By Omar Bah
Sarjo Jarjue, who was among those mentioned by arrested UDP supporter Lamin Darboe over an audio inciting a Rwanda-type violence, has threatened to sue the West Coast police commissioner Pateh Jallow for allegedly insulting his parents while interrogating him three weeks ago.
A former fire service officer and native of Jarra Bureng Lamin Darboe circulated an audio, inciting Gambians to go out and burn the country. In the audio, Mr Darboe was heard calling on the likes of Sarjo Jarjue and others to come out and join the process.
Upon hearing his name in the audio, Sarjo, who was in Senegal when the audio was released, voluntarily reported himself to the police the moment he returned to the country.
Mr Jarjue alleged that when he reported himself to the Banjulinding police, he was introduced to Pateh Jallow as the person who was named in the audio.
“Commissioner Pateh asked me about Lamin Darboe’s whereabouts and I told him I didn’t know that at that material time. He then asked whether I know where Darboe stays and I responded in the negative. He then started insulting my parents,” Jarjue alleged.
He alleged that Commissioner Jallow attempted to physically assault him when he asked him to stop insulting his parents but he was held back by other officers.
“However, he continuously kept insulting my parents and later asked his officers to take my telephones and take me somewhere around the airport and put me incommunicado.”
He further alleged that Commissioner Jallow insulted him in the presence of other officers.
“I was shocked as his behavior reminded me of how the securities were operating under Jammeh. I felt terrified when he insulted my parents without stopping or showing remorse. After what I experienced, I am more convinced now than ever that security sector reform should be a matter of priority for the Barrow administration,” Jarjue said.
He said he has since reported the matter to the Police Headquarters. “They promised to call Pateh and ask him to apologise to me in my presence but they never did. Now I am talking to my lawyers to take the matter to court. I want to know whether Commissioner Jallow has the right to insult my parents during interrogation,” he noted.
While appealing to the Human Rights Commission to tackle cases of security excesses, Jarjue urged the government to take matters of security sector reform “very serious”.
Jallow reacts
When contacted for comments, Commissioner Pateh Jallow said he never insulted Mr Jarjue. “He is definitely lying,” Jallow said.
He continued: “I have nothing to fear and nothing can suppress me. Whatever he is telling you is a lie. I am too mature for that but if he insists, let him provide witnesses or tell you who and who was present when I was insulting him. I dare him to go to court,” Commissioner said.
