Special Investigations-Who is Dr Sam? PIU bullets,Coroner's fear-Yahya Jammeh killed the kids!

Special Investigations  mounted by Hammadi Maasinah
 
Introduction:-In this special Investigation the intension is to reveal the other side of the story about the April 10th 2000 bloody incident. A bloody day that has already left a scar on the history of our beloved country The Gambia.  In this piece we will expose more  on the circumstances surrounding the said incident. Therein we will revisit the testimony of Dr Omar Sam a pathologist(at the time) who performed the autopsy tests on those students(and non students like Ousman Barrow) who lost their lives on that day.
Therein we will also give a brief background on Dr Sam's own life history from The Gambia to Australia where he was trained and won awards in his area of competence prior to returning home. Dr Sam as a matter of fact has nothing to be blamed for as far as this heinous crime is concerned, neither can anyone lay any blames on the former coroner Mr Ousman Jammeh along those lines. Both men's names are featuring in this report because they performed their duties as professionals in the most diligent way one ever imagine. However, history has already made them ever lasting witnesses with reference to a crime that was committed by a killer-state under President Yahya Jammeh. It is not their choice,it is a historical fact they cannot escape anymore.
First let us relay what our findings gathered on Dr Omar Sam's professional life history:
Part A:
Our Gambian Connection
From PathCentre, Western AustraliaIn March 1992, PathCentre's C.E.O., Dr. Keith Shilkin (then Head of Histopathology at SCGH) received a letter from France, which was to alter dramatically the life of a young Gambian doctor, Dr Omar Sam. The letter was from Professor Bruce Armstrong, the Deputy Director of the World Health Organisation's International Agency for Research on Cancer (Professor Armstrong was at one time W.A.'s Commissioner for Health). One of Professor Armstrong's tasks was to oversee a major research project in The Republic of The Gambia, evaluating the effectiveness of vaccination against the Hepatitis B virus in the prevention of primary liver cell cancer (hepatocellular carcinoma Ð HCC).
The Gambia unfortunately boasts one of the world's highest incidence rates of HCC, which is known to be causally associated with Hepatitis B virus infection of the liver. The Gambia Hepatitis Intervention Study as it is known, is a non-randomised controlled trial of 124,000 Gambian children who are being followed for up to 40 years, and who will be monitored for the development of HCC throughout their lives. The proper conduct of this study requires accurate histopathological diagnosis of HCC and accurate cancer registration facilities, and herein was the WHO's and The Gambia's dilemma.
The pathology services at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Banjul, Gambia's capital, were being provided by a retired former head of pathology, and there were no trained pathologists in the nation.Professor Armstrong saw the need to bolster Gambia's pathology services, and sought Dr. Shilkin's assistance to train a young Gambian doctor in pathology. The Gambian Health Department had identified Dr. Sam as a willing and suitable person for this task. Dr. Shilkin readily accepted Prof. Armstrong's proposition and determined that The Gambia would be best served by having Dr. Sam formally enrolled into the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia (RCPA) five year Fellowship training programme. Thus, on the 28th March 1993, Dr. Sam, supported by a W.H.O. Fellowship, was warmly welcomed into the SCGH Histopathology Department, and later PathCentre, as a pathology Registrar and a registered trainee of the RCPA.
 
Dr O Sam,  and colleagues like Mr M Platten, Dr W Erber, Dr D Spagnolo were nominated winners during the  24th Annual Scientific Meeting of the Australasian Division of the International Academy of Pathology, in Sydney, 1998. The event marked what they called "Utility of tyramide enhanced detection of CD5 and CD23 in paraffin sections, in the diagnosis of malignant small B-cell lymphoproliferative disorders"  Dr Omar Sam will remember this event when he reads this special investigation on his professional life. Next is Dr Sam himself testified before the Coroner Mr Ousman Jammeh,to be followed with a brief background on Ousman Jammeh himself.
 
 
Part B:-Testimony of Dr Omar Sam, pathologist at the RVH:
Dr Sam said he conducted 8 autopsies on April 11 and another one on April 22 relating to Ousman Sabally at Kerewan Samba Sireh, CRD. This he said, was as a result of the request from the Coroner. He added that not all bodies have been identified; that there is still one body which is not yet identified.

He told the Coroner that he conducted autopsy on Momodou Lamin Njie; Calisco Priera; Karamo Barrow; Reginald Carrol; Omar Barrow; Momodou Lamin Chune; Lamin A. Bojang and Ousman Sabally. He performed the following tests on the deceased persons: X-rays, blood test, urine test, external examination, systematic internal examination and special test. He told the Coroner that he undertook all four stages.

Upon the request of the Coroner, he went on to explain his findings as follows:

1. MOMODOU LAMIN NJIE:
X-Ray showed fracture of the right ribs.
External examination showed that he was 145 centimetres tall.
First wound: Collar bone.
Second wound: Ribs
Internal Examination: Amputation of the left pulmonary artillery.

He attributed the cause of death to massive haemorrhage from the perforating wounds of the left lung, injury to the aorta from a gun shot and penetration through two rib cages.
He said further that from experience these wounds can only be caused by gun shots; that it is only a modern weapon that can cause this and that the extent of tissue damage including dislodged fractures can only be caused by a high velocity weapon.

Asked whether there is any basic difference between rubber bullets and live bullets, he said that rubber bullets cause minimal abrasion; that live bullets damage soft tissues. He said further that in this case, it was only a high power and high velocity live bullet which caused the multiple wounds.

QUESTION: So, the cause of death is a live bullet?
ANSWER: Yes.

CROSS EXAMINATION
Kitimo Njie, uncle of Momodou Lamin Njie, asked why parents were not allowed to see the bodies before autopsy. In response, Dr Sam said that this was a forensic postmortem requested by the Inspector General of Police [Rex King], with the authorisation of the Coroner and not a medical postmortem for which they would have been directly responsible.

2. CALISCO PRIERA:
According to Dr Sam, his body shows fractures at the cage rib at the back.
External examination shows that he was a male teenager; that two external wounds were evident. One at the region of the cage rib at the back and the other at the front rib. Cause of death was rupture of the heart and massive haemorrhage due to gun shot wounds in the thorax.

Calisco's mother, Mrs Ann Marie Therese Ndey-Sonko asked whether it was a live bullet that killed her son. The Coroner indicated that was what the conclusion of the doctor.

3. KARAMO BARROW:
According to Dr Sam, Karamo, the X-Ray showed fractured rib; that two fresh wounds were identified on the chest.

Cause of death: Penetrating chest wound with perforation of right lung and massive haemorrhage due to gun shots.

Asked by the Coroner why are the bullets not lodged in the body, Dr Sam said it was because of the high velocity of the bullets, but that there is a case of a lodged bullet.

Bassirou Barrow, father of the deceased said he wanted to know whether a live bullet or a rubber bullet killed his son. In response, the pathologist said that the features he had seen are characteristics of live bullets.

4. REGINALD CARROL:
Dr Sam told the Coroner that the X-Ray was unfortunately poor; that he identified two wounds on the chest - one on the right mid chest and the other at the left lower chest.

Cause of death: Massive haemorrhage from perforating wounds of right lu ng, heart, liver and stomach as a result of gun shot wounds.

The Coroner enquired about wounding agents. Dr Sam said that the wounding agent is a high velocity single bullet; that the entry was from back to the front.
He also indicated that some aspect of bleeding was controlled through earlier surgery.

The Coroner asked whether it would have been possible to save his life. Dr Sam said that the facilities are not available at the RVH. He finally indicated that the characteristics are the result of live bullets.

5. OMAR BARROW:
Dr Sam said that the X-Ray was difficult to print, but that it did not affect the examination; that four wounds were found on him - two on the right upper arm and two on the chest.

Cause of death: Massive haemorrhage from injury of heart, lung and major blood vessels in the right arm and chest.

The Coroner asked what the cause of the fatal injury is. Dr Sam said that the entry is the cause of a live bullet.

6. MOMODOU LAMIN CHUNE:
Dr Sam disclosed that Momodou Lamin Chune had a wound on the chest which he identified. He indicated that there was a tear in the right artery. The doctor showed the bullet from the body of the deceased which was tendered as exhibit. He further indicated that the penetration of the bullet measured 20-25 mm.

7. LAMIN A. BOJANG:
Dr Sam said he could identify a grazing of 55mm in the skull of Lamin Bojang; that there was a fracture in his skull which measures 320 x 120mm.
Mr Abdoulie Bojang, father of the deceased asked the doctor whether there was any attempt for a surgical operation on his son. Dr Sam said that he was not aware since the death of Lamin was a sudden one.

8. OUSMAN SABALLY:
Dr Sam said two wounds were identified in the chest - on the right 70mm and the other side 65mm in the chest cavity. He further said that there was a < B>tear in the right diaphragm.

9. THE UNIDENTIFIED BODY
Dr Sam indicated that he personally did the identification of the body before the postmortem took place He further indicated that the body was 1.4 metres in length and that there was a wound on the thigh which measured 40X25mm; that it was 100mm above the knee.
 
He said at the time, the postmortem had to be done due to the following reasons: refrigeration problems; that people who lost their children were waiting impatiently; that the IGP requested for the body to be postmortem because of the need for death certificate.
 
Dr Sam finally submitted that the victim died because of the injuries due to the massive haemorrhage. He said the victim might have been in a sitting or lying posture. He said the wound could only be caused by a high velocity live bullet.
 

 
Part C:-
Who is Mr Ousman Jammeh?
Mr Jammeh once served as Master of the courts in Banjul under the Jammeh regime. He is one of those legal experts in The Gambia who has served his country to the best of his ability. Mr Jammeh is known to be calm,humble and dedicated to his duties. He also like many of his colleagues has been subjected to the humiliation of President Jammeh's line of hirings and firings without reasons. Mr Jammeh was appointed to serve as the coroner regard the state-sponsored crime we are investigating on herein. Mr Jammeh after serving as a coroner was not honoured by the state in question. Most likely his report was not in line with what the state expected. It is widely believed that Jammeh and his wife Fatou Tiana-Marenah Jammeh were no longer trusted by the Yahya Jammeh regime because of the way things were revealed during the coroner's inquest. His wife Mrs-Jammeh used to work at the department of state for foreign affairs as Senior civil servant. To the surprise of many she was ejected by the same regime for undisclosed reasons. Mrs-Jammeh worked at the British embassy in Banjul for a while before joining her husband who was offered a job outside the territory of The Gambia. As far our investigations ca reveal the couple are yet to be in the good books of the Jammeh regime.
Next we will reveal other documents and leads holding the Jammeh government responsible of more serious economic crimes and/or the abuse of human rights.
We are are current investigating the massacre of the Ghanaians in The Gambia likewise other atrocities to reveal newer details that what has already been shared with our esteemed readers.