By Adama Makasuba
Former Policeman has accused former President Yahya Jammeh Inspector General of Police Ensa Jesus Badjie of threatening to demote any police officer who didn’t show loyalty to Jammeh.
Mustapha Ceesay who was a victim of Jammeh’s so-called witch-hunt in 2009, was testifying before the TRRC on Tuesday, said: “he (Ensa Jesus Badjie) made the statement in Kanilai when the security forces gathered at the president’s farms. In his address to the security forces, he said that no officer will be promoted unless you are loyal to President Yahya Jammeh, and I found this very insulting.”
In 2009, former President Yahya Jammeh launched a so-called witch hunt campaign by hiring a band of witch doctors to raid communities and public offices flanked by armed military men and the so-called campaign targeted the poor, elderly farmers who were often pressurized to confess to murders by sorcery.
According to him, he has since protested going to former president Yahya Jammeh’s farm ‘because that is why I left Kantong Kunda, I am not a good farmer and is not my mandate to go to Jammeh;’s farm.’
The former Policeman said Ensa Jesus Badjie informed them at a parade ‘Yahya Jammeh sent the witch doctors to screen officers who are witches and that anyone who is found to be witch will be given something to drink and you will die and officers were urged to swear loyal allegiance to the president, adding the alleged witches were forced to drink concoction.
I came to understand that President Jammeh brought these witch doctors from Guinea Conakry after the death of his aunty and two of his protocol officers-Musa Jammeh and Tumul Tamba, Mustapha Ceesay said.
TRRC on Monday started its 10th session of public hearings which is dedicated on Jammeh’s so-called witch hunt in 2009, and testimonies are expected to be heard in communities.