By Mafugi Ceesay
A Gambian soldier has confessed taking part in the slaughter of dozens of Ghanaian nationals in July 2005.
Well over 50 West Africans lost their lives in the Gambia as they tried to travel to Europe by boat.
A Gambian soldier and former member of Jammeh’s patrol team, Omar A Jallow told the TRRC yesterday that he was part of a team who escorted about 30 of the Ghanaians in two vehicles from Banjul to Kanilai and then to a village in Cassamance where they were killed and dumped in a well.
He described how he and another colleague were passing the Ghanaians to Sanna Manjang and Malick Jatta, who were shooting them and dumping them into the well.
Jallow said the entire operation was based on the report that the victims were mercenaries and that Yahya Jammeh want them to be killed.
He recalled with great pain how the last Ghanaian in the queue to be killed had given him 100 Euros minutes before he was killed and dumped in the well.
“He told me he did not have any use of the money and asked to be allowed to say his last prayers which I granted him,” Jallow said.
He gave a chilling account of how he and Alieu Jeng and Sanna Manjang killed Haruna Jammeh, a cousin of former President Jammeh using a rope to strangle him before Sanna Manjang stamped on his neck to finish him off.
He said he missed out on the operation that killed one Jassadi after he shut off his phones to avoid being called to take part.
The Jungler further admitted taking part in the torturing of Imam Ba Kawsu Fofana and Imam Baba Leigh as well as another unknown marabout.
