For Interior Minister
By Buba Gagigo
Former Interior Minister, Babucarr Jatta who also served as Chief of Defence Staff at The Gambia Armed Forces under former president Jammeh has admitted lying to the nation (The Gambia) by saying that Ghanaians among the West African migrants who were allegedly killed in The Gambia were deported.
He admitted in a question and answer session between him and Counsel Essa Faal about the incident.
Counsel Faal: You received no investigative report?
Jatta: Yes.
Counsel Faal: You received no briefing about the investigation report?
Jatta: Yes.
Counsel Faal: Everything was death, silenced?
Jatta, Yes.
Counsel Faal: There was no state investigation?
Jatta: Yes.
Counsel Faal: Even yourself, when you talked to the public, you lied about it?
Jatta: Yes.
Then a video of an interview he [Jatta] granted in the past was played for him. In the video, he said the Ghanaian migrants were deported. But after watching the video Jatta admitted lying to the nation in the said interview that the migrants were deported. However, he said that was the only information he could give to the journalist at the time.
Several other witnesses at the commission including his brother (Malick Jatta), confirmed to the commission that the more than 50 West African migrants comprising 44 Ghanaians; 9 Nigerians; 2 Togolese; nationals of Cote d’Ivoire; Senegal, and a Gambian were killed in July 2005 on the order of former President Jammeh.
Besides, Martin Kyere, the lone survivor of the group majority of whom were killed on the fateful day, during his testimony at the commission confirmed the mass killing.
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