Daughter gives account of parents’ ordeal

Jarra Colley, a native of Sintet, on Thursday testified before the TRRC, giving account of how her parents were abducted by the 2009 witch hunters.

“I was in Tabokoto and my son Abdoulie Darboe informed me that my mother Bojang Darboe and my father Musa Colley, were captured by the witch hunters and taken to Kanilai.”

According to her, she went home the same day and met her father there. She said she asked him about her mother’s condition but he told her that when he was coming, her mother was yet to drink the concoction. She said her father further told her that he didn’t drink the concoction but was released with others.

“My mother spent three days in Kanilai. She was given concoction to drink and young boys washed her naked.”

Mrs. Colley said her mother was forced to confess that she was a witch. She continued that if anyone of them failed to confess of being a witch and killed someone, the person will be given extra concoction to drink.

“My mother had no choice but to tell them she ate two people. She was afraid of the persecution she would have gone through had she denied that she was a witch.” She said those who captured her parents were sent by the former President Yahya Jammeh.

Mrs. Colley said she was so disappointed and embarrassed to see her parents abducted as witches.