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Senegalese gendarme reportedly shoots Gambian in URR

Mar 10, 2020, 12:22 PM | Article By: Momodou Jawo

Sulayman Trawally, a native of Garawol Kuta village of the Kantora District of the Upper River Region was reportedly shot in the hand by the Senegalese gendarmerie, The Point has been reliably informed. 

The incident happened in the night on Saturday 8 March, our source who is familiar with the matter and spoke to our reporter on the condition of anonymity said.

Mr. Trawally is currently being detained by the Senegalese gendarmerie in Tamba Counda of Senegal.

Our source further added: “The Senegalese gendarmerie intercepted someone with suspected cannabis. When the suspect was interrogated by the gendarmerie, he confessed that it was Sulayman Trawally who sold him the cannabis. Apparently, the Senegalese gendarmerie went for Trawally. Upon arrival, they open fire which resulted to his injury.”

The Police Intervention Unit and The Gambia Armed Forces, our source went on, were later informed about the incident. However, before they arrived at the scene, the Senegalese gendarmerie had already left. “In fact, currently our security personnel are patrolling the area,” our source stated.

Baba Seedy Trawally, a brother to Sulayman Trawally who spoke to our reporter through telephone, described the incident as ‘unfortunate’, while urging Gambian authorities to do something before the matter “escalate to tension.”

Baba Seedy Trawally also dismissed claims that his brother sells cannabis, saying such information is “totally false.”

“The Senegalese gendarmerie heavily armed arrives in the village, open fire more than 10 times. The entire village was panic and people started running. They met my younger brother in our compound, and as he prepares to go and take shower. They open fire on him and injured his hand.”

He recalled that similar incident had happened about 10 years ago.

“They attacked the village and looted more than 100 bags of sugar. However, when The Gambia government intervened, the said bags of sugar were immediately returned to the village.”

Two people, he added, were arrested over the Saturday incident. However, he was quick to add that one of them, a Senegalese national, has been released.

“I can clearly tell you that as I’m speaking at the moment my brother is currently admitted at the hospital in Tamba Counda, Senegal. The government should come to our aid or else we will even migrate from the village. We want the government to either help us with a PIU Camp or a Military base,” he said.

The spokesperson of The Gambia Armed Forces, Major Lamin K. Sanyang was contacted for comments, however, he promised to give more details on new developments.