By: Christian Conteh
Centre for Victims of Human Rights Violations in The Gambia (Victims’ Centre) has expressed outrage at the decision of the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC) to recommend for governments consideration and final approval the granting of amnesty to Sanna Sabally Former Vice Chairman of the 1994 Junta Government.
At a recent press conference held at its office, the centre urges the government to reject the amnesty recommendation.
The TRRC last week revealed that it had granted Sabally, a former army lieutenant amnesty on the grounds that he had been truthful during his testimony before the commission and he himself had been a victim of the Jammeh government.
The victims however hold the view that Sabally’s crime of killing 11 soldiers qualifies as a crime against humanity and therefore granting him amnesty is in contravention of the TRRC Act.
Reading the statement on behalf of the victims, Muhammed Sandeng said:
“Families of victims of November 11th, 1994, together with other victims of crimes against humanity during the regime of Yahya Jammeh and a coalition of Gambian organisations condemn in the strongest possible terms the approval of an amnesty for former AFPRC Vice-Chairman Sanna Sabally by the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC) Amnesty Committee and Commissioners and urges the Gambia Government, through the Minister of Justice, to disregard this recommendation.”
The TRRC report found Sanna Sabally, Edward Singhateh, Yankuba Touray and Yahya Jammeh responsible for the torture, assault, beatings, and extrajudicial killings of the 11 GNA soldiers and the torture, beatings, arbitrary and unlawful detention of five private soldiers. Sanna Sabally was also found responsible for subjecting numerous people to human rights violations.
“The announcement of amnesty comes as a shock to the victims given that according to Section 19 (3) of the TRRC Act, Sanna Sabally SHOULD NOT qualify for amnesty because the crimes he committed form part of crimes against humanity. This, therefore, renders the “approval” illegal and thus should not be acted on by the government,” the victims say.
The TRRC however insist that Sanna had not only been very truthful during the hearings but has also been remorseful. It reports that he had even participated in reconciliatory attempts. The TRRC also considered the fact that the former Junta Government Vice-Chairman had served a considerable number of years in prison.
