Ex-president Yahya Jammeh and former vice president Dr Isatou Saidy-Njie have been given a life ban to hold public office for their roles in the massacre of students on 10th and 11th April 2000.

“The Commission, having considered the totality of the evidence, made the following recommendations. The Commission recommends that Yahya Jammeh, as Commander in Chief of The Gambia Armed Forces be prosecuted for all the atrocities he had committed against the students – namely: arbitrary arrests, 38 unlawful detentions, tortures, assaults causing harm, and killings of the demonstrators by reason of the orders and instructions he had given; and failing to investigate and prosecute members of the security forces who committed the violation, and for seeking to seal them from responsibility via the Indemnity Act,” the white paper said.

“The Government accepts the recommendation of the Commission that former Vice President Isatou Njie Saidy, Baboucarr Jatta, and Ousman Badjie be prosecuted for the arbitrary arrests, detentions, tortures, injuries, and killings of the demonstrators. The Government accepts the recommendation of the Commission.

“The Commission recommends that Isatou Njie Saidy be prosecuted and banned from holding public office for a period of 10 years; and that Yahya Jammeh be banned from holding public office for life for their roles in the massacre of the students on 10th and 11th April 2000,” it added.

Reporting by Adama Makasuba