By RFIPosted on 16-12-2019Changed on 16-12-2019 at 02:37
Fifteen years ago to the day, the Gambian journalist Deyda Hydara was murdered by strangers behind the wheel of his car. But since the fall of former President Yahya Jammeh, languages have started to loosen.
It was the evening of December 16, 2004, in the Kanifing district of Banjul. Deyda Hydara accompanied two collaborators to their homes, after a birthday reception at the headquarters of her newspaper. Suddenly, a car without a license plate passes it. Several men then unload their weapons on him, killing instantly the most famous journalist in the country, director of the newspaper The Point , correspondent for AFP and Reporters Without Borders, and former president of the Gambian journalists' union.
Very quickly, suspicion fell on the Junglers , a group performing the base tasks of Yahya Jammeh. But no one is talking. And the authorities take the opportunity to cast suspicion on the private life of Deyda Hydara, the official investigation leading nowhere.
But last July, a Jungler, Lieutenant Malick Jatta , publicly confessed to the crime, as well as other abuses. Two others confirm his statements and explain that they obeyed President Jammeh's orders.
But then, two weeks later, the three killers are released on the orders of the Minister of Justice, Abubacarr Tambadou, in order, he says, not to " discourage " those who still want to tell the truth. However, he made it clear that his release did not constitute an amnesty. And according to the son of Deyda Hydara, prosecution could be initiated after the end of the work of the Commission.
But in the meantime, the situation is not easy to manage for the relatives of the murdered journalist. The son of the murdered journalist, Baba Hydara, testifies to their distress.
As in previous years, it is always difficult for our family, because this day of December 16, 2004 always comes back to us ... We know the truth because Malick Jatta, one of the Junglers who was released, was part of the group that murdered my father. He said it all: how they prepared, executed, everything. We released Jatta and two other Junglers, and that's really what we didn't understand. The Ministry of Justice has told us that because of Gambian law, we cannot leave them in detention. It is really difficult.
Baba Hydara
2019-12-14 - By Léonard Vincent
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