‘Jammeh Ordered the Discontinuation of Koro Ceesay’s Murder Investigation’: TRRC Winess
The then Officer Commanding (OC) of Serious Crime Unit of The Gambia Police Force, Muhammed L.K. Bojang has told the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission that he was asked to discontinue the investigations into the alleged murder of former Finance Minister, Ousman Koro Ceesay.
Bojang testified that the order to discontinue the investigation came through the then Police Inspector General, F.R.I. Jammeh who according to him, told a close friend that he was instructed by then military junta leader Yahya Jammeh.
Bojang said he was shocked upon receiving the information, saying he had the desire to investigate Koro’s death.
“I thought I was coming to prove my case beyond the shadow of the doubt. So when the Chairman said ‘close the file’, I collapsed. I was working according to order.”
He told the TRRC that he had strong conviction that Koro Ceesay was murdered, adding that the information from the junta that he died in a car accident was false. Bojang testified that as an investigator at the time, he visited the ground where Koro was reported to have died from the alleged accident, and realised that “the vehicle could not have been burnt as stated because some parts are untouched by fire, like the number plate.”
“Even if fire had caught the vehicle, logically Koro would have opened the door and leave,” he told the TRRC.
Bojang said by the time the investigation was abruptly closed, he already gathered some useful information about the mysterious death of Koro. “I can tell you that the information I received were accurate and that this man was brutally killed and brought to the road and they put all forms of liquid on him and the car and burnt it. KoroCeesay was killed somewhere and they came to cook their plan and my information was that Yankuba Touray had taken his family from his house,” Bojang alleges.
“My suspects are Peter Singhatey, his brother Edward Singhatey, Yankuba Touray and then their bodyguards.”
Bojang was eventually retired from the police. He testified that he handed the incomplete case file of Koro’s death to his successor, Superintendent Tumani Sanyang. He said the file contained the narrations of the investigations into Koro’s death.
He said when the TRRC was set up, he personally went to the police headquarters in Banjul to request for the file but the police couldn’t find them.
Muhammed L.K. Bojang was born in Sukuta on the 1st of January 1942 and joined The Gambia Police Force in 1967. He’s currently the Paramount Chief of The Gambia.
On February 28, ex-soldier Alagie Kanyi gave a chilling testimony at the TRRC of how Koro Ceesay was bludgeoned to death by a group of soldiers under the supervision of former junta member Edward Singhateh and his brother, Peter Singhateh.
