The nephew of former president Yahya Jammeh has claimed that HIV/AIDS patients who sought medication at Jammeh’s alternative treatment programme were cured.

Ansumana Jammeh, who was a member of the alternative treatment programme team, was testifying before the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC) on Tuesday. His role in the treatment programme was handing prescribed medication as well as massaging patients.  

In 2007, former Gambian leader Yahya Jammeh stunned the world after he claimed to have a cure for HIV/AIDS and that he could cure the virus with bananas, spiritual grains and other herbs.  

Despite the dismissal of the authenticity of his proclaimed cure for the virus by the World Health Organisation and international bodies, his self-proclaimed treatment programme attracted dozens of people including Gambians and non-Gambians.

 “They were cured. Yes, they were cured and believe it that they were cured. They were many, I can’t remember all of them,” Ansumana told the truth commission.

Counsel Essa Faal however said: “you told us there were many, you only gave us three people whom you claimed to have cured of the virus disease.”

Ansumana could only list three people, saying he couldn’t remember all of the patients’ names citing “Yes, because this happened long ago.”

Reporting by Adama Makasuba