By Landing Colley
Lamin Bojang, Data Manager at Medical Research Council (MRC) and head of Gambia National Cancer Registrar disclosed that he was detained for 129 days by notorious National Intelligent Agency, now State Intelligent Service.
“I was taken downstairs behind the storey-building at the beach side [at the NIA] and was beaten up with sticks and some were kicking me and they were not less than half of dozen people. I couldn’t do much just to cover my face and the beaten continue,” he told the truth commission on Thursday.
According to him, reason for their arrest by NIA is that they subscribed to Gambian –US based online newspaper Freedom which he described a staunch critic of former president Yahya Jammeh’s regime. He added the owner of the newspaper went ahead to publish names of subscribers including him after the paper owner pledged allegiance to the ex-Gambian leader.
He said: “On Wednesday as we report back to work, security personnel came through their station administrative [officer] called Batch Samba Cham and he was asked to report to Farafenni police station.”
He explained that upon arrival he met two of his friends Fakeba Ceesay and Yoro Bah detained behind the counter and was asked to join them, adding they were taken to Banjul police headquarter in Mr. Sow office the head of crime management coordinator (CMC).
“Fakeba ceesay and Yoro Bah were move to other office while I remained, with in few minutes they told me that I was arrested in connection with freedom newspaper, and they asked if I knew anything about the paper then I said yes, because I subscribe to the paper and I read the news they published. They asked if I knew Panderry Mbai in person and did he communicate with me then I said no. I was asked to give a statement describing myself, were I work, qualification and what I do with freedom newspaper, which I did that and signed. I spend 129 days (4month 9days) under detention without any trial”
TRRC commenced Institutional hearings
