Babanding Yarbo Disappears for 1 Month 18 Days Today

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By Kebba Jeffang

Babanding Yarbo, from Bambako village in Kiang Central, Lower River Region (LRR), is in state custody since on the 9th May, 2016 according to his family.

Today, Tuesday, 28th June marks 1 month 18 days of Mr. Yarbo’s detention without trial or access to family.

A nephew of Mr. Yarbo told this reporter that the family still does not know his whereabouts or the reason for his arrest and detention as he is yet to be charged or brought before a court of law.

Earlier this month, Yarbo’s son, Omar Yabo, walked into Foroyaa office to lodge complaint about his missing father, noting he last spoke to him on his cell phone in the afternoon of the day he went missing.

“I was talking to him on the phone when he told me that he will soon reach Westfield when the communication cut off. I tried to connect to him with several unsuccessful calls but his phone was repeatedly telling me ‘the number you have dialed is switched off, please try again later’,” said the son.

He said his uncle was arrested when he was returning from Banjul on board a vehicle which dropped him at Old Jeshwang as it was very difficult to get transport on that day which coincided with the appearance of the UDP members in court. He explained that it was while his uncle was struggling at Old Jeshwang for another vehicle that he was arrested by the Police Intervention Unit (PIU) who were passing by in a vehicle.

He added that the uncle has no connection with any activity and was coincidentally in Banjul to follow the Kwinella police who were escorting his son for a medical checkup at the Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital on his state of mental health. He said the young man was eventually confirmed to be mentally well.