Confirmed breaking news coming out of The Gambia has it that Sheriff Dibba an executive member of The Gambia National Transport Control Association has died in State custody earlier this afternoon in Banjul. Dibba who was arrested and subsequently charged few weeks ago with Economic Crimes has since been under State custody alongside other executive members of the transport association.
The Fatu Network had earlier got unconfirmed reports about the death of Sheriff Dibba since around 11am GMT on Sunday, February 21, 2016, but his family was only informed of his untimely death late Sunday evening around 7PM GMT.
Credible sources within The Gambia Prison Services informed The Fatu Network how panic stricken prison officers started running helter skelter trying to cover up the sudden death of Dibba. However a quick decision was taken to remove Dibba’s dead body from State custody and dumped it at The Bakau Health Centre as a strategy to make the family believe that he died on his sick bed at the hospital.
Although it is still not clear what might have caused the death of Sheriff Dibba, it is common knowledge that The Gambia’s detention facilities are more of a death trap where torture including beatings and other inhumane treatments as well as credible reports of poisoning are all a cocktail mix readily available to be administered on detainees. This is documented even by International Human Rights Organizations.
As it is, Sheriff Dibba still has other colleagues in State custody and there are genuine fears about their well being. The Fatu Network is monitoring the unfolding breaking news from Banjul and we shall continue to update you with the latest details.
