By Lamin Njie
A chilling testimony from a man described as the biggest killer in the November 11, 1994 bloodbath ended with him admitting he is guilty in the killing of as many as eight people.
Alhagie Kanyi from Jarra Sankuya taking the TRRC witness chair on Thursday said it is indeed true that he shot at close to 10 people.
Over a dozen people were killed in brutal fashion on November 11, 1994, all of them soldiers after been accused of trying to overthrow former president Yahya Jammeh’s regime which was only three months old.
“I was instructed to kill them [by] Sanna Sabally and Edward Singhateh and I did Sir. I and Edward fired at them. I was instructed to kill my own brothers, I have no choice,” Kanyi told the TRRC, while giving evidence on the deaths of Sergeants Fafa Nyang and Basiru Camara.
Kanyi whose testimony will be remembered for his non-stop weeping also testified that he was part of the soldiers who shot and killed some soldiers at a forest near Brikama.
“We drove to Nyambai forest like going to Jambur, we went right inside the bush and all the cars packed and the truck came. The cover was removed from their face and taken off the truck. They gave us their back and Sanna Sabally asked them to say their last prayers,” he said.
“But Cadet Sillah said sir if you are to kill us, kill us with help weapon while Buba Jammeh appealed that sir don’t kill us lock us in jail. Sanna gave us order to fire at them and we fired at them.”
Kanyi said soldiers who participated in the masaccre are Lieutenant Sanna Sabally, Lt Edward Singhateh, Lt Yankuba Touray and Lt Sadibu Hyadara both council members and Batch Samba Jallow, Lamin Fatty, colonel Babourcarr Jatta, Private Suso, B Njie, JB Mendy, Baba Njie alias B Njie and Njie Ponkal.
Kanyi, now with the Gambia Immigration Department, said that the soldiers killed at the forest are Lt Gibril Seye, Lamin Darboe, Bakary Manneh, Abdoulie Bah, Cadet Amadou Sillah and Buba Jammeh.
Meanwhile Kanyi said he did not kill Lt Basiru Barrow and Lt Dot Faal.
A witness earlier told the commission it was Kanyi who shot at and killed Barrow and Faal when they were brought to Yundum Barracks.
“Sir, I say no to that. I didn’t shoot anybody. They were completely dead,” Kanyi said.
He however admitted attempting to kill them but the pistol that was handed to him by Batch Samba Jallow had no round.
“When I climbed up to know what is in the vehicle, I saw Basiru Barrow and and Dot Faal. That’s the time Batch Samba Jallow told me that, ‘look at your brother, you the Jarankas you people want to be president. He forced a pistol to me to fire unto Basirou Barrow (sic). Unfortunately for me, when I squeezed the trigget, there was no round there was no noise. Like the pistol was empty. So I get down with the pistol, ” Kanyi said while describing the moment the two severely tortured soldiers were brought to Yundum Barracks in a truck.
