“Witch hunting” survivor informs Gambia’s truth commission about death of other victims

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By LAMIN SANNEH

Sainey-Ba Bojang, native of Jamburr has yesterday informed the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparation Commission (TRRC) that few of the “witch hunting” exercise victims like Wassa Darbo, Momodou Kumbe, Lamin Dandeh Bah died.

Testifying at the TRRC regional public hearing on the “witch hunting” alleged spearheaded by former president Yahya Jammeh in The Gambia, the witness said he was passing through Busumbala and heard some big noise around Jambur.

He said he became suspicious that there were magicians with Green Boys and Green Girls singing and dancing near the market.

“I passed them and get to my home and urged my family not to follow these magicians and I also saw some soldiers accompanying them,” he explained.

Sainey-Ba said they came to his compound and found him eating with the alkalo (village head), Kebba Bojang.

He said the alkalo told him: “Nephew you too have to go along with them. As they proceed with me my family began crying for me so that I would not go but Kebba said I had to go.

“According to Kebba Bojang, Yahya said I should go because I need to be treated,” he told the Commission.

He further testified that upon seeing them he recognized Solo Bojang whom he knew while working under him at former President Yahya Jammeh’s farm in Kanilai, where he provided them with hoes, rice, and seedlings, fertilizer and spades.

He narrated that upon arrival at the market he was forced to board the bus to go to Kololi, but before departing the Alkalo told them to go as they are going to be cured.

“What I experienced in Kololi has never happened to me since I was born, considering my age with three wives and fifteen children. I have never experienced that anywhere and I shall never forget about Kololi,” the witness said without further disclosure.

He further explained that a man came there informing him that he (Sainey-Ba) came to a very detesting and horrible scene where all is based on lies and falsehood.

He said at Baba Jobe’s compound in Kololi, they were alighted awkwardly like slaves and when he looked around he saw Solo Bojang and called his name.

The witness said he also saw one man referred to as ‘’Mbading’’ meaning, my relative in Mandinka; that as he was chatting with the guy he described as a very nice man they were asked to drink concoction that has some leaves of a hallucinogenic plant locally referred to as ‘’Kubeh jara.’’

Bojang said while drinking the concoction he come across the leaves and wanted to spit it out but was told to swallow it.

He stated that he was then asked if he had underwear and he responded in the positive then they want him to undress.

He said when he refused to undress they took a cup full of the concoction and poured it on him and ordered him to go and sit inside the room.

“I eventually heard a name Lamin Sowe who is regarded as their leader, but during that exercise in the house he was not there but his assistant,” he said.

He recalled going through long unconsciousness after drinking the concoction and woke up in the morning only to see his son around who came to collect money for his school launch, but they refused him entry.

“At that point I got angry and used force so that my son collects his lunch and I was subsequently asked to drink concoction again which I refused. I later returned to Jambur and upon arrival at the bantaba (village square) one of my relatives came shouting, ‘here is father’ and we were in delightful mood but also some of them were annoyed due to the information they received.”