Imam Basiru Drammeh of Latrikunda German mosque has blasted “unscrupulous imams” defending female genital mutilation.

He becomes the second imam to publicly denounced female genital mutilation amid a tense debate on a proposed bill that seeks to decriminalise the practice. The FGM ban introduced by the Jammeh regime in 2015.

According to Imam Drammeh, female circumcision is “cruel” while describing the practice as a century long deep-rooted practice.

“The problem is when it was initially introduced. So, when these Arabs came and some of the leaders of the communities entered Islam. One of the things that they negotiated was ‘they would not leave their cultural practice’. That’s why it is very difficult for those who are not profoundly trained in Islam to know this has been here even before Islam.

“But for the reason why Islam accepts it is because it resonates with Islam. So, that’s why these unscrupulous imams…they would do anything just to please some evidence that is not accepted by most of these celebrated scholars in the Islamic literature. 

“This is your responsibility for you the women to say no to (FGM). You have to stand and say no to this practice. All of you should stand and tell Barrow that this will not happen,” he told a group of women who were celebrating International Women’s Day.

Reporting by Adama Makasuba