About six members of former President Yahya Jammeh’s hit squad, The Jungulars, who are currently held for months without charged are being considered for release, the country’s Justice minister Abubacarr Tambadou has said.
The Jungulars were used by Mr Jammeh to carryout torture and extra-judicial killings of his opponents and critics during his 22-year long rule in the small West African nation.
Several members of the team have this week revealed at the truth commission how they carried out several killings on the former president’s orders including the shooting and killing of Journalist Deyda Hydara of The Point Newspaper, suffocation of nine death row inmates with plastic bags, beheading and mutilation of two Gambian born naturalised US citizens, Alhagie Mamut Ceesay and Ebou Jobe, who went missing while on a trip to the Gambia in June 2013, and the execution of 45 Europe-bound migrants comprising nationals from Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal and Togo trying to get to Europe.
But in an interview with the private television station, QTV, the Justice minister said the men who have been in detention since the collapse of Mr Jammeh’s regime in 2017, have cooperated with authorities and provided detailed and helpful information to the truth commission and he is contemplating granting them bail or granting them their freedom.
“On Monday and Tuesday, Malick Jatta appeared before the TRRC and has so far given information that has been helpful to the efforts of the TRRC to establish the truth,” the minister said.
“Certainly, I will not rule out the possibility of granting them bail or releasing them for the time being until we get the recommendations from the TRRC about what we should do, not only with respect to The Jungulars, but with everybody else. The idea is to encourage more people to come forward with the truth and so far I will not rule out the release of The Jungulars, when they tell the truth.”
Tambadou has already released several members of The Jungulars who were cleared by investigators probing the alleged role of the group in the disappearances and torture of political detainees and opponents of Mr Jammeh.
So what do we do with these “soldiers”?
We know what they did, and it is terrible. That’s not even ALL of it, what we know is a small part of the scale of their crimes. No doubt they cooperated some with investigators. Reasons for their cooperation is mostly self preservation and absolution. As stated before, there are mitigating circumstances, but obviously they cannot just be set free without some thoughts and plans.
Here are my concerns.
1. They are NOT well as anyone can see. (As in psychologically unstable). Normal people don’t CHOP OFF human heads. We can all agree to that. Right Babu Soli.
How do you now rehabilitate them. Does the Gambia have the funds to provide them with the necessary physical, emotional and psychological lifelong care. A needed steps to ensure they become responsible and productive members of our society.
2. Obviously they MUST be dismissed from the Army. They should never be allowed to use firearms again. So the question is, what will they do to sustain themselves? How will they provide for themselves and family? Otherwise, they will revert.
3. How do you continue to monitor their progress and conduct in our society?
Mr Tambadou must understand this issue may not be taken without proper consultations with those who have expertise in dealing with this kind of complex human tragedies. Sir, before you release these soldiers if that is your decision seek advice on how to do it from those who know. It is a matter of national safety.
God Help The Gambia.
Also these jungulers should be supervision and constantly under watch for a long period of time and should allowed travelling outside the country for some time as per agreement in exchange for justice. Though these men were very young at the time of alleged crime taken place. Letting these free and walk in community requires proper assessments for public safety and theirs as well.
Can mr babu soli come around again and rubbish our suggestions? As he credits jammehs misdeeds all the time.
Correction should not allow them travelling outside the country.
Kill all of them.
Setting these people free will be the worse mistake ever made by a justice minister,one of them was involved in 48 killings. How dare you say you gonna release these people back into our society, Do you have head on your shoulders!!!?.
Is gonna be a complete mockery to the victims families.secondly you putting the society in to risk of living with criminals like these people.They should and must face the full force of the law.. I think letting the law decide their fate is more sensible..Ba tambedou this is not your call.we have laws in this country.
I am a British nationalist,who have been going to The Gambia on vacation 2 a year for forty years ,I have been coned taken for a mug when my heart has allways been in the right place ,gambians need to know how the west works not just look to allah,even though I have seen and the people I know things allways work out with us westerners to contribute x
@Gaynor Richards,
what are you trying to say? You are a British national or a british nationalist? You get conned in and taken for a mug in The Gambia. What is anybody to glean from that with regards to the topic at hand, which the release of mercenary killers back into the Gambian society.
Finally, what should we learn from West?
Killing them will not be good they should rather bring back yahya the ex president to face the law
One step forward…5 steps backwards. Tambedou is evidently overwhelmed with his own probable Instinct to deliver justice and his boss Barrow’s inclination to forgive Jammeh and move on. A hard juggling!
These Junglers must to be prosecuted parallel to TRRC findings. A criminal prosecution and truth finding are mutually exclusive and can work in tandem without jeopardizing the other.
Releasing these people will be met with resistance from the people and is totally unacceptable. Will not be condoned!
Ofcourse justice will be the end game, let’s all the facts come out in order for justice to takes it full weight. In this world once a man committed crime will be haunted by the law and brought to justice. Evils as no place in a decent society that’s why we have a rule of law, a good law that can protect us against bad guys criminals like yaya jammeh and his enablers who’s life style is about corruption, manipulation, womanizing, abusing, disregard rule of law and killing. He will never enjoy his retirement, he will be constantly under fear because of the crimes he committed.
I think the Justice minister is confused. He must be careful with his thoughts, feelings and wording.
If the government fails to empathize with the victims of these killers and blocks justice from taking its course, the children and relatives of the victims may apply their own justice to the matter. If that happens, nobody should accuse anybody of taking the law into their own hands; because that would mean granting amnesty to killers and trying victims for the state’s failure to stand for them.
If the government fails to empathize with the victims of these killers and blocks justice from taking its course, the children and relatives of the victims may apply their own justice to the matter. If that happens, nobody should accuse anybody of taking the law into their own hands; because that would mean granting amnesty to killers and trying victims for the state’s failure to stand for them.