The Gambian police on Wednesday issued several arrest warrants for erstwhile members of former president Yahya Jammeh’s death squad many of whom are believed to be on the run.
Jammeh had operated a ‘Jungular’ hit squad who are accused of carrying out indiscriminate killings of civilians and soldiers using different methods and dumping their remains in old wells and forests in southern Gambia.
The arrest warrants were issued after testimonies earlier this week by Malick Jatta and Omar A. Jallow, former Jungulars to the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC) cataloguing their roles in most of the killings.
The incldents are chronicled to have taken place between 2003 and 2016.
Police prosecutors on Wednesday issued over twenty arrest warrants for among others General Sulayman Badgie, Lt. Col. Solo Bojang, Lt. Col. Nuha Badgie, Major Momodou Jarjue, Captain Mustapha Sanneh, Captain Michael Jatta, Staff Sgt Sulayman Sambou, WO1 Nfansu Nyabally and Captain Saikouba Jarjue.
The group are accused of killing Gambian-Americans Ebou Jobe and Alhagie Mamud Ceesay by beheading them with a machete in 2013.
The killings were said to have taken place in Jammeh’s home village of Kanilai.
Police prosecutors have also issued arrest warrants for former Interior minister batch Ousman Sonko, who is being held in Switzerland over human rights violations in The Gambia.
The others are Lt. Yusupha Sanneh, Sgt Sainey Jammeh[Chess], Saikou Jallow, Lt Michael Sang Correa, Captain Michael Jatta, Major Sanna Manjang, Major Mustapha Sanneh and Borra Colley.
They are believed to be behind the shooting to death of former intelligence chief Daba Marenah, Manlafi Corr, Ebou Lowe, Alieu Ceesay, Alpha Bah, Julia and Masireh Jammeh.
Their remains were said to have been thrown into an old well in a garden near the village of Bulloborr, 123km south of Banjul.
Prosecutors also issued warrants of arrest for Major Sanna Manjang and Kawsu Camara alias Bombardier over the drive-by shooting to death of newspaper editor Deyda Hydara in December 2004.
WN/as/APA