By Mafugi Ceesay
Lieutenant Abdoulie Jarju, the second accused person in the trial of 12 military officials accused of creating a WhatsApp group to overthrow the government of President Adama Barrow, has claimed that the seating court martial President was himself implicated while he was in Sudan as contingent commander but he was not prosecuted.
Testifying before the military court yesterday presided over by the judge advocate, Justice Sainabou Wadda-Sise, Jarju explained that he served the Gambia Armed Forces for 23 years but was not aware of the military tortures until he became a victim.
“It was Abdoulie Sowe who put the handcuff on him, he is part of the investigation panel, but I cannot ascertain whether he is part of the people who tortured me because my face was covered and I could not see my immediate surroundings. Captains Abdoulie Camara, Sulayman Jaye, Sulayman Sowe and Yusupha Jallow were there,” Jarju said.
He claimed that the statements he signed at the NIA were made out of fear and frustration.
Responding to the state counsel, AM Yusuf, Jarju said despite his 23 years experience as a military officer, he has limited friends within the army whom he identified as Major Abdoulie Manneh and WO2 Lamin FT Sanyang.
“My co-accused persons are my comrades and not my friends. We deal strictly on only official matters,” he said. He further disclosed that among the board of inquiry who interrogated him at the barracks were Pando B, Captain Faring Sanyang and WO2 Samba Kebbeh.
He told the military tribunal that he would not know whether the panel at the agency was constituted based on the recommendations of the military officials.
