(JollofNews) – A detained Gambian soldier who was being treated at a military hospital for injuries he allegedly sustained as a result of torture has been returned to detention.
Lance Corporal Samboujang Bojang, spent 11 days in hospital where he was treated for injuries on his feet and hands.
His family said he was subjected to serious beatings while being questioned by officials of the State Intelligence Services (SIS), formerly the National Intelligence Agency ( NIA).
He was among a group of soldiers who were arrested last month for allegedly using WhatsApp to post audio recordings critical of the government.
The army said the soldiers army said the soldiers were engaged in mutinous, defamatory, scandalous and unethical acts against the government of President Adama Barrow and had threated to come down heavily of those involved.
Since their arrest, the men have been held indefinitely and incommunicado without charge or given access to legal representation.
Although the government has tried to downplay the allegations of torture, Lance Corporal Samboujang Bojang’s wife, Sunkaru Jarju, said her husband had sustained various degrees of injuries in detention is finding difficult to walk.
“He still complains of pain on his feet. He is not physically fit,” she told the Foroyaa newspaper.
“When he was admitted in hospital he was denied family visits and I was the only one allowed to visit him for only five minutes.”
Mrs Jarju called on the authorities to launch an immediate investigation and bring to book those responsible to the inhumane treatment of her husband.
The coalition is beset with worries about a Jammeh inspired revival. In the process they appear to be adopting Jammeh’s tactics, and have left the path of reason and a duty of care to all Gambian citizens. But are we surprised ? Nah,,,, its business as usual, under the same flag.
He seems to be posed with a 30 Dec. Statehouse Attack hardware; an m4 semiautomatic….A very few members of the Gaf might have actually seen the type of weapon before that day…, a day that have inspired many Gambian to later stake their lives in the fight against political decadence in the Gambia. Can I be proven wrong?
This pose, in fact, arouses my curiosity as to who were those cowardly soldiers at the Statehouse who spearheaded the betrayal and who actually cold-bloodedly opened fire on the unsuspicious, one of a kind of citizens and trend setting brave men of 30 Dec?? I assume I know the cannibal, Yaya Jammeh, was the mastermind. Everything needs to be investigated and brought to light in the best interest of generations to come.
Nonetheless, down with torture and intimidation of people at all times and of all sorts.
The Turture and or Murder of anyone is an abominable, inhumane act no matter under which Government or Regime it happens. STOP arbitrary and Unconstitutional Acts of all kinds. Jammeh’s ghost is distorting many an otherwise Rational thinking Gambians’ Perception and Moral compass. Exorcism may be required for some of our Cabinet Officials and their Extremists Supporters. Boomerang Effect.
Everyone with a foresight wouldn’t be surprised to see a flimsy ghost of Jammeh looming over the Gambians livelihoods in his aftermath. The arbitrary arrest and torture of this young man, corporal Bojang should be very much condemned, but also reflecting on what curse can befall a nation recovering from a preceding state of arbitrary arrests, tortures, killings, forced disappearances with impunity. I think the boomerang was hurled by Jammeh and the best this government can do about it in my opinion is, try to stop this boomerang in its dangerous flight so that the weapon won’t go back to its origin but at the same time taking maximum care of their own heads. Boomerangs are very dangerous!
Well said my friends; Wise advice and logical thinking. My regrets that this coalition government has dampened your spirit. The future remains very uncertain. One begins to feel the iron fist of government, again.
This behavior is totally unacceptable in modern societies where the rule of law is respected.
If the story of torture is true then am very disappointed and worried at the same time. Many will be disappointed as well, this is what many has fought and sacrificed to replaced. There could not be any justifications in torturing this young fellow no matter what his crime is and there’s no justifications to lock them up beyond the 72 hours mandated by the constitution without access to a lawyer or a legal representative. I thought we moved from these barbaric actions but it seems Barrow is turning into a dictator. Am a big supporter of the Barrow govt but now am asking myself should he stay more than the three years agreed?
His positive results as president shouldn’t justify his overstay, more than the three years transition period agreed upon, if it ever comes to that.
This is a very, very worrying story and the fact that the soldier’s situation has persisted since the story first broke out, makes it very disturbing too. The state may be right to apprehend these soldiers and interrogate them, to establish the facts and assess the level of threat they may pose, but there is absolutely no justification to relapse into the old ways of doing things.
The Coalition Government may not be a dictatorship, but it is getting very close to being guilty of the rule of impunity. The VP’s position has still not been resolved, despite the amendment of the age limit.
Detentions beyond the legal limit is still continuing, despite such detentions being brought to the attention of the government.
The GAF Spokesman tried to justify these illegal detentions by claiming that it is accordance with the Armed Forces Act, but that act CANNOT be superior to the Constitution. Moreover, the Constitution makes it clear that any Act that contradicts any of its provisions, is NULL and VOID to the extent of the contradiction(s).
Gambians expect this government to honour the pledges it made whilst in opposition and we should hope that certain individuals, either in government or close to officials, would rise above the desire for revenge and begin to govern for the greater good of all Gambians.
We are watching and history is recording. Those who engage in acts of impunity will always be called to account, just as Jammeh and his officials are now being held to account.
Hello everyone,
I arrived here on 10th July on my annual holiday and will be returning to Holland on 31st August.
I haven’t seen nor felt a brunt of tangible achievement since the ascension of the corrupt and incompetent Barrow administration since January. The people have started to grunt and grumble at the inactive, corrupt and nepotic behaviours of this STUPID government under a semi-educated IDIOT. There is a lot of family peddling in all institutions and walks of life and people have realized the return of the defunct PPP days. I will write more on arrival in Holland.
Nothing more than what President Yahya Jammeh had done
What!!! You haven’t even felt the fresh breath of openness and “free from fear” environment that the Barrow Administrations has created?
That’s a massive difference from the decadent environment of suppression under Jammeh…and a positive development for our national wellbeing.
Have you seen or heard of any hoddies kidnapping and disappearing people for good? Surely, that must be a good thing.
Welcome back. Relax and enjoy the new Gambia, even if things aren’t all as we would like it to be. There are lots and lots of rooms for improvement, but the change is a great for the country.
Happy Holiday Babu;
Here’s to the new boss>>>same as the old boss; So what’s fresh ?
What’s fresh in the Gambia is that the people with their new sense of awareness, know they can send any bad government packing in disgrace without shots getting fired or heads rolling down a ditch. There, now, is nothing about to worry about an Emperor Bukassa incarnate or a demon of a crocodile breeder. That’s why I can have a stop on Marina Parade with longtime dudes and say why it so unlawful, arbitrarily aressting and torturing lance corporal Bojang in harsh condemnation, and also talk about failures of the new Barrow administration, without having to be glancing around us to see who is listening or who is sneaking around.
I did convinced myself, most here, are about nothing but to psychologically help the new government put acts of lawlessness and misrule in place as normal, as we’d experienced for the past two decades. If that is not the case, they would have been speaking to the conscience of the office holders of this government with the appropriate messages. In other words, I would say, a lot here are contempt towards realising positives in the newfound changes. They wish, the Gambia from the frying pan just a while ago, jumps again in a fire. Those are types living in the diaspora and on the ground as well down at the Nia/Sis installations in the country.
Where I live in the diaspora, the extremely educated folks are academic genius of some other kind but not political. Of course presidency requires a certain level of education but doesn’t necessarily mean to be liberal arts professors with encyclopedia and dictionary heads. What they require apart from a certain level of schooling is self-integrity and understanding of global affairs in a progressive and positive manner, far from Kim and Donald’s.
Hope Halifax too will learn in Sweden that, a government shouldn’t have to be of diamonds quality before one can lend off a golden- hand’s help to it.
Hope Halifa ………
It was always going to be an unstable government when Barrow was just an ordinary member of the UDP and Mr Darboe was its leader. “The hand that rocks the cradle”
I think Mr Darboe should resign and retire and let there be no confusion surrounding the Presidency. Then and only then can Barrow be held accountable for all crimes perpetrated under his residency as President with ultimate responsibility. In hindsight, Halifa Sallah made a very wise decision to vacate the coalition. His honour and impeccable reasoning remains in tact. This is very good for Gambia. From his Constitutional watch tower, all remains in perspective.
Halifa, can learn a lot from Sweden;Probably the best social and economic and justice model in modern day Europe.
Absolutely. I think he is going to learn a lot, as he is meeting the RIGHT people, speaking with the right people and visiting the right places.
I think the party leaders, having rallied behind a junior, should all have avoided cabinet, especially Lawyer Darboe.
Whether it’s just wishful thinking or not, he will be regarded by many as the defacto President, and that’s not a healthy situation for the Barrow Administration. He would have been perfect in the legislature to help shepherd the executive, alongside Halifa, OJ, Hamat, etc.
Spot on !!! Mr Bourne. I sense the ghost of Dictatorship, is about to rise again. I am surprised some Gambians refuse to condemn this torturing Barrow NIA government.
If it’s wrong it is wrong. …and just because they say were democratic, does not mean they are. They must prove they are. Right now they should be in the dock, facing charges. They must give clarity about these allegations of torture and denial of Constitutional rights of all Gambian citizens irrespective of their alleged criminal status. This includes freedom of assembly. Just what is Barrow afraid of ??? losing the unbelievable luck that handed him the Presidency perhaps /// His dreams at night must be full of the white clothed devil holding his stick prayer beads and holy book. This Ebenezer Scrooge, facing the ghost of Christmas past…whoooowhooooo
Mike, if they can’t bring Jammeh and his inner circle of killers and looters of the Gambian citizens and their properties respectively, to face justice through the right concept of justice, then I see no reason why they shouldn’t get in the dock themselves. I feel very sorry for the young man posed in battle gear. He looks like a brainwashed victim of the white clothed devil. I condemn any act of the Nia-come-Sis victimising him again by unlawfully arresting or torturing him. He could be suspected of whatever one may imagine but must be treated as an innocent until proven guilty by the right concept of rule of law.