A Man Called Hell Manager Tortured Me At The NIA-Says Coup Suspect Capt.Yaya Darboe!
Darboe Says Hell Manager Told Him That He Was Brought To The NIA To See Hell Fire...
My Statement Was Obtained Under Duress-He Tells the Military Court!
A devastating and scary revelations emerged at Gambia's military tribunal which was set up to try army coup suspects, as one of the suspects Captain Yaya Darboe said he was brutally tortured by someone calling himself "HELL MANAGER" at the National Intelligence Agency torture chambers. Darboe's testimony which sent shocking waves around the court room confirms earlier reports that the detainees were tortured while in custody. According to Darboe, Hell Manager beat the hell out of him as he told him that he came to see Hell Fire. He told the court that he was in handcuffed after he was dragged into the NIA torture cells where Hell Manager emerges to inform him that he was supposed to deal with him at the torture sessions. Hell Manager worked at the NIA. Prior to the said torture meted out to him, Captain Darboe told the military court that he was also being harassed by his captives while being taken to the NIA. He says he was physically beaten by his captives. The black uniform security men who escorted him according to Darboe insulted him while threatening to deal with him. He says the statement extracted from him was not voluntary and was obtained under duress. Below is a piece published by the Banjul based Point Newspaper. Please read on....
In Alleged 21st March Abortive Coup Hearing
Capt. Yaya Darboe Narrates His Story Again
Wednesday 18th October 2006
By Modou Sanyang & Sarata J. Dibba
Capt. Yahya Darboe, one of the alleged coup plotters currently on court martial, yesterday testified in the Voir Dire to determine the voluntariness of his earlier statement.
In his testimony, Capt. Yaya Darboe told the general court martial that he was arrested on 21st March 2006 at home and taken directly to the Mile 2 central prison. He said at mile 2 he was taken to the confidence room where he was stripped of his clothes and searched, before being taken to the security wing where he was confined to a cell alone.
He further narrated that at around midnight on 22nd March, 2006, he was removed from Mile 2 and taken to the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) office in Banjul. He said on the way to the NIA offices, he was handcuff and placed on a black pickup vehicle where officers wearing black military uniform started insulting and slapping him.
Capt. Darboe added that at the NIA office he was handed to someone who called himself Hell Manager. This officer, he continued, announced to him that he had come to hell fire. He adduced that at the NIA office he was subjected to severe torture, apparently with a view to extracting what pleases them.
Capt. Darboe informed the court martial that his statement was not obtained voluntarily but under severe torture.
Hearing continues on 19th October 2006.