Gambiaj.com – (BANJUL, The Gambia) – Sanna Manjang, a former member of The Gambia’s security forces allegedly linked to the feared “Junglers,” has pleaded not guilty to multiple charges, including two counts of murder and allegations of torture dating back to 2006.
Manjang entered his plea before the court after the charges were formally read to him.
According to the indictment, Manjang faces two counts of murder contrary to Section 187 of the Criminal Code, Cap 10, Volume III, Laws of The Gambia 2009.
The first count alleges that sometime in 2006 at Kanilai in the West Coast Region, Manjang unlawfully caused the death of Kajali Jammeh, also known as “Le Cock,” by cutting his neck with a knife with malice aforethought.
In the second count, prosecutors allege that in the same year and location, Manjang caused the death of Samba Wurry by stabbing him in the chest with a knife.
Manjang is also charged with conspiracy to commit a misdemeanor contrary to Section 369 of the Criminal Code. Prosecutors allege that in March 2006, at the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) premises and other locations in Banjul, Manjang conspired with others as a member of the “Junglers” to cause bodily harm to former senior police officer Tamsir Jassey.
In the fourth count, Manjang is accused of assault causing actual bodily harm contrary to Section 228 of the Criminal Code. The charge states that during the same period in March 2006, at the NIA and other locations in Banjul, he assaulted Jassey by beating and kicking him, causing severe injuries.
After the charges were read, Manjang pleaded not guilty to all counts.
Tamsir Jassey Takes the Stand
Following the plea, Tamsir Jassey, identified as the third prosecution witness (PW3), took the stand. After being sworn on the Quran, he began his testimony.
Jassey told the court that he currently serves as an adviser to the Inspector General of Police, assisting in efforts to modernize the Gambia Police Force. He also stated that he previously worked with the U.S. Navy for about ten years.
The witness testified that he once served as Deputy Inspector General of Police during the tenure of former president Yahya Jammeh but was later dismissed without explanation. He added that he was also appointed Director General of the Gambia Immigration Department but was similarly removed from the position without reason.
Jassey said he recognized the accused, stating that Manjang was among the armed men who arrested him at his residence in Kotu in March 2006. According to him, the men, believed to be members of the Gambia Armed Forces, took him first to Mile 2 Prison.
When asked who accompanied Manjang during the arrest, Jassey named several individuals, including Michael Correa, Malick Jatta, Alieu Ceesay, Musa Jammeh, and Tumbul Tamba, among others.
He further testified that later that night, around 3 a.m., he was removed from his cell by a military officer identified as Omar Colley and handed over to men dressed in black clothing. He said Manjang was among them.
Jassey told the court that he was then taken to the NIA headquarters in Banjul, where he appeared before an investigation panel.
“The process was very disorganized; questions were coming from all angles, and at some point they didn’t even wait for my answers,” he testified.
According to Jassey, the panel questioned him about an alleged foiled coup linked to Ndure Cham. He said he informed investigators that Cham had mentioned the plot to him and that he had helped him leave the country, but he insisted he had no further involvement.
The witness said investigators asked him to write a statement, but he requested to consult his lawyer first. He testified that after revealing the identity of his lawyer, the lawyer was arrested the following day and taken to Mile 2 Prison.
Jassey said he later refused to write the statement despite pressure from Momodou Hydara, who was then Director of the NIA. He alleged that Hydara warned him he would face consequences if he refused.
While at the NIA, Jassey said he could hear people screaming from other rooms.
“The screaming indicated that people were going through severe pain,” he told the court.
Out of fear, he said he eventually wrote a statement but was instructed not to sign it. He was then returned to Mile 2 Prison.
The following day, he said he was given a version of the statement containing additional details that he insisted he had not written.
Allegations of Torture and Detention
Jassey further testified that he was later told that President Yahya Jammeh would drop the charges against him if he appeared on live television and confessed to participating in the alleged coup.
He told the court that he was taken to a room where several other accused persons were present, including Alieu Jobe, Alieu Lowe, Faring Sanyang, Ablie Njie, Wassa Camara, Bunja Darboe and Pierre Mendy. According to him, they all appeared on camera and confessed before being returned to Mile 2.
Jassey alleged that later that night he was again removed from his cell and forced to walk between two rows of armed men dressed in black, who beat and kicked him before he was placed in a truck.
He testified that he was taken back to the NIA, where he was tortured and sustained multiple injuries.
According to Jassey, prison officers later attempted to give him medication, but a military officer identified as Omar Colley allegedly instructed that he should not receive treatment.
He also alleged that during another interrogation session at the NIA, men dressed in black placed a plastic bag over his face while others beat him. Jassey claimed Manjang held his hands during the ordeal.
He said that during the torture he struggled to tear the plastic bag in order to breathe.
Jassey further testified that he was later taken to the backyard of the NIA where cold water was poured on him while he continued to be beaten.
“At one point, Malick Jatta placed a loaded pistol in my mouth and threatened to blow my brain,” he told the court.
The witness said that after returning to Mile 2 Prison, he and other detainees decided to report the abuse. He testified that another inmate, Alieu Bah, provided them with a mobile phone, which he used to call the then U.S. ambassador to The Gambia.
According to him, the ambassador later raised the complaint with former president Jammeh.
Jassey said that about a year and a half later, he was taken to court and sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment with hard labour. He added that after serving six years, he heard that Reverend Jesse Jackson was visiting The Gambia and had secured the release of two American citizens held at Mile 2.
He testified that shortly afterwards he was informed that President Jammeh had pardoned him. He said he was taken by the then justice minister to the airport, where he reunited with his family and travelled with them to the United States.
Jassey said he returned to The Gambia in 2017 following the change of government and was later appointed adviser to the Inspector General of Police.
During cross-examination, defence counsel S.K. Jobe suggested that Jassey had given his statement to police after Manjang had already been arrested and his trial had begun. The witness confirmed giving a statement to police but said he did not know whether the case had already been filed in court at that time.
A statement shown to him in court was identified by the witness as his and was admitted into evidence as Defence Exhibit 1 (DE1).
When asked whether he had been detained in the same cell with other accused persons at Mile 2 Prison, Jassey replied that they were held in separate cells.
He also told the court that he was not tortured by members of the investigation panel itself.
However, he said that one panel member, Foday Barry, had confronted the panel after noticing injuries on his body and demanded that the torture stop. According to Jassey, Barry was later arrested and taken to Mile 2 for making that remark.
Jassey maintained that during the investigation he admitted that Ndure Cham had discussed the alleged coup with him and that he had assisted him to flee the country.
Asked about the judge who presided over his case at the time, Jassey said the matter appeared before several judges and he could not recall any of them. He also said he did not have copies of court documents such as the bill of indictment or judgment.
The witness told the court that he had never known Manjang prior to his arrest in 2006, maintaining that the accused was among the men who tortured him.
Defence counsel Jobe suggested that Manjang had been stationed in Kanilai at the time of the alleged events. Jassey responded that he did not know where Manjang was posted, insisting only that he was among the men involved in his torture.
Following the completion of cross-examination, the court discharged the witness.
The case was adjourned to Friday, April 24, at 9:30 a.m. for the testimony of prosecution witnesses four and five.
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