APRC leaders condemn Busumbala fracas

Leaders of Gambia’s former ruling Alliance for Patriotic Re-orientation and Construction (APRC) party has strongly condemned the recent confrontation between the party militants and some young people at Busumbala on Wednesday.

The confrontation happened when the APRC caravan was passing Busumbala from a nationwide rally but the highway was allegedly blocked by the Busumbala youth carrying cutlasses, knives and stones.

The party’s interim chairman Fabakary Tombong Jatta; a former majority leader of the national assembly said police intervention officers who were deployed at the ground had ordered them go through the bushes, “instead of driving the Busumbala youth away from the highway.”

Seedy S.K. Njie, the party’s spokesperson said the Busumbala mob attack on them has led to destruction of properties including broken car glasses, punctured car tyres while armed with cutlasses, knives, stones and burnt car tires.

At least eight APRC militants and three Busumbala youth were reported to have sustained wounds. One APRC militant was also reportedly stabbed at ‘Kaw’ Junction on their way to Tallinding but the alleged stabber was said to have run away.

Lamin Fatty, a resident of Busumbala alleged that the APRC militants first started the confrontation with provocational statements on President Adama Barrow and insulting some youth. “When we returned the insults, they attacked us and three of our people were wounded.”