Momodou Badjie, the national security adviser of President Barrow, has been accused of human rights abuses including torture and extra-judicial killing during the Jammeh era.

The former lieutenant colonel was named during Thursday’s hearing at the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission as one of the senior officers who overseen the brutal crackdown of a group of mutinous soldiers on November 11, 1994 and their summary executions without due process.  

Sait Darboe, a former private soldier and an eyewitness during the infamous November 11 massacre, accused Momodou Badjie of being one of the senior officers who sanctioned the death of the November 11 mutineers.

He alleged that Lt Col Momodou Badjie, the current National Security Adviser to President Barrow, was present with other junta leaders including Lt Edward Singhateh, Lt Sana Sabally, Lt Sadibou Hydara, Lt Yankuba Touray, during the extra-judicial killings.

“During the killings he was there and he could have stopped them, at that time he was a senior officer. They were standing allowing these people killing them.”

The executed officers were named as Lt Basirou Barrow, Lt Dot Faal, Bakary Manneh, Cadet Amadou Sallah, Lt Abdoulie Bah, Sergeant Fafa Nyang, Lt Gibril Saye, Sergeant E.M Ceesay, Alieu Bah, Lamrana Jallow and Sir Jackal.

Sait Darboe claimed that all the soldiers with the exception of Lt Basirou Barrow, Lt Dot Faal and Sergeant Fafa Nyang were taken to the Brikama firing range were they were executed in the presence of the AFPRC Junta leaders.  The remains of the soldiers were taken to Yundum Barracks and buried in a mass grave.

Darboe said Lt Basirou Barrow, Lt Dot Faal and Sergeant Fafa Nyang were killed at Yundum Barracks.

“Lt Barrow was shot dead while Lt Dot Faal was bayonetted. Their corpse were left on an open military truck.  I saw the remains of Lt Barrow and Lt Dot Faal with swollen heads and bleeding from the mouths and noses.

“They were killed with bayonets and not gun shots. It was dirty killing man. The wounds were that of bayonets. I am a soldier I can tell the difference. They had a terrible death.”

Darboe’s accusation is the latest in a series of allegations against Badjie by witnesses at the TRRC. Last week veteran politician, Lamin Waa Juwara, accused Badgie of torture during his detention in 1994 at the Janjanbureh Prison for opposing the AFPRC Junta.

Another witness had also accused Badgie of being present during the purge of mutinous soldiers opposed to the Jammeh government. Badjie had robustly denied the allegations and claimed that he was not present during the event as he was at his post in Mansakonko as divisional commissioner.