Mr. Sowe, who migrated to The Gambia in 1993, testified that in 2015, he was involved in petty trading and got to know Abass Jarju. According to him, he later realised that Abass did help people who wanted to travel to Turkey with visas.
He said Abass was later arrested in connection with monetary issues, saying he didn’t work with Abass at the time of his arrest. The witness added that he was also arrested and taken to NIA Headquarters in Banjul, saying he was interrogated by Lamin Darboe, Basirou Sey and Baldeh.
"They asked me where Wurry was because he was having a box they needed but I told them I didn't know his whereabouts. That was the time they cuffed me and I was stretched on a table and seriously beaten, until I had to ask them to stop and that I would show them where Wurry was."
He told the commission that after the horrifying beatings, he went with the NIA officers to Wurry's house but they found an old man whom they took to NIA Headquarters.
Mr. Sowe stated that he was beaten for the second time and later escorted to his house to search for Wurry. He added that he fainted twice as a result of the torture.
"Upon arrival, they took hundred thousand dalasis from my saving box along with my mobile phone. They later called Wurry to know where the box was, he (Wurry) told them to pick it outside of his house. We went there and took the box to the NIA but after opening it, we found stones in it and I was beaten to produce the real box."
He testified that Abass and Saidou Sowe were also tortured by NIA officers.
The witness said he spent more than two months before he was taken to court.
"We were going to court and it was last year that we got acquitted and discharged."
A victim of NIA, Alhagie Lang Ceesay, yesterday testified before the Truth Commission, giving account of his encounter with workers of Kanilai Family Farm, his detention at NIA and tortures.
On day four of his visit to different border posts across the country, Minister Boubacarr Ousmaila Joof and his delegation have visited Sare Ngai Border Post in the Upper River Region (URR).
The Republic of The Gambia actively participated at the 1st Regional Conference on Strengthening Brand Africa for the swift recovery of the tourism sector under the auspices of the World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) held in Namibia from the 14th to 16th June 2021.
A special delegation from Peace Network led by the CEO Mr. Alasana Justice Jallow on Tuesday 4 April 2023 paid a courtesy visit on the President of the Republic H.E. Adama Barrow at State House.
