According reports reaching The Fatu Network, there is an ongoing pandemonium in Mile 2 and many prisoners are being tortured as we speak. The situation is so dire, even authorities at the Ministry of Interior are worried about some of the inmates losing their lives. According to a source among the guards, the mayhem came as a result of discovery of cannabis in the possession of few inmates.
True to form, instead of carrying out a thorough and diligent investigation, prison authorities gave orders for all inmates to be severely tortured until they reveal the source of the illegal substance. As if beating the inmates mercilessly in their cells is not enough, they are being herded to the beach and tortured, part of which according to one source is “digging of grave and telling the prisoners they will just be buried there should they die during their torture” – all in an effort to “force them to confess.”
The conditions in Mile 2 have been the subject of intense International scrutiny culminating in the revisit by the UN Special Rapporteurs to monitor the prison conditions without success – the regime backed out of an agreed framework at the last minute, after the monitors having flown all the way to Banjul to do their job.
Since the refusal of access to the UN team, Fatu Network has been inundated with a steady stream of disturbing reports from insiders of this notorious prison detailing the worsening nature of conditions. Prisoners being chained to doors, denied food, beaten into coma, left in unsanitary conditions, given unhealthy food are all part of the routine, resulting to many deaths. As late as December 15, 2015, Fatu Network reported on the case of one Sunkari Kanteh and two other accomplices who were incarcerated on an ongoing murder case from Basse. All three died in the Main Yard wing of the prison as a result of the ill treatments they received from the guards.
This report has heightened concern among Journalists who are keeping an eye on Alagie Ceesay, the manager of the independent radio station called Taranga FM, who is there on charges described by activists and human rights groups as bogus and intimidation related. According to sources, Alagie is very sick and his condition is worsening as we speak. His next court date is January 28, 2016. The conditions in the prison are so bad according to reports; this prison is essentially a death trap.
Monday has been scheduled by the prison for more tortures to illicit confessions according to a guard insider who wishes to remain anonymous for fear of being tortured too for talking to the media.
We will keep monitoring the situation.
