A
widow of former army lieutenant, late Almamo Manneh, who was killed for his
alleged involvement in the coup attempt in January 2000, has told the TRRC how
she repeatedly underwent rape and sexually harassment in the hands of the
former Interior Minister –Ousman Sonko.
Born
on 15 1968 in Banjul, Binta Jamba was raised in Tujereng Village on the Kombo
South of West Coast Region. She attended Crab Island in 1986 and upon completion
of her education, she enlisted into The Gambia Police Force in July 1986.
Appearing
before TRRC through a Skype call, the US-based Gambian narrated in detailed how
ex-Interior Minister Sonko used her as a sex object amid threats and this was
after the demise of her late husband-Lt. Almamo Manneh
Jamba
recalled that it all started after the mourning of her late husband and she
resumed work, saying one day she received a phone call from the Ex- Interior
Minister informing her to go to his office at State House.
She
disclosed that upon arrival at the State House gate, a soldier was sent to
usher her into Sonko’s Office within State House.
‘Upon
entering his office at State House, he (Sonko) locked his office door and took
out a brief case. He told me that he wanted to give me Almamo’s personal
belongings, which includes Almamo’s bank book and compound documents’.
But
to her surprise, the witness indicated that Sonko placed her hands on her
shoulders, and began to kiss her and even told her to sit on his laps.
She
alleged that the ex-Interior Minister forced to have sex with her in his office
at State House and thereafter the same week and on a Friday, he visited her at
their home and demanded to see her in her house.
‘While
in my house, he placed his hands on my shoulder and later threw me on my bed,
while he placed his pistol on my bed deck. He used to point his pistol at me
and threatened me that I should not talk to the media, and that he did not want
to see any man in my house. He forcefully raped me in my own house’.
The
witness explained that Sonko always raped her and it became a routine practice
and would go to her house every time he wanted.
This
kind of nightmare, she explained went for one year and some months, adding that
she later started to dodge from him especially on days she suspect that Sonko
would go to her house.
‘But
one day, as I was coming back from Banjul, I met with him at the Check Point at
Denton Bridge and he asked me to alight from the car I was travelling on. After
I alighted from that car, Sonko asked me to join his vehicle and he drove me
back to Banjul and put me in a house. After a while, he locked me there and
after two- three hours he came back to the room; removed his clothes and later
told me to undress as well’.
She
alleged that Sonko detained her in that room for a whole day and sexually
abused her that night and left her there till around midday the following day.
Jamba
narrated that Sonko later then sent an orderly to take her bread and ‘akara’
and a bottle of Fanta.
Continuing
narrating her ordeal, Jamba said that she stayed in that house in Banjul
following day and repeatedly had sex with him.
On
whether she did anything to resist, she said she approached one of her bosses
in the person of Lang Demba for her to be transferred.
She
explained that she was later moved to Bakau, adding that Sonko followed at her
at work and any after work places and marriage ceremonies as well.
While
constantly monitoring her outings, she decided to go back to Lang Demba and
requested for her to be taken to a far place as far as even Basse so that she
would be free from the menace.
Jamba
testified that she was later transferred to Amdalai and Sonko called her
Director Nai Ceesay to know her whereabouts.
She
recalled that she later met Benjamin Wilson, whom she said was a friend to her
late husband (Almamo).
During
her interaction with Benjamin Wilson, the latter asked her to go and apply for
a visa and that he (Wilson) will assist her in the visa process.
She
explained that she was later given a letter from the US Embassy in Banjul,
which she took, to the UNHCR main office in Dakar to enable her seek asylum in
USA.
Jamba
told the commission she left The Gambia for US in 2003 and returned to The
Gambia two years later.
She
testified that despite her stay in the US and subsequent visit to The Gambia,
Sonko continued to follow her and used her as a sex object.
While
on a visit to the country, she alleged that it was one fine day when Sonko
called her through her mother’s number.
She
lamented that despite raping her repeatedly, Sonko would always caution her not
to speak any journalist in the country.
In
2007, she visited The Gambia for the second time, but had to cut short her
visit due to threats from Sonko.