By Adama Makasuba
Former Army Chief of The Gambia, Baboucarr Jatta has said told the Truth, Reparation and Reconciliation Commission that he led the Junta to attacked Fajara Barracks on November 11, 1994.
Mr. Jatta, who manned the commander post of the Gambia army for ten years, also denied taking part in the Killings of the alleged November 11 coup plotters.
On November 11, 1994, 10 Gambian soldiers were allegedly killed and buried at a mass grave in Yundum Barracks by the Junta.
Testifying before the Truth Commission, former CDS Jatta said he had witnessed the horrendous incidents but didn’t participating in any of the killings.
Witnesses, who testified before the Commission, implicated Mr. Baboucarr Jatta to have had participated in the shootings of the soldiers
In responding to the allegations, Jatta described the allegations as ‘lies’, adding he was present to stop the council members from killing the soldiers and was never listened.
“Some of these people were traumatized then; I was little bit okay than them. We the senior officers should take responsibility that we instructed…In that formation, I swear I was not on the line. I was in mufti (civilian dress),” he said.
He said despite being the army commander then, his advice was not heed to by the members of the Junta, adding he did cautioned the then vice chairman Sana Sabally of the Junta not to kill any soldiers.
He also claimed to be moving with the Junta members on November 11, 1994 to safe soldiers from brutality which he said was not successful.
Mr. Jatta is expected to reappear before the Commission.
Meanwhile, remains of seven soldiers were exhumed by the investigation team of the Truth, Reparation and Reconciliation Commission on Wednesday, almost two weeks of excavation by t the team.
