By Nelson Manneh
WO2 Sam Kambai, a resident of Yundum Barracks told the TRRC on Monday that Alagie Morr, Lamin Darboe and Musa Kinteh were part of the torturers at the defunct National Intelligence Agency.
Kambai was enlisted in the Gendarmie and finished his commando course in 1992.
After the commando training, he was posted to the State Guard, under Turo Jawneh.
He said in July 1994, Musa Jammeh alias Malia Mungo went to the Fajara Barracks to collect the Presidential Guards and took them to Banjul.
He said the purpose was for them to serve as backup that was supposed to collect the President from the Airport.
He said they were up to about sixty in number.
The witness confirmed to the Commission that the security and Protection and securing of the president was removed from TSG and given to the State Guard in the Army.
He said on arrival at the Airport, they lineup the Vehicles in a convoy form. However some minutes later, Yahya Jammeh was disarmed.
The witness told the Commission that he saw American soldiers who entered State House and one of the soldiers spoke to him, but he insisted that Gambia was his country and that the Army was his National Army and he would allow them to come and explain themselves.
“However, the soldiers shookhand with Jawara and pulled him and all of a sudden, they twisted him and put him in a car and moved away,” he said.
WO2 Kambai confirmed that State House did have enough men to fight and defend State House but they were told by Lang Tombong and Musa Jammeh to surrender.
The witness confirmed to the Commission that the TSG was using the same weapons the Army was using because the only weapon the Army had which the TSG did not was the RPG.
He said that the reason why the Coup succeeded is because the setup was correct because the Adjutant at State House was the commander and in the army, they don’t disobey command and this was why members of the PG were crying. He added that it was Lang Tombong Tamba who ordered them to stand down.
The witness said he did not agree with Major Suwareh’s statement that they did not have enough weapons to fight the soldiers.
He confirmed that he served Farafenni on 2 occasions and the last time he served there was in 2007. He said after he served there for 3 Weeks, he was arrested.
He said while on duty at Bambatenda, his Adjutant called him and told him that he was supposed to report to the Army Headquarters.
“Upon arrival at Banjul, they took me to the office of the former CDS, Lang Tombong Tamba. A while later Lamin Bo Baaji asked me whether he (witness) was not aware of their mission and I responded in the negative,” he said.
The witness said Bo Baaji took him to the NIA on the pretext that they were supposed to clear something relating to his mission to Darfur.
He said one NIA Operative, Musa Kinteh asked him whether Bo Badjie didn’t inform him anything and he responded in the negative.
He said at around 8 pm, NIA operatives, Musa Kinteh and Lamin Darboe took him to somewhere in NIA till 2 am when three NIA Officers took him upstairs.
“Prior to going out of the cell Lamin Darboe attempted to put a nylon bag over my head, but he later said he was a gentleman and decided to cuff me in front,” he said.
Thereafter the witness said they took him before a panel consisting of Alagie Morr Jobe and 19 others.
Morr Jobe intimated to him that Bo Baaji sacrificed him and that he has to sign documents and find his way.
“At this stage I was not told why I was taken to the NIA. Alagie Morr told me to undress myself, but I told him that I am not going to undress myself,” he said.
He said the officers attempted to throw him to the ground, but he stood firm. However, he said someone called him from the back and when he turned, something hit him on his face and as a result he fainted.
” I was completely naked and cuffed from behind, my head was bleeding,” he said.
Mr. Kambai testified that he was tortured by the assailants who used iron to beat him. He added that blood was oozing from his his body.
He said as a result of the tortures, there was a tussle among panel members.
He said Bo Badjie came to the NIA later.
“Bo was pretending not to be happy with the beatings that were meted against me,” he said.
“Alagie Morr gave instructions for me to be taken back to Bambadinka and I was left naked there for 3 days,” he said.
The witness recollected that his second day at the NIA was worse than the previous one.
“As I was in the cell the second day, Musa Kinteh came and took me out of the cell but as soon as I came out, they put a nylon bag over my head, they cuffed my hands and took me behind the storey building and tortured me severely.
I was in Bambadinka naked throughout,” he said.
He added Musa Kinteh and Lamin Darboe told him to sign documents.
“They just told me to sign the witness statement, that statement was not written by me and I didn’t know anything about it,” he said.
“Musa Kinteh and Lamin Darboe were part of my torturers,” said Kambai.
On the third night, , they attempted to torture him but he quickly signed the document.
He said on that third night he was given two papers one of them was an empty paper while the other one had writings.
” I would not have survived it on the third day and they even told me that I will not make it if I refused to sign the statement,” he said.
Mr. Kambai disclosed that he was later escorted to the Military hospital for treatment.
He alleged that Kemo Conteh was also beaten by Lamin Darboe, Alagie Morr and Musa Kinteh.
He added he was charged with terrorism.
He said he saw the Judge the underwear he was wearing and scars on his body.
“When I was released, there was too much of talk and one of my friends advised me to remain silent and not to talk to anyone,” he said.
He said while he was incarcerated at Mile 2, Bo Badjie went there and told him to bear as everything will come to an. He added that he was later released from custody.
