Witch hunt victim says concoction made her unconscious

Matty Sanyang alias Sami Jatta, Thursday testified before the TRRC’s regional hearings in Sibanor, revealing that the witch hunters’ concoction which was forcefully given to her in 2009 made her unconscious for a day.

The witness, 68, who was born in Sintet said Tambajiro, the lead witch hunter for Yahya Jammeh was the first person to set foot in Sintet. She narrated that she was not around when Tambajiro was releasing smoke in the village.

Explaining the main incident of the Fulas’ witch hunting exercise, Mrs. Sanyang said the paramilitaries and the soldiers were at the ground chasing people, and they were captured and taken to Kanilai.

“I went to Kabong Kabila around Casamance and entered a house. I locked the door but when they came, they told me to open the door or they would break it. I tried to climb the ceiling to escape but I couldn’t. It was later I opened the door, where they met me and took me away. About 40 people were with me in the bus.”

Describing the looks of the witch hunters, she adduced that they were dressed in red and holding horns with cowry shells.

She added that her elder brother Malangaye Gaye who was mentally ill was also captured and beaten to the extent of bleeding. “He died six months after he was beaten.”

The witness explained that they were made to drink the concoction forcefully in a toilet, adding that they were as well bathed naked by young armed paramilitaries and soldiers.

After drinking the concoction, she testified that they fainted and became unconscious till the following day.

“We were forced to confess to be witches. I admitted to witchcraft because if I didn’t, they would for the second time give me the concoction to drink and that can kill me.”

Mrs. Sanyang explained that three days after leaving Kanilai, she was not able to eat. He said her children took her to Ahmadiyya Hospital because former President Yahya Jammeh decreed no government hospital attends them.

“My aunty Sansang Camara died in Bwiam Hospital after she was released due to improper treatment and medication.”

The witness said she dislikes Jammeh and also anyone who likes him, taking into account the horrible things he did to her.