By: Adama Makasuba
Madi Ceesay, a lawmaker has recalled their torture at the defunct National Intelligent Agency in 2006 by juxtaposed elements of Gambia Army and officers of the NIA.
Mr Ceesay a journalist cum politician was testifying before the Truth Reconciliation and Reparation Commission on Wednesday.
“The first incident we were taken out early in the morning Musa Jammeh came with his men call our names -and Musa Jammeh and Tumbul Tamba as we walked out of the cells they started kicking us and slapping us. So we have been slapped, kicked,” the National Assembly Member for Serrekunda told the Commission.
He was the managing director of the defunct Independent Newspaper. Independent Newspaper was a Gambian based Newspaper that came under series attacked including its staff by the former regime in which its staff was subjected to arrest and torture and the home based Newspaper was one time arson attacked.
Meanwhile, in his Wednesday testimony, Mr Ceesay, former president of Gambia Press Union told the Commission that the staff of the Independent Newspaper was arrested after publishing an article in which they mistakenly attached a picture of one Samba Bah.
He however, said the Newspaper wrote a corrigendum to Mr Samba Bah but that the regime seemed to have grudge against the Newspaper and went ahead to arrest almost the entire staff of the Institution.
However, he said the torturers always start their torture session at the National Intelligent Agency then in the hours of 3-4am, adding the torture team was headed by the late Musa Jammeh and Tumbul Tamba.
“It always happened between 3 and 4am. Musa Jammeh and Tumbul Tamba will come, these are people who worked in the army but when they come to the NIA during that time they are not in uniform but they come with people who are in military uniform,” he said.
He said it was Musa Jammeh and Tumbul Tamba whom did give instructions for their torture saying “it is the early morning not very bright but I cannot tell who they are but Musa and Tumbul Tamba I can they are the ones who give instructions.”
Meanwhile, he blamed the former regime over the death of his son, adding “I blame the government of Yahya Jammeh for my son’s death.”
He related the death of his son to the tortures meted on him during his detention, saying that the death was also an asthma patient.