By: Adama Makasuba
Sub-Inspector Mbemba Barry has said that the regime of former president Yahya Jammeh didn’t do anything about the death of his brother Ebrima Barry.
The police officer was testifying before the Truth Reconciliation and Reparation Commission on Tuesday 17 September. The Gambia Fire and Rescue Services have been accused of the death of Ebrima Barry who was a school going boy in 2000.
“The government did nothing about the death of my brother,” he told the Commission, adding that his late brother was reported to GFRS by his teacher.
Barry, 47, said due the brutality of the fire and rescue services t, adding that led to the death of his brother whom he said was 15-years-old.
He said the death of his brother caused a severe grief on their family, saying it led to the death of his father and Erbrima Barry’s mother.
Meanwhile, he said that some students were arrested by the security officers and taken to the Janjangbureh prison, adding that security officers used live bullet ammunition on the peaceful students’ demonstrators.
He said he was in McCarty and he got a call from his father who informed by his father that his brother is death, adding that when he came back, he said he saw many people gathered around the fire station in Brikama.
“I felt Ebrima’s death because we used to do so many things together. His death caused me a lot of sadness,” adding that his brother was a peaceful boy who had respect for everyone.
He said after the death of his brother that he returned to his posting village in McCarty, adding that he later heard that students embarked on a demonstration.
However, Mbemba Barry broke into emotion at the end of his testimony and couldn’t give his recommendation remarks.