By Wally Omar
The Imam of Jamburr village Omar Bojang who was a victim of 2009 witch-hunt today gave testimony to the truth commission about the incident which took place ten years ago.
Bojang was among several people from that village who were arrested and detained at government detention centers accused of being witches and wizards.
In 2009, following the death of former president Jammeh’s aunt, Jammeh hired six witch-doctors from Guinea to hunt witches and wizards in the country.
In today’s hearing at the village Imam Bojang told the truth commission that the witch-hunters were accompanied to the village by a soldier called Solo Bojang.
The witch-hunters arrived in the the village square in the midst of drumming with the ritualists dressed in red outfits and wielding cow horns. The witch-hunters told the villagers that they were in the village to pray but later requested to be taken to the village cemetery.
At the cemetery, the witch-doctors slaughtered red cock and red goat; the cock was buried but the goat was put in to the car.
Fifty-eight-year-old Omar Bojang narrated that the event coincided with the death of her mother. He was however not spared ritualists walked in to his house with drums and ransacked his room and other rooms.
“In my bathroom they left a stone which I stand when taking bath and remove juju, saying that juju was the reason why village was not progressing.
“I was told by the witch-hunters to go with them to the village square and the two visitors from Senegal were also talking along with me. At the village Bantaba we were asked to sit on the floor and they went in to the village to search for others .
“Sixty-two people were arrested from Jamburr and were taken to a government detention center where we were forced to drink concoction,” Imam Bojang said.
Imam Bojang said even before the witch-hunt he was a victim of Jammeh. Following
Jammeh’s election victory in 2001; while he relaxing at village Bantaba green youths attacked and beat him.
He said his younger brother who was a police had advised him to report the matter to police and the matter was taken to Brikama Police Station, however police didn’t take any step in the matter.
The attack he said was politically motivated because he was accused of not supporting former President Jammeh.
