'Witch hunting' survivor curses former President Yahya Jammeh to suffer

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By AWA SECKA-JAWARA

Fatou Darboe, a native of Sintet in her 60s in her testimony before the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparation Commission (TRRC) cursed Yahya Jammeh to experience more painful suffering than he had inflicted on her.

In her testimony she explained that during the ‘witch hunting’ exercise in Sintet, she went to Kalagi, adding that during her stay away she was called and told that the ‘witch hunters’ were coming to Sintet.

Fatou said she decided to return home to safeguard her family from the activity even if it means representing them.

She regarded the act as unpleasant, stressing that she will never wish her family to be part of the exercise.

“While entering the village from Kalagi I saw some soldiers surrounding the village when I was about to enter the village a soldier and ‘witch hunter’ with the in red dress attached with mirrors ordered me to come in Pulaar language,” said the witness.

According to her, the man asked the soldier to take her to the bus and she voluntarily followed him and walked through to the destination where the bus was stationed.

The witness further teatified: “We were captured on order of Yahya Jammeh who claimed that we were witches and wizards and our group comprised of all ethnic groups in Foni.

She recalled that there was drumming, singing and dancing by the Green Boys and Green Girls who were forcing us to board the bus and threatened to beaten with batons by soldiers if anyone refuses.

She explained that the bus was filled to capacity till some of the peoples had to stand, stating that they were all women taken to Kanilai and further taken to the military camp after alighting from the vehicle.

“After been confined to a place where we were gathered, the soldiers informed us that if any of us had any kola-nut she could chew it now or if one has any mobile phones it should surrender it because after drinking the concoction we would be unconscious,” related the witness.

She revealed that the drinking started with men many of whom after consuming the concoction fell dizzy, behave uncharacteristically and unconscious.

There were few individuals I knew that suffered and died like, Danjang Touray and Sansang Camara who fell sick and later died.

“I was asked to undress to be bathed by a young security officer and I said to myself: “This small boy who is even younger than my son to see me naked and bath me. I had to obey since was powerless and without an option. Before I was done with undressing he poured the concoction on my face and I fell down after leaving that room and fainted.”

She said some peoples had to claim being witches in order to be released, narrating that she she remained adamant that she was never a witch till a couple of days when she surrendered and decided to accept claiming that she was a witch when actually she was never one just to be released.

Fatou said she had to relent when she told them, ‘yes I killed two people’ and was later released.

She said when she got home she was regarded insignificant and had to endure stigmatization for been accused witchcraft.

In her concluding remarks, Fatou Darboe prayed for such to never happen in The Gambia and elsewhere, wishing for the TRRC success in the execution of their duties.