By Olimatou Coker
In the aftermath of the death in police custody of Omar Badjie, a native of Mandinaring, the young people of the town have petitioned the Ministry of Interior demanding an impartial investigation into the circumstances of Mr Badjie’s death.
They also demanded that members of any investigation panel set up should include the National Human Rights Commission and an independent forensic/pathology and legal expert with guarantees for witness protection, evidence preservation and a public record of findings.
The youths also request the Ministry of Interior to take the following actions without delay: immediately suspend all police officers involved in the arrest, custody, transport, or supervision of Mr Badjie pending the outcome of investigations; promptly charge and arraign in court any officers found, on the basis of evidence, to be criminally responsible; the investigation and prosecution to be conducted in accordance with due process and the laws of The Gambia and a clear timeline “ within 7 days of receiving this petition, we expect a public update confirming the suspension of the officers involved; the establishment and terms of reference of the panel, and the timeline for formal arrest and charging where the evidence warrants it; additional community safeguards (for your consideration: an independent autopsy/forensic report shared with the family and NHRC, a community–police dialogue convened by the Ministry to rebuild trust with commitments on lawful use of force and custody standards and a dedicated hotline/focal point for witnesses to submit evidence safely”.
