By Sailu Bah
Ya Binta Jarju, a young lady in her late twenties, who was residing in
Banjul, was reported to have been allegedly shot dead by security
personnel while in a Mercedes Benz taxi in Erinjang/Kotu on Saturday
night, March 7. The incident occurred near the entrance of the compound owned by the Gomez family which is about 120 metres off the Kotu Silo road after
the bridge.
According to some of the residents in the area who spoke to this
reporter, they heard about 3 gun shots between 11.30pm and
midnight that night and that when they came out of their houses as it
was very windy and cold, they found a taxi vehicle by the entrance
of the said compound.
A resident, who prefers anonymity, said they were asked to stay away
by security personnel in dark outfits when they initially wanted to
come to the scene immediately after the gunshots were heard. He said
the taxi had three occupants including the driver, and that one of the
passengers, the lady, who was at the back seat, was shot. He said the
back windscreen was smashed into pieces.
This reporter can confirm bloodstains covered with sand at the spot
where the vehicle was said to have stopped near the fence of the
compound.
“We initially thought the sound was from fireworks, but my brother
insisted that what he heard were gunshots. Upon hearing this, we all ran
into our house and were peeping from the window,” said a lady living
nearby.
One of the eye witnesses, who was said to have given a statement to
the police concerning the incident, declined to talk to this reporter.
Visiting the Kairaba police station to enquire about the driver who
was said to have been taken away, this reporter was told that he was
not held there.
A source close to the family of the deceased confirmed the incident
and added that the corpse is at the Edward Francis Small Teaching
Hospital in Banjul.
Efforts to contact the Police PRO were unsuccessful as he could not be
reached on his phone.
The late Ya Binta Jarju was born on 20 August 1987 and was a staff of
Yandi Juice Company in Kanifing Industrial Estate. She was residing at
14 Perseverance Street in Banjul.]]>
