The Minister of Interior has refuted claims made by a former police officer that the UN investigators that visited the country in 2005 were given alcohol and women at the Banjul International Airport.

Last week Babucarr Bah, a former police officer and investigator, made the damning allegations against Yankuba Sonko, who was then the Police Crime Management coordinator, when 50 West African migrants were killed by Gambian paramilitary forces in 2005. 

But Mr Sonko has denied the allegations during his testimony on Tuesday before the TRRC and branded Mr Bah as ‘a big liar’.

“That’s not true. Don’t be surprised that if somebody said members of this Commission were given alcohol – and if you believe in that then it’s obvious.

“Bah is a terrible liar! And these are people that [who] I personally I honoured very well, and they are very respectable,” Mr Sonko told the Commission. 

According to him, he hates lie saying even those he grew up with know him very well that he hates lying.

“I am somebody who hates someone to lie in my presence, I hate natural lie because my biggest enemy is lie,” Mr Sonko said.

His testimony continues…

Reporting by Adama Makasuba