Human rights abusers to be indicted

Mustapha Darboe Interior Minister Mai Fatty has told the press on Friday that the new government would indict perpetrators of human rights abuses under former President Yahya Jammeh. His comments came barely a day after 8 officials of the former National Intelligence Agency NIA accused of torture and killings under Jammeh, were charged with the murder of opposition activist Solo Sandeng last year. “We also want to make it abundantly clear that those who are involved in the torture, rape and dehumanization of Gambians, there will be accountability. You can run but you can’t hide,” Fatty said. He accused former President Jammeh and his APRC of suffocating the country for the past 22 years as they behaved as they are above the law. “Several arrests were made and we continue to follow leads and this will lead to more arrests. But with regards to the investigations of the existing arrests, I am not at liberty to comment right now,” he said. The Minister urged members of the society whose love ones disappeared, or were arrested or detained during the previous administration to come forward to the ‘Missing People Panel’ which has already been instituted. ”This panel will look into all cases reported. We will investigate,” he added. The Interior Minister further disclosed that the new government is working on reforming the security sector of the country. “Under the former President Jammeh, it was soldiers who were responsible for the security of the presidency but Fatty said they will change that and the arm wing of the Police Force will be in charge of the of the protection of the President and the presidential facilities himself,” he said.]]>