Ousman Sonko Oversees Our Torture

A prosecution witness on Tuesday told the Bellinzona Federal Tribunal that the former Gambian Interior Minister oversaw their brutal torture at the National Intelligence Agency on April 14th, 2016.

Modou Ngum, who recounted his mistreatment at the hands of Gambian security officers, Ousman Sonko of witnessing their brutal torture. He explained how torturers dressed in masked threatened their lives, insulted them before unleashing physical torture on them.

He said their torturers bragged about destroying the eyes of OJ. “One of the heartless NIA agent, Tamba Masire, was in a haste to deal with us. They stripped us naked. Kafu Bayo, an elderly man pleaded to be spared for stripping but was instead mistreated and humiliated.”

Mr. Ngum said the late Solo Sandeng had his hands dislocated for refusing to write a statement. Ngum had his manhood pulled so hard that “I almost died. Their goal was to castrate me since I had no children. I was the youngest among the demonstrators. I was 7 years in 1994 when Yahya Jammeh took over power. We were brought before a panel for interrogation.”

Ngum shed tears while recounting how a young journalist Ebrima Janko Ceeesay — the son of Serekunda West MP Madi Ceesay — was hit by a hammer until he lost two teeth. Janko was accused of being a Mandinka journalist bent on destabilizing the country. Janko could not survive the brutal torture.

Ngum appealed to the Swiss government to help the victims of April 14 demonstrators who have not received medical aid and have been dying one by one.

Sonko’s lawyer disputed Ngum’s testimony that his client was present at the panel.

Ends