The lead council at the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC, Essa Mbaye Faal said he has no reason to apologize to Imam Muhammed Lamin Touray, president of Supreme Islamic Council following his rigorous questioning of the leaders of the religious body.
Faal was speaking to The Chronicle following images of him and the imam were shared on social media platforms with the captions that he went to apologize to Touray.
“I was on a TRRC mission that I went to him and that mission was accomplished. That mission has nothing to do with apologising anybody, I have no reasons to apologise to Imam Touray or anybody else,” Faal reacted.
The TRRC is investigating the human rights atrocities under the Jammeh as well as the institutions and individuals who were believed to have been complicit in such abuses. Several people including Imam Baba Leigh, Imam Ba Kawsu Fofana and the son of Sheriff Muhideen Hydara have accused the Supreme Islamic Council leaders including Touray and Imam Abdoulie Fatty for orchestrating their victimisations during Jammeh’s administration.
The two scholars had appeared before the commission to respond to the allegations. But the questioning style adopted by Faal on Fatty has created a backlash on himself from the majority of the population of the country’s biggest religion.
“I have heard some criticism directed towards me, but you see these things don’t bother me. In Gambia, it is like this, if I don’t touch your man you clap, if I touch your man you throw stones. This is how it is in The Gambia, so this does not bother me,” Faal told Chronicle.
He said there is no need to offer Imam Touray an apology, arguing that Touray himself has admitted to acting illegally and unlawfully.
“Supreme Islamic Council’s Mr. Touray had made interesting revelations at the Commission. He has accepted that they were acting illegally and unlawfully, so my purpose has been served,” Lead Council Faal, submitted to Chronicle.
He added: “It is false, it is not true and Imam Touray and his people did not even circulate that information. Somebody showed the picture and posted it online with a false statement which is a lie.”
