The West Coast Region village of Mandinary on Friday evening erupted in violent protest following the death of a young man during a routine police patrol in the community.
The deceased, Omar Badjie, according to some sources, died after being apprehended by personnel from the national police and his death has sparked an angry protest in Mandinaring with outraged mobs of youth vandalizing the local police post.
There were conflicting reports about the circumstances that led to Omar’s death.
A close friend of the deceased offered a damning account to reporters, alleging that Mr. Badjie was initially found with a “joint of weed” by the officers. According to the friend, after being pursued and apprehended, he was “mercilessly beaten,” which, he claimed, directly led to his death.
However, the Gambia Police Force (GPF) released an official statement, offering a different narrative. The GPF stated that officers were “on routine visibility patrols around and within Mandinary when one of the suspects fell during hot pursuit and was taken to the hospital and confirmed dead.”
The grieving mother of the deceased, Tida Bojang, added further complexity and anguish to the situation. She told reporters that when she was invited to the healthcare facility to which her son was taken, she found him “laying flat” and asked the police what happened. She recounted that one officer told her that they had caught her son when “all of a sudden, the boy collapsed.”
Ms. Bojang alleged that her son was kept at the facility for over an hour before being evacuated to the Kanifing General Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The mourning mother also claimed that following her son’s death, a police contingent came to her compound and fired tear gas at them.
The authorities have issued an appeal to the public, advising them to exercise restraint and “allow the law to take its course.”
Omar’s death is expected to be a major test for police accountability as Mandinary and Gambians within and outside the The Gambia demand an exhaustive and transparent investigation into the circumstances of his death.
