TRRC chairman Dr Lamin J Sise Thursday afternoon removed himself from the testimony of former justice minister Lamin Jobarteh.
“At this point I just want to raise one procedural issue. Section 16, Paragraph 6 of the Act establishing the TRRC does tell the chair or give the chair the duty to preside over these meetings.
“However, it does also give the deputy chair the duty to do so in my absence. This is not a court of law, it is a truth-seeking mechanism. So the question of recusal does not quite rise in the same manner.
“However, we have used it in a few areas, here and there. The witness appearing today is very close to me. I don’t want to continue doing the… and presiding over this meeting at this moment. I thought it wouldn’t get to that point where I have to make a ruling and I don’t want to get involved in that one. So I spoke with the deputy, so she would continue the meeting,” Dr Sise said Thursday afternoon.
It was not immediately clear what made them so close.
The recusal of the chairman came as Jobarteh and Essa Faal constantly wrestled over the execution of nine Mile two inmates. The witness said throughout he was not present when the prisoners were being killed.
