Gambia: Apprentice Flogged at Fajara Barracks

APPRENTICE-FLOGGED-AT-FAJARA-BARRACKS
Erstveröffentlicht: 
03.02.2017

Modou Bah, a 19 year old apprentice of a commercial van, has accused a senior military officer of flogging him at Fajara Barracks and inflicting severe injuries on him before his release last week.

 

By Yankuba Jallow

The 19 year old who was unable to walk properly when he visited Foroyaa last week, explains that his driver was driving their van with some passengers on board the vehicle when he had a dispute with this senior officer.

He said subsequently the apprentice was arrested and detained at Fajara Military Barracks on the orders of this officer.

Bah who was accompanied by four men including the driver due to his condition, narrated how he was tortured. The apprentice said he was undressed and ice water poured on him while he was under a mango tree and from there the officer ordered for his continued detention and decreed for no one to release him without his approval.

“On Wednesday, January 25, 2017, around 7pm, the officer came and ordered for my release but before he did so, he treated me badly,” said Bah. Bah told Foroyaa that the officer flogged him while he was laid on a table and inflicting injuries on him.

The officer maintains that he gave him ‘a good hiding to teach him a lesson’ because a 19 year old (the apprentice) insulted a 49 year old (the officer) which is unacceptable in our culture and tradition. The apprentice denied insulting him.

Bah’s driver, Muhammed Touray told this reporter that the boy received treatment at the Serrekunda General Hospital in Kanifing through a police medical report from the Kanifing Police Station. The Kanifing Police Station transferred the case to Tallinding Police Station which has jusrisdiction to handle the case.