Alagie
Babucarr Faye, the alkalo of Barra who appeared before TRRC’s regional hearings
in Essau in connection with his victimization by witch hunters in 2009. He
testified that he spent $14, 000 and 300, 000 CFA on treatment after drinking
witch hunters’ concoction.
Born
in 1962, Faye, a businessman, who also worked at the sea port, said he got the
news from his elder brother in 2009 that some marabouts came to Barra and were
taking his father away.
He
said among those that went to arrest him were Salifou Corr, Saikou Jallow and
Solo Bojang of State House.
At
that juncture, the picture of Saikou Jallow was shown, confirmed, tendered and
marked as exhibit 105.
He
said while on a telephone conversation, he heard people shouting and screaming
and one of the ladies was saying “you are killing my father.”
The
witness testified that his family members went to Baba Jobe’s compound in
Kololi in order to ascertain why his father was taken away. However, he said,
he later heard that he was given a concoction to drink and could not control
himself.
According
to him, he heard that his father was given the concoction for the second time
and had a plastic bag over his head, asking whether he was interested in
continuing to be the alkalo in Barra.
He
said he was further told that when his father took the concoction, he fell down
and they thought that he was dead.
“However,
he was subsequently released and taken to his sister’s compound in Kotu for
treatment.”
Mr.
Faye told the commission that when he was on the mission to take his mother to
the ferry, he received a call from O.C. Jawo of Barra Station, informing him
that he was needed at the police station for a small discussion. However, he
said, upon arrival at the station, he saw the place surrounded by soldiers.
The
witness said that Jawo called the soldiers and Salifou Corr drove the vehicle,
while others sat behind the pick-up with their guns. “I was sandwiched in the
vehicle and upon arrival at Fort Bullen they cleaned a ship house and locked me
in there.”
The
witness alleged that Yahya Jammeh sent a marabout with soldiers to Fort Bullen
because it was rumoured that there was diamond in that place. He added that at
some point, no one was allowed to go around the area.
Mr.
Faye alleged that the marabout was fooling Yahya Jammeh; adding that when he
(marabout) got connected with Yahya Jammeh, he bought about 11 compounds
between Barra and Banjul.
He
said he later heard that experts were present to survey the place, but the
marabouts ran away.
According
to Faye, only one bus left Essau to Baba Jobe’s compound. “While I was in the
bus I bent down because I was embarrassed.”
However,
he later heard that they were captured on the pretext of being witches and
wizards; adding that majority of those that boarded the bus were elderly
people.
He
said that he had 1,200,000 CFA and D12, 000.00 which he handed over to the
witch hunters.
He
narrated that before drinking the concoction, he saw old men, aged around 60,
70 and 80 years old, who were made to stand on one leg and to walk and if
anyone fell down, he would be alleged a witch.
According
to him, those who drank the first concoctions urinated on themselves while
others vomited continuously.
Mr.
Faye further recollected that he went to Dakar for treatment and the amount he
paid in total was 300,000 CFA.
“I
was told that my heart was sickly”
The
witness testified that he eventually went to America to get treatment and was
put in all kind of machines; adding that his brothers made a payment plan.
According to him, the first payment cost $10,000 while the second and third
time was $4000 dollars.
He
said he took his father to Banjul more than 10 times for treatment and he was
eventually taken to America and was also diagnosed with a heart problem.
However,
he told the TRRC that his father had never complained to him of a heart
problem; adding that the only disease he was diagnosed with was diabetes.
“They
inserted a pacemaker for my father but he is now late. Prior to his death, he
told me that the pacemaker was shocking him.”
In
his final remarks, he thanked the TRRC and urged Gambians to believe in God.
