By Adama Makasuba
Three women have detailed how a band of witch hunters and ‘green boys’ stormed their homes and drove with them to Kololi where they were forced to drink a bitter liquid.
In 2009, former President Yahya Jammeh launched a so-called witch hunt campaign after hiring a band of witch doctors guarded by soldiers armed with AK47. The ritualists targeted the poor farming communities and public offices.
The TRRC has taken its public hearings to Jambur, one of the many affected communities.
Lamarana Jallow, Sukai Jallow and Fatou Sowe were among dozens victimized during Jammeh’s 2009 witch hunt.
Lamarana Jallow was unceremoniously picked up by the band of witch hunters and green boys as she was preparing to cook lunch at her house and got bundled on a green bus.
“Some of them were beaten to drink the concoction and the concoction was pounded mixed with water, and what the man advised us was anyone who drank water after drinking the concoction will die but I was unconscious and I was unconscious until in the morning around 10:00am,” Jallow told the TRRC.
“They bundled us in a bus and drove us off to Kololi and when we arrived at the compound they gave us groundnut past and rice and meat (local delicacy) to eat and asked some people to drink concoction. But what they first ordered us to for everybody to handover their properties ranging from mobile phones and money, and I they took 700 dalasi to them.”
“They will hold your hand and give the concoction to drink and they will come for another person, and some people felt down and went unconscious after drink the concoction. Their hands were held by people wearing green-green attire, and anytime they drink the concoction they would felt on the ground,” she added.
Sukai Jallow recalled seeing people looking death while others went conscious after drinking the concoction and ‘I was feeling dizzy and I felt sleep till the next morning , the concoction was bitter because the water mixed with it was not much and I drank a cup and half cup of it.’
A boy from the green-green boys came to me and asked me from last year to this year how many people have you eaten and I replied to him that I had never eaten human being because I am an elderly woman and is only you who accused me of being a witch, I really don’t know why they pointed finger to me and accused me of a witch, she added.
She said ‘they were stripped off naked and a young man was standing there pouring water on you and rubbing it over their body who could even be your grandson but there was nothing we can do.’
And Fatou Sowe a nice to Sukai Jallow said: “The concoction caused me high blood pressure. We were many because if my memory serves me, we were about fifty people, and when were forced to drank the concoction around 5:00pm we all went asleep until the next morning.”
