed Forces and  member of former President Yahya Jammeh’s killing squad called ‘Junglers’ told TRRC that he took part in strangling Ndure Cham, Baba Jobe, two Gambian-American citizens (Alhagie Mamut Ceesay and Ebou Jobe) and nine inmates from Mile 2 central prison.

He made these revelation in the continuation of his testimony before the Commission on Wednesday, July  24, 2019.

He explained that Ndure Cham the former army CDS was detained in Tanji at the NIA training school after the 2006 foiled coup.

He said he (Jallow) was among the soldiers that were guarding Ndure Cham, adding that one day Major Nuha Badjie briefed them that he has received instruction from former President Yaya Jammeh that Cham should be killed before night fall.

He said upon receiving the order they took Cham from his cell and drove him out but Cham asked about their destination he was never told.

He added that when they arrived at the interception of Yundum airport toward Brikama, Captain Momodou Jarju gave a plastic bag to Malick Manga and said “finish him,” meaning to suffocate Ndure Cham.

He said Malick put the plastic bag over Cham’s head whilst his hands were cuffed behind.

He added that Momodou Jarju and he (Omar A. Jallow) joined Malick Manga and pressed the bag till Cham died.

He told the Commission that Cham’s body was taken and buried in Santaba forest in Foni.

Testifying further, Omar revealed that he was among the people that killed Baba Jobe, when he was admitted at RVTH.

He said that they (‘Junglers’) were informed by Nuha thatformer President Yahya Jammeh wanted Baba Jobe dead before his return to the prison.

He said he was the one who went to find out the place Baba was admitted at hospital, adding that they went for him at night and when they arrived at the hospital the prison wardens told them that Baba is asleep.

He said Momodou Jarju alias Rambo and himself with others got into the room Baba was admitted and press his mattress on his face till he suffocated and died, disclosing that they left his corpse there and went away.

Killing of two Gambian-Americans

He further revealed the killing of two Gambian-Americans, Alhagie Mamut Ceesay and Ebou Jobe that are alleged to have planned a coup d’etat.

He said he was called by Nuha Badjie who told him that they should go to meet at their base in Kololi, there he meet Momodou Jarju, Michael Jatta, Nfansu Nyabally, Pa Sanneh, Amadou Badjie and Saikouba Jarjue.

He said Nuha briefed them that there were two Gambian-Americans in the country at the time that wanted to overthrow former President Yaya Jammeh.

Jallow said Michael Correa was at the hotel monitoring their movement.

He said Correa informed him that the two Gambian-Americans were heading to Turntable then they mounted a check point for them around 3:00a.m. to 4:00a.m.

He further stated that when they arrived at Turntable they were stopped and there were five people in the vehicle; the two Gambian-Americans, a driver and two girls.

The ‘Jungler’ said they arrested the two Gambian-Americans., searched their residence but only found a truck with hays.

He said they took the monies, which were both in some dollars and Gambian dalasi and give them to Nuha.

The witness said when former president Yaya Jammeh was informed that the suspects were arrested he said he wanted to see them and they were taken to his residence at Kanilai where they spent only 30 minutes.

He said Nuha returned to them with suspects and told them that Jammeh wanted them killed and their bodies chopped into pieces.

He added that Solo Bojang went with them into Jammeh’s garden where they dug a grave and put a plastic bag on their heads till they died.

“Michael Badjie and Nfansu Nyabally cut their heads and buried them in the grave,” Jallow told the Commissin.

Jallow said their team of ‘Junglers’ comprised of Major Nuha Badgie, Captin Momodou Jarju alias Rambo, Lieutenant Mustapha Sanneh, Lieutenant Michael Jatta, Wo2 Nfansu Nyabally, Wo2 Pa Sanneh, Staff Sergeant Malick Manga, Staff Sergeant Amadou Badjie, Staff Sergeant Sulay Sambou, Colonel Saikou, Wo2 Momodou Busso, Staff Sergeant Lamin Sambou, Staff Sergeant Buba Jarju and himself.

He recounted that he was at Hamza Barracks in Banjul when Alieu Jeng handed him a phone and he spoke to Nuha Badjie who informed him that there were people that supposed to be killed.

He said they went to the Mile 2 central prison where they took nine inmates to Lance Corporal Bojang firing range in Brikama, explaining that they put on masks and upon arriving at the range they put plastic bags over their heads and strangled them to death one by one.

According to him, they alighted the vehicle at the firing range and put plastic bags on their heads and suffocated them to death.

He said after killing the nine inmates they show the corpses to then Minister of Justice Lamin Jobarteh and then Director of Prisons, David Colley to confirm.

He said the corpses were thrown in an old well in the bush.

When asked why they threw the corpses there, the witness said that was done to cover up the killing of the nine prisoners.

Killing of Ghanaians and other foreign nationals

In an earlier testimony on Tuesday, July 23, 2019, Omar A. Jallow who told the Commssion that they were purposely trained as ‘junglers’ to guard the VIPs confessed that in July 2005, he participated in the killing of Ghanaians and other nationalities who were taken to be mercenaries.

He said this incident found him in Kanilai, and he was selected to participate when former president Yahya Jammeh ordered for the execution of the foreign nationals.

He said the Ghanaians and other nationals were picked from Banjul by him together with Solo Bojang, Sanna Manjang, Alieu Jeng and Malick Jatta and taken to Kanilai.

He narrated that Sanna Manjang informed them that a group comprised of Lieutenant Colonel Sarjo Jarju, Kawsu Camara alias Bombardier, Bai Lowe, Landing Tamba and others were also created for the same purpose.

He said the other foreign nationals were picked from Kololi around the Coconut residence and they were taken to Kanilai.

He said in Kanilai, they went to Casamance through the rare of the fence of Yahya Jammeh;s residence.

He stated that they all alighted the vehicle upon arrival in Casamance when Solo stopped and informed them that the people they have taken were mercenaries to be shot as an order from former president Yahya Jammeh.

He said he and Alieu Jeng moved them to the firing ground one after the other, whilst Sanna Manajang and Malick Jatta shot at them and thrown into the well.

He said that Malick Jatta and Sanna Manajang were the two shooters, adding that none of the captives escaped during the operation.

Jallow in his own words: “I was given $100 by one of them who pleaded to me to be allowed to say his last prayers but before he completely knelt down, Sanna Manajang fired at him.”

The witness said he spent the $100.

He also confessed to his participation in the killing of Haruna Jammeh who was detained at the NIA.

He said Solo Bojang and Alieu Jeng took Haruna Jammeh to Kanilai on the instruction of Tumbul Tamba.

He said they went to Kanilai through Kitty village which was a back way, explaining that Solo stopped at a certain point on their way to Kanilai and gave him and Alieu Jeng a long rope that they tied to the neck of Haruna Jatta.

He said when Haruna fell on the ground Sanna Manjang stamped on his neck from the car and killed him, confirming that Solo Bojang was the only one left in the car during that operation.

He said Haruna was a person who offered him personal support and helped him in times of need.

He further confessed that he participated in the torture of Imam Baba Leigh, Imam Bakawsu Fofana and another Imam he could not fully remember.

He said they were ordered by Nuha Badjie to torture Imam Baba Laigh after interrogating him, recollecting that they bit him with sticks, elastic pipes and the torture lasted for almost half an hour which resulted in the Imam bleeding with bruises on him.

He said Amadou Badjie, Pa Sanneh, Saikouba Jarju, Sulayman Sambou, Malick Marong, Mustapha Sanneh, Micheal Jatta, Nfansu Nyabally, Captain Momodou Jarju alias Rambo and Nuha Badjie and himself tortured Imam Baba Leigh on the orders of Nuha Badjie.

He recalled that the Imam was reciting a verse from the Qur’an while being tortured, saying that another Imam was also tortured by the same team in the presence of Yankuba Badjie, the director of National Intelligence Agency, NIA.