Remanded with her 7-month-old baby, Sarata explains affliction at Mile 2 prison
Sarata Jabbie testifying before the TRRC via Skype from UK
By MOMODOU JARJU
Sarata Jabbie, former journalist at The Point newspaper, has revealed that she was remanded with her 7-month baby for 3 days and about 4 hours subsequently at the Remand Wing of Mile II Central Prison in Banjul.
She said this happened when they were denied bail and later incarcerated in the trial of 7 journalists which later became 6 journalists at the High Court in 2009 when one of accused Abubacarr Saidykhan was acquitted and discharged.
The arrest of the journalists was in connection with a press release issued by the executive of the Gambia Press Union (GPU) published in condemnation former Gambian President Yahya Jammeh’s sarcastic statement on the death of veteran journalist, Deyda Hydara.
Testifying before the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparation Commission (TRRC) in Thursday via Skye, Jabbie said she felt so devastated as the situation was not conducive for her son and herself, adding that she could not sleep at night as she always kept fanning the baby.
“It was very bad. The atmosphere of the Remand Wing was terrible because the size of the building was very small for a number of people that were there,” she explained.
Jabbie, currently residing in Birmingham, United Kingdom (UK), said the cells were so crowded with about 10 people in each, stating that she was at the female side of the Remand wing.
In 2008, Jabbie became the first vice president of the GPU.
She revealed that she was never harassed or tortured directly but she heard stories of colleagues who were attacked, arrested, tortured and detained, citing her managing editor, Deyda Hydara, who had been arrested multiple times.
Other names she cited were Madi Ceesay, Alagie Yoro Jallow, Musa Saidykhan, Chief Ebrima Manneh amongst others.
Deyda Hydara was allegedly gunned down by unknown men of the State in 2004.
Jabbie said Deyda’s body was wrapped with a white cloth and there was stained of blood on his head, chest, and tummy at the mortuary in Banjul.
She said Deyda’s death had a negative impact on her and colleagues.
The former columnist at The Point newspaper said that the Government was responsible for the murder of Deyda because he was brave and critical to the Yahya Jammeh government.
She said ex-president Jammeh was not happy with the daily question the paper keeps asking, “Who Killed Deyda”” on the front page with Deyda’s picture on it.
She said ex-President Jammeh said it in one of his interviews.
Jabbie said Jammeh told GRTS journalist Kebba Dibba in an interview that: “Every time journalists keep asking: “Who killed Deyda?”
“If they want to know who kill Deyda, let them go to Deyda’s graveyard and ask him who killed him,” she quoted Jammeh as saying.
She said Jammeh’s “inappropriate” comment prompted an executive meeting by the GPU to issue a press release, authored by the then president Ndey Tapha Sosseh that was agreed upon by the executive members of the union.
She said the press release condemned the president’s sarcastic comment on Deyda which was published by Foroyaa and The Point.
According to Sarata, this led to the arrest of 7 journalists including her and the other six (6) journalists were Ebrima Sawaneh of The Point newspaper; Emil Touray, secretary general of GPU; Pap Sane of The Point newspaper; Sam Sarr of Foroyaa; Pa Modou; Faal of The Point and Abubacarr Saidykhan of Foroyaa.
She said they went to the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) headquarters for questioning around 3pm.
Jabbie said the NIA official tried to persuade them to write apology letters to the president but they all refused.
She added that she was latter granted bail for a couple of hours and later report to the NIA during the day time for three days.
According to her, apart from Sam Sarr and Emil Touray who refused, all of them wrote the apology.
She stated that they were taken to court and charged with sedition and defamation at the Kanifing Magistrates’ Court and later to the High Court in Banjul.
She said the trial lasted for less than two months and on August 6, 2009 they were convicted and sentenced to 2 years imprisonment plus a fine.
She said they spent 27 days in jail and released on the 28th day of their imprisonment.
Born in Basse on July 26, 1983, Jabbie said immediately she finished schooling at Muslim Senior Secondary School in 2002, she joined The Point newspaper prior to any training on the profession out of curiosity.
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