By Yankuba Jallow
Buba Jarju, son of a victim of the 2009 witch hunting activity has on Wednesday, 27th November, told the TRRC that her mother died as a result of drinking concoction given to her by witch doctors.
Jarju appeared before the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission in Sibanor at their ongoing regional hearings on the 2009 witch-hunting activity. Jarju’s mother was Sansang Camara and she was born in Sintet Village on the 16thMay 1973. His mother was one of those residents of Sintet who were abducted by witch-hunters in 2009 and taken to Kanilai, the home village of former President Jammeh.
In his testimony, Jarju said at the time the witch-hunters came to Sintet, her mother was feeling fine but after she was taken to Kanilai where she spent two nights, she became sick and died two weeks later. He told the Commission that the witch-hunters did not find him home because he left for work. He said on this day, there was a christening ceremony in the village and his mother was in attendance.
He testified that after he waited for a while and did not see his mother, he went to the venue where the ceremony was held to inquire about his mother but to his disappointment, he was told that his mother was one of those abducted by the witch-hunters.
“My mother returned on the third day around dusk. When I set my eyes on her, I was saddened because of her condition. We held her and took her to her house, but she could not sit down,” he said.
He said the family took her to Bwiam Hospital where she was briefly admitted and she died on the third day.
Jarju said before his mother was taken to Kanilai, she was a farmer and a gardener but when she returned from there, she could not do anything.
“When my mother returned from Kanilai, she could not eat or drink,” the witness said.
He said his mother was discharged from hospital on the 23rd March 2009 and she died on the 26th March the same year.
