By Yankuba Jallow
Ex-Corporal Alagie Kanyi has on Thursday the 28th February 2019, has testified on the gruesome murder of Ousman Koro Ceesay, a former Secretary of State for Finance during the AFPRC era.
Alhagie Kanyi, a former corporal of Gambia National Army, has admitted that he had taken part in the killing of former secretary of state Ousman Koro Ceesay, Sergeant Basiru Camara and Sergeant Fafa Nyang and mass killings of alleged November 11 coup plotters.
Giving his recounts before the Truth Reparation and Reconciliation Commission, he said that Lt Edward Singhatey, Lt Yankuba Touray, Lt Peter Singhateh, Lt BK, Lt Tombul Tamba and Pa Alieu Gomez as well as himself all have hit Ousman Koro Ceesay with a pestle.
“As we were entering the house in Yankuba Touray’s compound I heard sound and it was Peter Singhatey who hit him twice. Edward Singhatey then hit Koro Ceesay with a pestle three times and he fell down. Edward gave me a stick and I hit Koro and then Yankuba also hit him and the rest were called to join and hit Koro. There was blood all over him and Koro was taken into his official car,” he said.
He said the body of Koro was then driven by the council members and burnt, adding that Peter burnt his hand.
“I was confused and I was even in a hurry to resign from the army even if I was going to beg on the street, and that I would have done so. Edward used to give me alcohol to drink and he would say to me, drink and calm down your nerves. I drank alcohol to calm down my nerves. Where I am now, counsel please help me now, I will pray for God’s forgiveness. Jarra People please forgive me, Gambian people please forgive me. I am under high blood pressure,” he added.
He also said that Yankuba Touray and Fatoumata Jahumpa Ceesay called him and asked him not to disclose what he knew about his activities in the days of the Junta. Meanwhile, Kanyi also pleaded guilty of taking part in the killings of Sergeant Basiru Camara and Sergeant Fafa Nyang at the Yundum Barracks, explaining that they (the deceased) were tied naked and escorted by Sanna Sabally and Edward Singhatey around the cookhouse at the Yundum Barracks.
“I was instructed to kill them. Sanna Sabally and Edward Singhatey and I, did Sir. I and Edward fired at them. I was instructed to kill my own brothers, I have no choice,” he said.
Meanwhile, he also confessed in participating on the mass killings of soldiers alleged to have plotted the November 11 coup at the Nyambai forest.
“We drove to Nyambai forest like going to Jambur, we went right inside the bush and all the cars were parked and the truck came. The covers were removed from their faces and they were taken off the truck. They gave us their back and Sanna Sabally asked them to say their last prayers. But Cadet Sillah said, “Sir, if you are to kill us, kill us with a weapon” while Buba Jammeh appealed for them not to be killed but to be locked in jail. Sanna gave us the order to fire at them and we fired at them,” he said.
Among the participants into the mass killings of the soldiers he mentioned include, Lieutenant Sanna Sabally, Lt Edward Singhatey, Lt Yankuba Touray and Lt Sadibou Hyadara all council members; and Batch Samba Jallow, Lamin Fatty, Colonel Babourcarr Jatta, Private Suso, B Njie, JB Mendy, Baba Njie alias B Njie and Njie Ponkal.
Mr. Kanyi now with the Gambia Immigration Department added that the soldiers killed during the execution included, Lieutenant Gibril Saye, Lieutenant Lamin Darboe, Lieutenant Bakary Manneh, Lieutenant Abdoulie Bah, Cadet Amadou Sillah, and Lieutenant Buba Jammeh.
Alagie Kanyi said he was born on 21st July 1965 in Jarra Sankuya, Lower River Region. He said he was enlisted in the Gambia National Army in 1986 and upon completing the basic military training course; he was posted at the Yundum Barracks as a Private soldier. He said he served in the Confederal Battalion in 1987 and in 1989 he moved back to the Yundum Barracks.
