Musa
Sallah alias Gorreh, who yesterday testified before the TRRC, revealed that
junglers M.L. Tamba and Omar Jallow alias Oya shot him (Sallah) and one Pa
Manneh, resulting in Manneh’s death.
Giving
his testimony, Sallah explained that in February 2001, Pa Manneh found him in
Njeyreh, Casamance, where he was seeking for prayers to improve his
photographic work.
He
added that he asked Manneh to take him along when going back the following
morning to The Gambia.
“He
took me and as we were going, around Umarto, I heard several shots against us
and Manneh said they were rebels.”
He
told the commission that unfortunately Manneh fainted and he later died. At
some time, he said, he heard some noise from the bush and shouted for help, not
knowing he was seeking help from the people that shot them.
He
continued that they took them from there to Giboroh Police Station, where they
were kept for about 30 minutes in a room.
Before
that, he said, a white man called Francis ordered his killing but the soldiers
refused and later took them to Brikama Police Station and then to Yundum.
He
said he was later taken to Banjul Hospital, adding he fainted and later
regained consciousness at the Emergency Ward, where he met his family.
According to him, he stayed for months in the hospital.
Sallah
explained that during his stay at the hospital, a police officer was attached
to guard him. He added that the police told him that he was shot by the
junglers and he was with him to offer assistance in case they wanted to kill
him, then he would serve as the witness.
“Upon
my release from the hospital, I was taken to police headquarters and Mr. Jai
Sowe told me that I should leave selling drugs. He removed his pistol and told
me that if I didn’t leave selling drugs, then he would kill me. But I told him
I sold no drug.”
He
said he was later taken to the drug squad where his statement was taken and
then moved to NIA where he was interrogated and taken back to Police
Headquarters.
He
said he was later granted bail at the Drug Squad and reported after one week in
the month of April. He added that one Police Officer Pateh asked him to pay him
D5, 000 so as to close the case.
He
revealed that he was finally granted bail, adding that the aftermath took him
about six years before he secured a job in a bar owned by his friend Modou
Badjie.
“I
was not drinking alcohol before working there but I eventually started drinking
when I began the work.”
Sallah
explained that the junglers used to go to their bar and he later got to know
from Sanna Manjang that M.L. Tamba and Omar Jallow alias Oya shot them.
In
his concluding remarks, he accused the police and the drug officials of
corruption.