Prayers and thanksgiving to remember Haruna Jatta

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At Haruna’s funeral

By Mustapha Jallow
Family members will on Sunday 3rd June conduct prayers and thanksgiving in remembrance of Haruna Jatta who died of bullet wounds on 3rd June 2017 after a protest held on the previous day in Kanilai.

The prayers and thanksgiving for the 52-year-old, according Almamah Gibba, will be held at Jatta’s native village in Kanilai. He said that during the occasion they will also recite the Holy Qur’an.

Jatta was shot with live-bullets in the stomach during a protest by Kanilai residents which led to a clash between the residents and the Ecomig forces that tried to stop them from moving further to the main junction on Friday, 2 June 2017. On that fateful day, he was rushed to Bwiam Hospital but later referred to Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital (EFSTH) in Banjul, where he was admitted and on the following day (Saturday, 3 June) he was pronounced dead.

In answer to a question at the National Assembly in December 2017, the Attorney General and Minister of Justice told Deputies that investigation into the circumstance of the shooting that led to the death of Haruna Jatta, was being handled by the joint investigation team of the Gambia Armed Forces and the ECOMIG forces and that his office has not yet received a copy of the investigation report; but he assured the concerned deputies, that he will share the content of the report when his office is availed a copy. Family members say they are also waiting for answers from the authorities.