By Adama Makasuba
Ex- wives of late Lieutenant Basiru Barrow has explained the ordeals they faced with their children’s and in-laws after the demise of their slain husband on November 11, 1994.
Sunkar Yabo and Mariama Marong-Baldeh both remarried now told the Truth Reconciliation and Reparation Commission concurrently on Wednesday.
Sunkar Yabo as the first wife who married to Basiru Barrow for ten years and mothered 3 children- 2 boys and 1 girl while Mariama Marong-Baldeh, the second wife of the late Basiru Barrow mothered 3 children for Barrow.
In their testimonies, they stated that on the November 11, 1994 around 5pm, they began to hear rumors that some soldiers had been killed while others have been arrested by the accusation of attempting a coup plot against the Junta regime.
“We saw people coming to our house and a lady came to ask me about the whereabouts of Basiru Barrow. In addition to that, around 5pm I took a walk to Westfield where I heard from focus on Africa that Basiru had been killed. I couldn’t move, I bend down and a taxi man took me to my home,” Sunkar Yabo lamented.
While Mariama Marong-Baldeh added that: “around 7pm Sanna Sabally made the announcement on the radio that some soldiers died whereas some were arrested those wanted to overthrow the Junta regime and everybody was panicked.”
Meanwhile, Lieutenant Basiru Barrow was among the soldiers summarily executed on November 11, 1994 at the Yundum Barracks for attempting to overthrow the regime of Junta regime.
Madam Yabo and Baldeh told the commission that at around 3am on that fateful day some soldiers came to their house and asked for the belongings of Basiru Barrow which they mentioned that Private Yusupha Ceesay was among the soldiers.
The duo also told the commission that they were arrested by some officers of the National Intelligent Agency and taken to the NIA headquarters. They were questioned about a charity of black cow which the NIAs claimed to have been giving out by late Lt Barrow and to declare his assets.
They (ex-wives) also said that after Basiru Barrow’s death that they (the family) requested for the corpse of Barrow for proper and benefitted burial but the Junta members refused and turned down their request by saying that “even in case Barrow has died in his home they would have come for the dead body rather he died in active service.”