Yahya Jammeh, Gambia’s ex-president, found liable for 2005 murder of Nigerian migrants

Gambia’s Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC) says ex-President Yahya Jammeh is responsible for the killing of West African migrants, including nine Nigerians.

Jammeh, who has lived in exile in Equatorial Guinea since his departure from the Gambia in January 2017, was accused of human rights abuses, including extrajudicial killings, torture, and arbitrary detention.

The TRRC was set up by President Adama Barrow, his successor, to investigate the allegations against him.

Witnesses had told the commission that migrants bound for Europe from Congo, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo, including their Gambian contact, were held by Jammeh’s top lieutenants in the security services before being murdered by the “Junglers,” a notorious paramilitary unit that took orders from the ex-president.

The killings are said to have taken place in 2005.

In a report published on Friday, the commission said Jammeh alongside “Tumbul Tamba, Kawsu Camara (Bombardier), Bai Lowe, Musa Badjie, Landing Tamba, Sanna Manjang, Solo Bojang, Malick Jatta, Alieu Jeng, Omar Jallow (Oya), Lamin Sillah and Buba Jallow are responsible for the murder of the West African migrants”.

The TRRC said the ex-president is also responsible for the persecution and unlawful arrest of Gambian journalists, the killing of 17 civilians, and for the deaths, sexual violence, torture of persons accused of being witches or wizards.

The commission also found Jammeh responsible for the sexual abuse of three women, including the rape of Fatou Jallow, a former Gambian beauty queen.

The TRRC said: “Any adversely mentioned individual who has previously appeared before the commission and made a full disclosure of his or her involvement in human rights violations and abuses and has expressed remorse is hereby granted a period of 14 days to apply to the Commission for amnesty.

 “The Government will continue its review of the TRRC report as well as any recommendations for amnesty and shall issue a White Paper on or before the 25th of May 2022.”

The commission recommended the prosecution of Jammeh and payment of compensation to the victims.