Kijera also reacted to the support given by the United States Government’s Agency for International Development (USAID) on prosecuting alleged crimes committed under the Jammeh regime.
“The Victims Centre and the victims themselves highly welcome the support given by USAID. It is a vote of confidence that once again justice will be served. This is the only way the international community can help to make sure that they put the government in a tight corner in order to ensure that they hold the government accountable to fully implement the recommendations of the TRRC,” he said in an exclusive interview with The Point.
“It’s very important that the government be held accountable especially in prosecuting perpetrators of the former government. This is a government that depends entirely on the justice system in foreign aid and begging from donor partners. However, this one is moving in the right direction and is very encouraging for the victims. It has restored our confidence that justice will be served at the end of the day.”
The support from USAID, he said, will go a long way in ensuring that the atrocities that were committed during the Jammeh regime don’t go unpunished. “This support will also ensure that accountability mechanisms are put in place including hybrid courts with a view to ensuring that Jammeh-era atrocities are tried before a competent court of jurisdiction.”
“The recommendation of the Truth Commission and government’s White Paper should be implemented to the letter with a view to bring closure to the victims.”
“We are confident that with the support of International community, the government will do something about the TRRC recommendations,” he said, while further claiming “we have seen for instance the government engaging in the process of selective justice most especially in the case involving former Police Officer Almameh Manga, who the TRRC recommendations implicated due to his alleged involvement in detaining one Kaddy Sanneh and her child in 2016.”
“Almameh Manga was implicated by the findings of the TRRC report. The TRRC report recommended him to face administrative and disciplinary measures due to the crime he committed in 2016. Unfortunately, the country’s Attorney General Set-up a bogus panel within the Gambia Police Force that cleared Almameh Manga from any responsibility for the alleged crimes that were committed on Kaddy Samateh and her child. We have lodged a complaint at the Human Right Commission to look into the matter and we are looking for possible avenue to put the case before a court,” he posited
For his part, Baba Hydara, the son of the late veteran journalist Deyda Hydara who was slain on the orders of Jammeh, said: “We gladly welcome the support given by the USAID in prosecuting perpetrators during the former regime. This is a welcoming development especially for us the victims. It’s also important to note that the money should be used for its intended purposes. Every penny used should be accounted for bearing in mind that there are victims that are living in difficult conditions.”
“It’s also important that the government involve the Victims’ community relating to any jammeh era prosecutions . There should also be a time framework as to when the government will be prosecuting these perpetrators. Everything should be transparent.”
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