Families storm mortuary after Gambia confirms executions

The Gambia Government has confirmed the execution of nine death row inmates, despite previous description of reports as “rumours and speculation and irresponsible spreading of information.’’

The ministry said it wishes to inform the general public that the convicts were “executed by firing squad on Sunday August, 26, 2012 following the convictions and pronouncements of death sentences by the Gambian Courts of competent jurisdiction and further to the exhaustion of their appeals.’’

It added: “The general public is hereby warned that the rule of law as regards the peace and stability and the protection of lives, property and liberty will not be compromised for whatever reason. That all acts of violence, criminal activities and indiscipline resulting to murder, treason, arson, trafficking in drugs and humans and the likes of such offences attracting death sentences shall not be tolerated. Therefore, all sentences as prescribed by law will be carried out to the letter including the death penalty,” the release said.

It called on the general public to respect the fundamental human right of all citizens and residents in the republic of The Gambia.

According to the press release, the nine executed are: Dawda Bojang, Malang Sonko, ex-Lieutenant Lamin Jarjou, ex-Sergeant alias ex Lt Alieu Bah, ex Sgt Lamin F Jammeh, Tabara Samba, Buya Yarbo, Lamin BS Darboe and Gebe Bah. They were executed by firing squad.

Early Tuesday morning families of the executed persons rushed to the mortuary of the Royal Victoria Hospital, storming into the compound anticipating collecting the corpses of their loved ones for proper burial.

They complained that they were not informed about the execution of their relatives and their bodies are not yet delivered to them.

“We are not yet sure whether we will even receive our relatives for burial as we are not sure that they are at the mortuary,” said a tearful young man. 

Among those executed are two Senegalese accused of manslaughter.

Mr Boubacar Niang, a Senegalese lawyer told the Nation that the two executed did not intentionally kill their victims.

The two, Madam Tabara Samba and Djibril Bâ both of them ethnic Peulhs, were residing in the Gambia when they allegedly committed murder against two men according to Gambia’s High Court.

Senegal’s leading online publication ‘Seneweb’ explained that Madam Tabara Samba had splashed boiling oil on her Gambian husband Ibrahim Niang when she discovered that he had taken a second wife.

Mr Niang was rushed to the hospital but later died of the burns while Madam Tabara Samba was arrested and eventually tried and found guilty of murder and condemned to death on 26 September 2007.

For his part, the other executed Senegalese Jibril Bâ had plugged a penknife in the eye of his compatriot Ndouga Samba following a dispute on 18 December 1997.

Ndouga Samba subsequently bled profusely and eventually died of the injury leading to the arrest, trial and condemned to death of Jibril Bâ by the Gambian High Court on 30 January 2004.

Sources said all attempts to file an appeal by the two condemned persons were rejected by the Gambian High Court.