How Jammeh Executes Mile 2 Inmates

By: Fabakary B. Ceesay

The Trumpet Newspaper has reliably learnt how former President Yahya Jammeh planned the unconstitutional execution of the 9 Mile II inmates in late August 2012. Our investigations revealed that Yahya Jammeh in consultation with Ousman Sonko, then Minister of Interior, Njogu L. Bah then Secretary General and head of Civil Service, Lamin Jobarteh then Minster of Justice and then Inspector General of Police Yankuba Sonko, at State House, few hours before the execution.

Contrary to the version of the State, that the 9 were executed by a firing squad on Sunday 26 August. Our investigation revealed they were actually suffocated and strangled to death on Thursday 23 August 2012.

On the evening of 23 August 2012, State House convened a meeting of the security chiefs which was attended by Benedict Jammeh, the then Director General of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Numo Kujabie, the late Director General of the defunct National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Buba Sagnia retired Director General of Immigration Department and Yankuba Sonko then Inspector General of Police (IGP).

Upon arrival, they found Lamin Jobarteh, Ousman Sonko, Harry Sambou, then Permanent Secretary Ministry of Defense, waiting at the office of Secretary General Njogu L. Bah. The Secretary General then called Ousman Sonko, Yankuba Sonko and Lamin Jobarteh to meet with ex- president Jammeh, leaving Ben Jammeh, Buba Sagnia, Harry Sambou and Numo Kujabie at his office.

After they emerged from the meeting, Njogu Bah then addressed them in somber tune, “We should all stand shoulder to shoulder and defend our friend when and where he is falling rather than seeing him fall down and we should not stab each other at the back,” said the source.

On that particular evening exile dictator Jammeh was seen dressed in a Military fatigue standing at the top window of the State House looking outside.

Between the hours of 20:00hrs and 21:00hrs,General Bora Colley then Director General of The Gambia Prison Services called certain Senior Prison officers to report back to work but did not give them any reason. Around the same time, Ousman Sonko, Lamin Jobarteh, and General Saul Badjie drove into the Mile II Prison in tinted military vehicles with armed soldiers. The sources added that it was General Badjie who handed the list of names of persons to be executed to the prison wardens on duty. Lady Tabara Samba, a Senegalese national topped the list. The other names are Dawda Bojang, a native of Ginak in Lowe Niumi, Malang Sonko, Lieutenant Lamin F. Jarjou from Brikama, Staff Sergeant Lamin Jammeh from Sittanunku in Upper Niumi, Lieutenant Alieu Bah from Yala in Upper Baddibou, Gebe Bah, a Senegalese national, Lamin B.S. Darboe from Bakoteh and Buba Yarboe from Busumbala.

After the male inmates were removed from their cells at the Security Wing and lady Tabara from the Female Wing, they were assembled in the headquarters at the main yard of Mile II Central Prisons. It was General Saul Badjie who signed the receipt book, indicating that he received the nine prisoners.

The prisoners were then handcuffed, put in three tinted vehicles and taken to Kanilai. Upon arrival, they were taken near an old well. Before the inmates were killed, Colonel Solo Bojang rubbed them from head to toe with an animal tail in a ritual style. After the killing, the bodies were dumped in the well and filled with basalt stones on the orders of former president Yaya Jammeh.

The execution was said to be witnessed by General Sulayman (Saul) Badjie, General Bora Colley, Ousman Sonko, Colonel Solo Bojang and a team of junglars, (Jammeh’s assassin and torture squad.