Witness Tells Swiss Court
Monitored By Nyima Sillah
Former orderly to the erstwhile director general of theGambia Prison Services (GPS) on Monday told a Swisscourt that Baba Jobe was killed under the watch of prison guards at the Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital in Banjul (EFSTH).
Testifying in the ongoing trial of former interior minister Ousman Sonko over crimes against humanity, former orderly to the late GPS DG David Colley adduced that he was moved to the EFSTH when the Jammeh government wanted to execute Baba Jobe.
Former orderly Lamin Sanneh said he was sacrificed by the prison’s authorities in the grand scheme of Baba Jobe’s execution. He testified that he received orders from David Colley that he should furnish the formerinterior minister Ousman Sonko with information about the happenings at Mile II.
“I was told by Colley that some men will come to visit Baba Jobe and I should allow them access to Baba otherwise I will risk my life,” Sanneh told the court.
He cast his mind back to 28 October 2011 when, according to him, Omar Jallow alias Oya came with some men to the hospital and enquired from him thewhereabouts of Baba Jobe. Sanneh narrated that he responded that Jobe was asleep, adding that Omar Jallow and those accompanying him barged into Jobe’sroom.
“When I went to see Baba minutes later, he was already dead,” Sanneh told the court.
Sanneh confirmed to the court that nine inmates were taken out of prisons and executed. He also informed the court that prisoners were normally taken out of Mile II, tortured, and returned to the prison in bad shape.
He described the conditions at Mile II as “very bad”,saying that no one can say the condition there was better.