Erstwhile hospital PRO and journalist expounds 139 days in detention
Malick Mboob testifying before the TRRC
By AMADOU MANJANG
Erstwhile PRO of Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital and journalist has expounded to the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparation Commission (TRRC) that he spent 139 days in detention and severely tortured at the NIA.
The former editor-in-chief of the defunct Daily Observer newspaper, now Guaranty Trust Bank employee said he was scapegoated in the Freedom newspaper hacking saga in 2006.
Mboob revealed that he was tortured by the ‘junglers’ at the NIA under the command of Captain Musa Jammeh for refusing to change his statement, stating that he was crying and at some point he could not cry but lying down allowing them to beat him.
He explained that he had to pretend to be dead so that the torturers would stop beating him as all those present excluding Musa Jammeh and Ismaila Jammeh were beating him after which Musa Jammeh lose his nerve and ordered his men to stop beating him.
He recalled that Ismaila Jammeh carried him, put him in the cell where he was locked and shared a cell with Pa Modou Faal of GRTS, Musa Sheriff, Wura Bah who was an internet café operator along Westfield, Lamin Bojang from MRC, Harry Joof and Cherno Camara from Gamtel.
He said while serving his detention at the NIA, he used to communicate to Pap Saine of The Point newspaper informing him about arrests and tortures of people at the NIA headquarters.
He further informed the TRRC that he was taken to the military clinic on the 9th day of his detention.
He added that the NIA denied having detained him for two weeks when his family inquired about his whereabouts, relating that some of the detainees were released including Lamin Cham who all filled the NIA form and indicated that they are APRC supporters.
He confirmed to the Commission that he was released on bail but not told the reason for his arrest, adding that he spent about eight months before acquiring a job.
According to Mboob, he was the State House correspondent at the time Ndey Tapha Sosseh was the editor-in-chief at the Daily Observer.
He disclosed that he wrote about Musa Jammeh alias ‘Malianmungo’ or Direct to Hell for alleged stealing of food commodities from the Kanilai Farm.
He informed the Commission about the protest march organised by the GPU in solidarity with the late Deyda Hydara after his killing.
He added that the Daily Observer staff joined their colleagues from other media outfits at the Arch in Banjul, disclosing that he realised that the crowd was infiltrated by some security officials including the NIA officials wore the solidarity T-Shirts and disguising as journalists.
He said a petition was handed over to the Minister of Interior when they arrived at the Ministry of Information in Banjul during the procession.
Mboob told the Commission that Ndey Tapha Sosseh, who was the editor-in-chief, was asked not to report to work the next day as thethe proprietors of Daily Observer were not happy.
He explained how he left Daily Observer shortly and took a job at the Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital (EFSTH) as the PRO.
The former Daily Observer editor stated that he met Fatoumatta Jahumpa-Ceesay, then nominated member and speaker of National Assembly whom he had professional relationship with warning him to be careful as there was a story concerning, ex-president’s mother, Asombi Bojang.
He said he communicated to Dr. Malick Njie his boss, who gave him permission to write a rejoinder to Freedom Newspaper and was later called at the NIA headquarters at a later date by one Nuru Secka, director of operations who kept him at the NIA till evening, later escorted to a tiny cell and locked up.
“Later in the evening journalists like Musa Sheriff, current proprietor and editor-in-chief of The Voice, Pa Modou Faal of GRTS and Sam Obi of the defunct Daily Express were brought and locked up in the cell,” he stated, describing the place as very tiny.
He said a 14-year-old-boy was also brought followed by Lamin Cham, now editor-in-chief of The Standard, Duta Kamasso, then National Assembly member and a soldier named Buba Jammeh were also brought in all of whom were arrest and detention of these people were in connection with the Freedom newspaper.
He said he was paraded before a panel in a conference room where he met Momodou Hydara, deputy director of NIA, Malamin Ceesay, current police commissioner in Kanifing Division, Nuru Secka, NIA’s operations director and Late Nfally Jabang, a state guard officer.
He told the Commission that Momodou Hydara told him that he was the prime suspect in the Freedom newspaper saga and Hydara asked him to tell the all he knew about the story.
He said he denied all the allegations and had been exonerated and the panel was contemplating to release him.
He said when he was informed that he would be released, Musa Jammeh walked into the hall and refused
Accoring to Mboob Musa responded that he had already told former president Yayha Jammeh that he (Malick) was the prime suspect.
He elucidated that a search was conducted at his office and his residence and brought back to the cell.
He said three days after his torture, May 29, 2006, he was handed a dismissal letter from RVTH now EFTH following a directive from the Office of the President which was supported by the Personnel Management Office (PMO).
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