‘Solo Was Buried Like A Dog’

The leader of the opposition United Democratic Party (UDP) has expressed the way and manner his party’s newly elected Organising Secretary Ebrima Solo Sandeng was tortured to death.

“We have gathered credible information that the Director General of the National Intelligence Agency, Yankuba Badjie, unleashed his drunk hooligans on the detained peaceful protesters. These these hooligans tortured the youths to until they went into coma. Solo had been in a coma until Friday 10 P.M. when he died. One expected a post-mortem be carried out on Solo’s body but that option I have been informed, although I could not confirm, was rejected allegedly by President Yahya Jammeh who ordered him to be buried in the woods of Tanji. A Muslim like Solo was denied proper and fitting burial. His family was not allowed to wash his body, prayed and bury him. Instead he was buried like a dog.”

Mr. Darboe, whose powerful statement was characterised by screaming at his Pipeline home, said two of the protesting women, Fatoumata Jawara (UDP Female Youth President) and Aja Nokoi Njie (2nd Vice President of the UDP Women’s Wing), were also severely tortured. They are in coma battling for survival.

Mr. Darboe said this sheer high level tyranny that Gambians have been enduring under Jammeh must stop. “If a young man like Solo can die for The Gambia’s freedom, what about an elderly person like me?” Mr. Darboe said, expressing his readiness to go to the streets to demand justice for Solo and others even if it means dying.

“I don’t want any insults or destruction of property. Whoever loves The Gambia must rally behind me. Myself and executive will be in the front to take bullets for Gambians,” Lawyer politician said emotionally. “All we demand is to get Solo alive or dead and release of all other detainees.”

Mr. Darboe described Solo Sandeng as “the Steve Biko of The Gambia, a man who sacrificed his life for the freedom of his long oppressed people.” He would not understand why a group of peaceful youths protesters who never resisted arrest would be tortured to death. That’s nothing but Jungle Justice by a regime that claims to have respect for the Rule of Law, Fundamental Freedoms and Democracy.

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