By Adama Makasuba
Former President of The Gambia Press Union recounted his detention at the National Intelligent Agency headquarters in Banjul under former President Yahya Jammeh’s regime.
“I was detained at the NIA beside the seaside where all the windows were broken and you could imagine the mosquitoes there…sleeping were out of the question,” Demba Ali Jawo told the Truth Reconciliation and Reparation Commission on Tuesday.
He said he was detained in a room which windows were broken and mosquitoes bate him seriously.
Meanwhile, Mr Jawo said he was arrested along with Dr Baba Galleh Jallow and one Senghore, adding that each of them was arrested by different group of National Intelligent Agency personnel.
He said throughout their 42 hours detention at the NIA headquarters, they didn’t see each, because they were separated by NIA officers.
Mr Demba Jawo also told the Truth Commission that he experienced very terrible food at the NIA, stressing that “honestly I have never had a solid food when I was there…”
He said he was questioned about his origin, political affiliation and other related issues at the NIA, saying he believed he was been taken to an office of one NIA officer Baba Saho.
“I was not physically tortured but I would consider this as psychological torture,” he said.
He said despite the right violation of the Jammeh’s regime on journalists ‘journalists never give up their profession.’
He said he was served with a letter threaten him which was thrown into his compound during his presidency of Gambia Press Union in which was indicated ‘we will set an example to one of your journalist.’
And as Mr Jawo narrated, he said few months later Ebrima Sillah’s house was attacked with attempt to burn it down, adding that it was the same year the late Deyda Hydara was ‘killed’ by unknown gun men.
