The leader of the Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction (APRC), Fabakary Tombong Jatta, rubbished the rape claims and sexual assaults allegations made by three women against former President Jammeh, calling them “lies and fabrications.”
He made these remarks Friday during a news conference held at his residence in Talinding, some 9 km away from Banjul.
The conference came a day after campaigners took to the streets to denounce sexual violence in solidarity with Fatou “Toufah” Jallow and others who opened up to an international rights group. Consequently, rape cases are spiralling out, with the Justice Ministry saluting the trio for breaking their silence over what they went through.
Mr. Jatta told journalists that the since January 2017, the APRC has been subjected to a “smear campaign. Everything that you can imagine was said. For us, listening to other beauty participants, we know that this is another ploy, a smear campaign,” he added, believing that the latest campaign is mounted by those who hate Yahya Jammeh and the APRC.
“They would die to see this party move forward,” said the former National Assembly Member for Serekunda East and Majority Leader of Parliament. Mr. Jatra described the attacks as part of a “conspiracy geared towards tarnishing the image of President Jammeh.”
Despite all the allegations, the APRC leader added, the accusers are yet to back up their claims with facts.
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