Buba Baldeh, a Gambian deportee, has been arrested by police for allegedly killing two patients at the Tanka Tanka Psychiatric Hospital. He is being detained by the Gambia police as they launched a murder investigation.

Baldeh, who suffers from a mental illness and was a patient at the hospital, was reported to have killed Essa Waggeh, 26, of Gambisara and Girom Jatta, 36, of Abuko.

He was said to have been deported from Italy last year after a failed asylum bid in that European country.

According to sources when the accused person arrived back in the country it was even difficult for him to shake hands with people.

“We suspected that he was injected by the Italian authorities prior to his deportation. When he started misbehaving, he was taken to Bansang Hospital for medical treatment.”  

The police spokesperson, ASP Lamin Njie, confirmed the arrest and said that the accused was helping the police with their investigation.

“From the information I received I cannot tell whether he has been deported or not. However, I can tell you that both the suspect and the deceased were patients of Tanka Tanka Psychiatric Hospital.

ASP Njie said the incident happened at the hospital during a routine morning warming up exercise for the patients around the fireplace.  

“On this very day, the suspect picked up a fire stick and hit the two deceased persons fatally on their heads. They both died and the suspect was arrested at the scene.”