National Human Rights Commission has issued a statement on Firday saying one of its employees Modou Sowe could not have been the same person as the one mentioned by army major Wassa Camara.
Wassa Camara while appearing before the TRRC stated one Mr Sowe was part of those who interviewed him back in 2006 after his arrest over a March coup plot. Camara said he now understands the man works at NHRC.
NHRC in a statement Friday countered: “It has come to the notice of the National Human Rights Commission that Major Wassa Camara, in his testimony before the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparation Commission on 17th November, 2020, mentioned the name of one Mr. Sowe as part of a panel who interviewed him in 2006 following a foiled coup d’état. That the said Mr. Sowe, he was ‘made to understand’, now works at the Human Rights Commission.
“The Commission, upon the receipt of this information by Major Camara, initiated a quick internal investigation into the matter since it also has a Mr. Sowe as one of its employees. We have found out that the Mr. Sowe who works for the Commission joined the Gambia Police Force in 2012 and thus could not be the same Sowe who was part of the panel that interviewed Major Camara.
“The Commission wishes to assure the public that it does thorough background check and investigation before it employs any person, including their integrity and respect for human rights. The Commission has a mandate to promote and protect human rights in The Gambia and shall ensure at all time that its employees, whether on long or short term basis, interns and volunteers have unblemished human rights record before any contract with them is signed.”
