Pap Baboucarr Saine, managing editor and co-founder of The Point newspaper, has said that Deyda Hydara was killed by the Jungulars (hit squad) of former president Yahya Jammeh.

Mr Saine was testifying before the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission on Thursday July 18.

“It’s a fact with no doubt that it was the Jungulars who killed Deyda (Hydara). It was Jammeh’s men who killed Deyda Hydara,” Mr Pap Saine said.

“Deyda Hydara was shot in the head and chest at the late hours of the night of December 16, 2004. A total of three bullets were taken from his body.

“At the RVTH hospital I saw his body brought in and I was crying uncontrollably. A nurse comforted me and asked me to join her in the guard room as it wasn’t safe for me.”

He said Deyda was shot alongside two of his colleagues (Nyang Sarang Jobe and Ida Njie) one of whom sustained serious leg injury.

He described Deyda as a humble and generous man. He said Deyda seemed to have had a prescient feeling of the end of his life and was said to be unhappy with the 13th anniversary of the founding of The Point newspaper.

“Deyda told me that he was not feeling happy on the day of his killing. ‘I don’t like the number 13, it’s not a good number’ he said to me while we were waiting to see the U.S ambassador.”

He said when he received the news of Deyda’s killing he was shocked and had a panic attack. “When I heard about the death of Deyda I fainted,” he added.

Mr Saine said he was later called to the Police headquarters in Banjul for questioning, adding that he was questioned by the then Police public relations officer, Aziz Bojang, for 8 hours.

He said he was questioned about the death of Deyda Hydara and his relationship with the slain journalist.

He added that the police interrogation felt like an attempt to frame him in the death of his colleague.

Mr Saine said he was summoned again to the NIA after his initial interrogation by the Police PRO, Aziz Bojang.

He said the government investigation into the death of Deyda Hydara was a ploy to deflect attention from the government and used it to smear the reputation of the slain journalist.

Meanwhile, he said the government of President Adama Barrow has issued an arrest warrant against Colonel Sanna Manjang and Kawsu Camara alias Bombardier.

Kawsu Camera and Sanna Manjang are currently at large.

The TRRC sitting continues.

Reporting by Adama Makasuba