By Adama Makasuba
A Gambian Ambassador to Turkey, Kemeseng S M Jammeh has said that his arrests by the AFPRC were politically motivated.
Jammeh at 74, told the Truth Reconciliation and Reparation Commission while testifying on Skype, said he was arbitrary arrested and detained with two other members of United Democratic Party and falsely charged for vandalizing public and private property at Farafenni amid 1996 parliamentary elections.
“While I was busy campaigning, I was programmed to go to Japineh, I was called by two police officers and they said to me that I was urgently needed at Soma police station by the Officer Commanding. I was arrested and detained from 11am to 3pm and I was taken to Janjanbureh prison,” he said.
Mr. Jammeh also recalled the deplorable condition of Janjanbureh prison. He stated that he was kept with Lamin Waa Juwara in a small cell with only two concrete beds. He further added that the food condition was too poor.
He later said that he, Sainey Sabally and Siaka Sonko were transferred to Farafenni police station and kept in narrow cell that he described to have been stingy but that they were served with food.
“We appeared before the court the next day we arrived in Farafenni and by then Borry Touray was the magistrate. They said that we were involved in a problem at Farafenni that there was a confrontation with the AFPRC. I was surprised when actually I have not been to Farafenni for two years.”
“We were charged for felling down fences and breaking of glasses”. We were later granted bail by Magistrate Borry Touray but that was opposed by the top brass of AFPRC. A day after our released, I was rearrested and taken back to Janjanbureh prison. I was detained based on decree,” Mr. Jammeh said to the Commission.
