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Victims call for justice ahead of Bai Lowe’s trial in Germany

Apr 22, 2022, 1:09 PM | Article By: Sankulleh Gibril Janko

A head of the trial in Germany next weekof Bai L. Lowe, a former member of Jammeh’s execution squad, families of his victims have reiterated their call for justice.

The former “jungler” Lowe is allegedly a member of the execution squad that gunned down the Founder and Co-Publisher of The Point Newspaper Deyda Hydara in December 2004.

He was an alleged member of the team that attempted to murder veteran lawyer Ousman Sillah who still suffers from the injuries sustained during the attempt.

Lowe, who has been in the custody of German authorities since his arrest a few years ago, will face trial in Germany under the universal jurisdiction.

Speaking at a virtual briefing organised by Trial International, Baba Hydara, the son of the late Deyda Hydara says, Bai Lowe and his accomplices including their boss Yahya Jammeh must face justice.

“Everyone involved in my dad’s murder will face justice just like Bai Lowe is facing justice in coming days. “We won’t stop until each one of them is brought to a court of law. Each one of them!”

He went on “We know that Bai Lowe was only a small player in the murder of my dad. Go straight at the top where the order came from and all of us know who that is so that makes it very serious that Jammeh is still sitting in Equatorial Guinea and nothing is happening to him.”

“So that is why we should do everything on how to bring Jammeh to a court of law just like earlier in the video you were watching, he has to pay for those crimes he committed,” the slain journalist’s son Baba stressed.

Lawyer Ousamn Sillah is also a victim of Bai Lowe and his gang of killers. The execution squad attempted murder on the veteran lawyer but he survived-although dependent throughout after the incident.

Speaking ahead of the trial and during the briefing, Amie Sillah the daughter of Lawyer Ousman Sillah shared the ordeals of her father since Bai Lowe and his colleague black cops attempt on his life.

According to Miss Sillah, speaking on the issue ahead of the trial brings hope but at the same time it revisits a painful past, adding that “all the privileges provided by him, to his family, friends and the less fortunate that he was helping were all put to a halt.”

“They aimed to scare but at the same time they wanted to silence him for good. They aimed to kill,” she said.

Mr. Sillah survived the attempted murder by the junglers, however, they left him with fatal injuries and terrible health conditions.

Amie Sillah explains: “We are very thankful that he survived it even though he was affected mentally, physically, emotionally, financially and also him battling with some post-traumatic stress syndrome, we still want justice.”

“He is in a very late stage of dementia as we speak right now, he cannot do anything for himself except eat slowly but everything has to be done for him, he doesn’t remember the name of his kids,” she added.

The trail of Bai Lowe who drove the junglers during their numerous extra-judicial killings brings a glimmer of hope to Amie and many others.

“We hope this is just the beginning of the justice that he and the family deserve and to all those involved.”

Other speakers who all called for justice include Fatoumatta Sandeng, the spokesperson for Jameh2Justice, Salieu Taal, the President of Gambia Bar Association, Babaka Tracy Mputu (TRIAL),  and Arne Bardelle (ECCHR)

The trial of Bai L. Lowe is expected to commence on Monday in the city of Celle in Germany.

The case is expected to be heard at least twice in a week till early 2023 according to officials of Trial International.