Attorney General and Minster of Justice, Abubacarr Tambedou has vowed that his ministry will prosecute any witness perpetrator found committing ‘perjury’ before the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC).

Baa Tambedou was speaking at a press conference convened at the Ministry of Justice in Banjul on Tuesday.

He described such witnesses as “outrageously dishonest” adding “I will not change that attitude, I will not change my mind about it and I will continue to pursue that policy of aggressiveness.”

Last month, Lamin Senghore alias ‘the assassin’ was arrested shortly after testifying before the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission and charged with ‘perjury’.

Meanwhile, Mr. Tambedou accepted issuing of arrest warrants against witnesses of the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparation Commission except those that tampered with the Commission’s case.

He urged the alleged perpetrators “to help the victims and help this government in our dealings with the victims by telling the truth” adding the government committed not to seeing reoccurrence of “human rights violation in the country.”

He said: “Throughout my consultations with Gambians, I have said this, come forward and speak the truth, potentially benefit from an amnesty or do not come forward with the truth and you will face the consequence in term of persecution.”

“The Gambia will no longer witness human rights violation, it is impossible. What we intend to do through our reforms is to make sure that there is no culture of human rights violation anymore and that there is no culture of impunity when the violations occur,” he assured.

He said the government “will do its utmost to prevent human rights violation and address it if it occurs and provide effective remedy.”

Mr. Tambedou reaffirmed that “I have decided when witnesses are given an opportunity to come before the truth commission to tell the truth so that we can help the victims find answers to all questions that they have, they should be truthful about it.”

Reporting by Adama Makasuba