By Tabora Bojang & Aminata Kuyateh
The interim leader of the opposition Alliance for Patriotic Re-orientation and Construction, APRC, Fabakary Tombong Jatta has said that contrary to the official version, none of the demonstrators in the Kanilai protest was armed.
Reading a statement from the party on the incident, Jatta said the demonstrators were unarmed and peaceful and were asking for what he called a ‘stoppage to the militarization of their area.’
The APRC leader said: “The million-dollar question Gambians are asking is why no live ammunition was used by the Drug Squad and the police in previous skirmishes with security in Bakau and Farato but was used in Kanilai?”
He conveyed the APRC’s strongest condemnation of the shooting and killing of an innocent demonstrator and called on the government to investigate the matter.
He further dismissed claims by Information Minister Demba Jawo on BBC that only rubber bullets were used in the incident describing them as false. He blamed the government for the loss of life.
