(JollofNews) – A former Gambian deputy minister who was held incommunicado for over one year has spoken for the first time about his arrest and detention by the regime of Yahya Jammeh.
Ousman Jammeh, was removed from his post as deputy minister of Agriculture in October 2015. He joined the Department of Agriculture many years ago and held various senior positions including regional Agricultural director of the West Coast Region, director general of Agriculture and permanent secretary. He was also among a few agriculture officials who have worked in all the administrative areas of the country.
Shortly after his sacking, Mr Jammeh was whisked to the headquarters of the feared National Intelligence Agency (NIA) in Banjul where he was held incommunicado for 91 days.
He was later moved to the Maximum Security Wing of Mile Two Central Prisons where he was detained over a year without access to a lawyer and family.
He was finally released last week by the new regime of Adama Barrow which has made the release of political prisoners and those arbitrarily detained a top priority.
Mr Jammeh said he still don’t know the reasons for his sacking, arrest and detention. He added the Jammeh regime never told him why he was detained and the NIA officers who arrested him only told him that they were acting on official orders.
Narrating the events leading to his arrest to Foroyaa Newspaper, Mr Jammeh who was only in the job for less than four months said: “On 15th October 2015 while I was on my way to attend the commemoration of World Food Day as well as inaugurate an event of association of livestock farms in the Upper River Region (CRD, I received a phone call telling me that the protocol for the Vice President wants to talk to me. The protocol officer told to return back and report to State House as soon as I arrive in Banjul.
When I asked her whether I could stay and attend these events, she insisted that I should return. So I drove back to her office and on my arrival she gave me a letter and told me: “Well you have been relieved from the position of deputy minister of Agriculture and the order came from the President.”
In the letter, I was told to go to my office and handover all the documents to my newly appointed successor. But on my way, I metup with some men who identified themselves as NIA agents at the door of the former Vice President’s office.
The men escorted me to my office to do the handing over and later informed me that I was under arrest and that they have been given instructions to detain me. When I asked them the reasons for my arrest, they told me that they were only given instructions and they did not know the reason for my detention.
I was held for 91 days at NIA headquarters before being transferred to the Maximum Security Wing at Mile Two Prisons where I spent one year three months and a few days before I was finally released on 23rd January 2017.
While in detention, I did not have access to my family, relatives or friends. People used to come to visit me at the prisons but I didn’t get the chance to talk to them and my family was unable to see me for more than a year. Food was a problem in prison. I was there for more than a year without eating meat and the hygiene condition is very poor.
Well, I was managing my own conditions as there were no enough drugs but my family usually provided them for me. I am relieved that President Jammeh has been removed from power and people have gained freedom back. I am very happy that the new government has facilitated my release from the long detention without trial.”
Government without ministers signing up and taking important steps??? It seems that political prisoners are the priority of this government forgetting the poor and innocent who are there? If the politicians are there for theft, they keep the money from the poor peasants who help get the country out of the chaos, but they are going to free all the thieves and coup makers and forget the reality, the truth is the truth. Everything will come to its moment soon we will have a very strong opposition because they have 57% of the votes that is very important, be careful
#peace= it pains be a great deal but I have to agree with you on this occasion especially on the issue of a non functional cabinet yet. And that Mr Barrow should get his priorities right. It is inexcusable that he has still not named a government.
Hello peace,it will takes some time to undo all jammehs illegal jails this is going to happen.Jammeh should be the one to face justice and if found guilty should be taken to prison.
Being a critic is one thing, but being a constructive critic is yet another thing. I think 22 years of a cool am style of leadership has dampened the vision of a few Gambians who were never target and probably flourished in such an awkward system.
How can an agency charge, arrest and detain someone for more than 90 days without naming the crime he/she has been convicted of and never given the chance to be found guilty or not guilty. A system like that doesn’t serve the interest of the nation. Without exemption, everyone deserve a fair trial.
Former President Jammeh’s rule was very much like a colonial system of governing people. His idea and strategy of maintaining peace and stability in Gambia for development was far from a modern strategy.
I believe we should ALL begin to ask OURSELVES WHAT WE CAN DO FOR THE GAMBIA to make it better so that it is pleasant for us and our generations to come. Instead of political bickering in the very infant stages of the new administration, fault-finding and even talking about the next time we go to the polls, we should put forward ideas and concepts to move our country forward.
It is time to work now and stop the unnecessary politicking: imagine comments such as “No cabinet yet”; “criminals will all be released”, etc. This will not add anything to our development. We need a good system (that takes time.) Effectively, I would honestly think that the new administration had about 10 or 11 days to think properly (22 Jan to date) when the tyrant – Jammeh, left the country, to the relieve of everybody. We say ALHAMDULILLAH RABIIL AALAMIN for the blessings of ALLAH Almighty since no body could use his/her thinking faculty during those trying moments. All the concentration was on what would happen to our beloved country after the 19th January. That is why we must thank ALLAH Almighty infinite times for what he has done for mother Gambia. Peace and peace first and then freedom. This we never enjoyed for 22 years of dictatorship!
Let us give the new government a breathing space having gotten to a very rough start due to a very evil and tyrannical leader (Jammeh), who wanted to plunge the country into chaos, war and insecurity.
Let us be patient and ask ourselves what can I do for my country, instead of demanding from others. We all have a role to play positively for a better Gambia.
Tonya Watu, well said,thank you.