By Nelson Manneh
A senior police officer has confirmed before a coroner’s inquest that 1st Class Constable Sulayman Jarju assaulted 27-year-old Omar Badjie of Mandinary Village before his death in September 2025.
Chief Superintendent Lamin Cham of the Gambia Police Force told the Brikama Magistrates’ Court that investigations revealed the officer slapped and beat the deceased with a stick during a police patrol.
The death of Omar Badjie had sparked outrage and protests in Mandinary, as residents accused the police of brutality. The police initially claimed Badjie, who was allegedly being pursued for possessing a cannabis joint, collapsed during a “hot pursuit.” A later statement from the force said investigations were underway — a shift from their earlier position.
Badjie’s family and eyewitnesses maintained that he was beaten while handcuffed, a claim supported by visible injuries on his body seen by relatives.
The inquest, which began on Thursday, 9th October 2025, was presided over by Principal Magistrate Anna O. Mendy at the Brikama Magistrates’ Court. Counsel A.J. Njie represented the Badjie family, while Chief Superintendent Cham and Sub-Inspector Buba appeared for the Inspector General of Police. Family members including Tumani Badjie, Lamin Badjie, Sarjo Jarjue, Modou Lamin Jarju (Rongo), Kebba Ansu Sawaneh, and Bakary Badjie were present. The Ministry of Justice was not represented.
Testifying as the first witness, Chief Superintendent Cham said he serves at the Police Anti-Crime Unit in Banjulinding and oversees investigations. He recalled receiving a call from Commissioner Momodou Sowe on 26th September 2025, informing him that Mandinary Police Station had been attacked by angry youths following Badjie’s death.
He said Commissioner Sowe told him that four officers — 1st Class Sulayman Jarju, PC Mamadi Jallow, PC Ebrima Touray, and PC Fasainey Cham — had encountered Badjie during a morning patrol. “He was subsequently taken to Mandinary Health Centre and further referred to Kanifing General Hospital where he was confirmed dead,” Cham testified.
“I was instructed by Commissioner Sowe that the Crime Management Coordinator, Commissioner Boto Keita, has instructed him that I should form a panel to investigate the death of Omar Badjie,” he told the court.
The investigative panel, he said, included DSP Amadou Kujabi, Chief Inspector Lamin Sowe, and Sub-Inspector Buba Touray. The team obtained statements from eyewitnesses Majula Jammeh, Ousainou Keita, Musa Kanyi, Malang Keita, and Tumani Badjie, as well as cautionary statements from the accused officers.
“During the investigation, we realized that the alleged police officers ran after the late Omar Badjie for about three hundred and fifty meters and he was assaulted by 1st Class Sulayman Jarju,” Cham told the court.
He added: “1st Class Sulayman Jarju slapped the deceased and beat him with a stick on his body.”
According to Cham, the officers claimed they saw Omar Badjie and others smoking cannabis. “Upon seeing the police they all ran away and the police followed them,” he said. “Omar Badjie ran and collapsed in the grass, he was already exhausted. The four police officers forced him to stand but Omar told them that he was too weak to stand and that is when Sulayman slapped him.”
“We have a report of the police investigation; we are only waiting for the post-mortem report to complete it,” Cham added.
The Chief Superintendent said investigators could not find the stick used in the assault but identified a mango tree where “a wet branch was cut and used to beat him.” He told the court: “A picture was taken; the place where the deceased fell was also taken.”
He added that all four officers made statements during the investigation, and that “Sulayman Jarju made two statements,” which were all tendered in court as exhibits.
The matter was adjourned to 13th October 2025 at 11:00 a.m. for continuation.
