By Omar Bah
Yankuba Suso, a Gambian resident in Turkey who recently made death threats against President Adama Barrow and the First Lady, has apologised to the Gambian leader and asked for forgiveness.
Suso, who identified himself as a native of Niani Kuntaur and claimed to be part of the security detail of Barrow during the political impasse, shocked Gambians when he released an audio on social threatening to assassinate the president and his wife. He was arrested and arraigned in an Istanbul court in Turkey two weeks ago.
However, speaking in a recent audio recorded from his base in Istanbul, Yankuba Suso said he regrets the threats he made against the First Family.
“I want to offer my sincere apologies to you. When I was making those comments, I was angry but I didn’t mean to do you or your family any harm. I want you to forgive me and as well contact the Turkish authorities and tell them you have forgiven me so that they will let me go. As we speak, I am not working and things are very difficult with me and my family,” Suso said.
“When the change took place in 2016, I was in Benin because it was difficult to do business in The Gambia during Yahya Jammeh’s time. I ran to Benin and established my own tailoring shop, employing about fifteen people. Immediately after the change, I decided to sell all my materials in the shop and returned to The Gambia with the hope that things will be different,” Suso explained.
He said during the impasse, he was very vocal against Jammeh and because of that, he made a lot of enemies who later beat him up.
“I was attacked by 10 people when Jammeh left and they injured me very seriously. I was taken to Bundung police station and then to Serekunda before I was later transferred to EFSTH. I was in a coma for fifteen days. When I came out of coma, the doctor who was looking after me, told me to see a psychiatrist to see whether my brain has not sustained any injuries.
“I took the medical report and the bill to you [President Barrow]. You were at your Yarambamba residence. You asked me to give it to one Lamin Cham but since then, I did not receive any communication from Mr Cham or you. I became frustrated because there was nobody who can help. I was here until I had an opportunity to travel to Turkey,” he told the president in the audio.
Suso said all the comments he made were out of anger.
“I was angry because of the suffering I am going through here. I even struggle to get food for my family. I am discipline and I have no criminal record. You can go to any police station in The Gambia and ask,” Suso added.
