Former Gambian President, Yahya Jammeh’s Orderly, Yusupha Sanneh was on December 4 arrested at his New York City apartment by U.S security officials. No one at that point knew why Sanneh was being nabbed after having been in this country for three years already – he absconded during an official trip to New York with the ex-Dictator.
It didn’t take long before speculations dominated social media as to the reason for Yusupha’s legal trouble. By this time, a mugshot of him was already posted on the website: mugshots.com. One version claimed that he was arrested in connection to the murder of former Gambia Intelligence chief, Daba Marena whose killing is believed to be ordered by Jammeh.
An investigation by this paper can authoritatively report that Yusupha’s arrest emanated from a totally different case. Sanneh’s arrest came about as a result of testimony he gave in one Fatou Jarrol’s asylum case. Readers who have not followed Gambian news, especially during the time of Dictator Jammeh, may not have an idea as to who Fatou Jarrol is.
Fatou Jammeh, also known as Fatou Jarol was whisked away to the United States by Yahya when he discovered that he had impregnated her. Fatou’s education in Taiwan was paid by him but anyone who worked at the State House knew this was no ordinary friendship and Fatou was not in a happy relationship with her benefactor either.
The repeated rapes she endured was the rumor no one wanted to be associated with because of the consequences attached to such a revelation – people have lost their lives under Jammeh just on suspicion of being the source of some bad press coverage.
When Fatou arrived in the U.S, she first bounced between homes – all in an effort to shield her identify and hide her presence here.
However, Gambia being a small country and everyone pretty much related, word soon went around that she was in fact here and that her trip was meant to sweep a political bombshell under the rug.
At first she wanted to quietly have the baby but then the course of events failed to give her the cover she needed. During medical tests, it was discovered that her unborn baby showed signs of Down syndrome. Jammeh himself is believed to be suffering from Down syndrome and his erratic mood swings were as a result of this condition. Doctors recommended an abortion which she reluctantly did.
Whatever happened between Jammeh and Fatou still remains a mystery but one thing is certain – the relationship soured and she ultimately filed for political asylum in the United States. Asylum processes require a lot of compelling proofs of fear of persecution upon return to the home country. It was during this process that Yusupha basically calmly walked out of a hotel he was staying with Jammeh during an official trip and disappeared into the shadows of the New York skyline.
Fatou provided Sanneh’s name to the U.S authorities handling her asylum case as one of the people who have extensive knowledge of the abuses meted out on her by Yahya. United States as it turns out does take eye-witness testimonies in such cases very seriously, especially if the witness is a potential accomplice or accessory to crime.
This triggered investigations into his past which is beginning to lead authorities into all kinds of crimes under Yahya and word on the street is that he is not the only person being sought but a whole group of ex-Jammeh security personnel and “Jungulars” who are currently residing in the U.S.
This net according to people familiar with the case who wish to remain anonymous, is getting wider and wider and more arrests will follow once these individuals, most of whom already know that they are being hunted and are hiding, are located.
Fatunetwork is digging for more details as we speak.
