By Fatou Dahaba
Foday Momodou Hydara former Director General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) now State Intelligence Service (SIS) yesterday appeared before the Truth Reconciliation and Reparation Commission. He explained how the NIA operate and how it become the second home of junglerlers.
Dilating on how the 2006 Ndure Cham aborted coup panel was set up, how they operate and obtained truth from the victims, the witness agreed that the junglelers were brutalising the suspect even though the suspects cooperates and tell everything that they knew about the coup. He alleged that the junglelers wouldn’t have done this without the instruction of their commander ex-president Jammeh.
He confirm that Bunja Darboe was seriously brutalised before he appeared before the panel ‘I saw him I know he was in pain, his shirt was tored, his arm was broken then, I knew he was manhandled by his capturers. He was the first person to be brought before the panel and ask to confess which was illegal. Rights for suspect were never respected.’
The witness also agree that Bunja did not have access to his lawyer even though he ask for it.
He deny that suspect was beaten before he appeared the panel but admits that they were later beaten by junglelers after confession. He said Wassa was slapped by Baba Saho during the interrogation in front of the panel, others were also brought in tears , they were severely tortured adding Alagie Martin was torturing victims during the process.
Hydara also testify that the environment of the panel was very intimidating, toxic and not conducive.
He alleged that the Junglelers were sitting in for the President and they were also responsible for escorting victims to the panel. Junulers take their orders from Jammeh and he give them instructions to make the suspects suffer, according to him Jammeh love or enjoy seeing people suffering. ‘Jungulers were torturers and they are well known for what they do, Hydara told the Commission that with all that, nothing comes out of it, they are torturers for the president and the killers for him.’
The witness deny allegations of ordering the jungulers to torture Pierre who said he Hydara ordered him be taken away for tortures. ‘I knew the process was unlawful and people’s right were not respected.’
The witness also alleged that Jammeh was running the show through his mediators (junglelers) noting the spy were reporting to Jammeh in every hour and they dare not to complain about the abnormalities of the panel.
He also confirmed that the green boys were part of the NIAs and normally there should not have been any link between NIA and green boys, Jammeh foundation or youth groups but they were brought there by the then government. Our work is not in accordance with the law, he stated.
On the issue of Musa Saidykan and Madi Ceesay , who were detained at the NIA, he Hydara told the Truth Commission that when he knew of their detention at the agency he said he ask Musa what are you doing here but never ordered for his tortures. He said when they were brutalising Saidykan he was fast asleep then. NIA was like an office for the jungulars.
The witness said someone called him late at night that if you don’t help someone may die in their custody then he ask whether they inform Harry he said yes but he said he cannot do anything about it. When he reach there the jungulars already left but when he saw Saidykan he knew he was seriously tortured he give them money to buy medications for him.
Lamin cham from the Freedom newspaper saga was interview by him and he Hydara told him that he should cooperate before this people will come for him.
He said the state itself was illegal, and the last 22 years was terrible, the rule of law was merely written in the book.
