The Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Abubacarr Tambadou, has reassured the victims of former president Yahya Jammeh’s regime that he will put their interests above all else in his pursuit of justice on their behalf.

Mr. Tambadou made this statement at a meeting with members of the Gambia Centre for Victims of Human Rights Violations last Friday.

The meeting was held after an outcry by victims of former president Yahya Jammeh following the release of four soldiers, all were members of paramilitary hit squad, the Jungulers, who had confessed to being involved in several high profile killings and assassinations.

The Justice minister conceded that he took the decision to recommend for the release of the Junglers ” in the interest of victims and the nation”.

Mr. Tambedou said the soldiers who had confessed to their participation in extrajudicial killings had helped their victims’ families with information about the perpetrators of those abuses and those who ordered the killings.

He said if perpetrators did not come forward and owned up to their crimes, the victims’ families would never have known what had happened to their loved ones who were brutally killed by the former regime.

“If we continue to detain witnesses that will discourage others from coming forward to testify before the TRRC and that would deny other families the opportunity to know the truth surrounding the death of their loved ones. The TRRC is established for all victims. I do not want to leave anyone behind,” said the Justice minister.

He told the victims that if they had arrested witnesses like Alagie Kanyi, Sanna Sabally, Alagie Martin, other alleged perpetrators would not have come forward to testify, adding that witnesses’ testimonies have helped the country a great deal to know what actually had happened during the Jammeh reign of terror.

Mr. Tambadou said the Jungulers have provided vital information on many high profile atrocities and killings that the former regime had denied any involvement in.

He said: “These junglers have been under detention for two and a half year with some of them coming out to speak the truth before the TRRC while others refuse to speak the truth.

“If we treat those who tell the truth and those who did not the same way, then those who want to say the truth will now refuse to do so.”

The Justice minister clarified that the recommendation to release the Jungulers was not an amnesty, “even though there are benefits for those who spoke the truth before the TRRC”.

He urged Gambians not to allow a repeat of what they fought against, saying that he does not want to over step boundaries by continuing to detain the Jungulers because they have rights.

“No matter what atrocities people commit, they still have rights (under the law).”

Mr. Tambadou appealed to the victims to understand his ministry’s decision, saying the TRRC is still ongoing and they cannot prosecute witnesses while the Commission is still investigating human rights abuses and atrocities by the Jammeh regime.

He disclosed that he is one of the pioneers who advocated for the establishment of The Gambia Centre for Victims of Human Rights Violations.

The National Coordinator of The Gambia Center for Victims of Human Rights Violations, Adama Jallow, expressed disappointment over the deciding to release the four confessed killers.

Mr. Jallow told the Justice minister that he should have consulted with victims and other stakeholders before releasing the Jungulers on bail.

He said the victims understood the minister’s position but did not agree with the decision to release the four Junglers.

The freed Jungulers are Lieutenant Malick Jatta, Staff Sergeant Omar Jallow aka ‘Oya’, Staff Sergeant Amadou Badjie and Warrant Officer Class 1 (WOC1) Pa Ousman Sanneh.