Press release
The Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Mr Abubacarr M. Tambadou, has followed with keen interest the recent publication on 25 June 2019 of an interview by the New York Times of Ms Fatou Jallow, a Gambian national, who was reportedly raped by former President Yahya Jammeh.
The Attorney General salutes the courage of Ms Jallow for speaking up and sharing her story with the world and for exposing yet another serious allegation of reprehensible conduct by former President Jammeh who abused his position as head of state to the detriment of many Gambians including the sexual assault of Ms Jallow, a young and brave girl.
I take this opportunity to call upon all women and girls in the country to emulate Ms Jallow by speaking up about their own experiences with former President Jammeh and to do so in any manner that they see fit including through testimony before the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC).
It is only through speaking up and exposing such despicable acts especially by those in positions of power can we effectively combat the scourge and menace of sexual violence against women and girls in our society.
Meanwhile Minister Tambadou has giving his personal reaction to yesterday’s behavior of former junta Yankuba Touray at the TRRC.
“I was actually shocked by his behavior, by his contemptuous conduct towards not just the commission but the commissioners for whom he had total disregard. His actions today were really shocking and there is no excuse for this kind of behavior in any civilized society,” Mr Tambadou told GRTS Wednesday afternoon.
He went: “I can assure you that his defiance will not go unchallenged.
It it as sure as daylight that my ministry will act in the most serious manner in supporting the commission’s important work for the country.
“We will not entertain or tolerate this kind of behavior from anyone including Mr Touray and we will set an example so that those who are even imagining they can do something like this and get away with it will think twice.”
