One of the truths that was revealed by the witnesses in the Media session of the TRRC hearing was the adage “what goes around, always comes around”. This adage became a reality in The Gambia as majority of the security officers who participated in the torture and other human rights violations became victims by the system they manifestly defended.

The public officials who ashamedly participated willingly and/or recklessly in the violations of the rights of journalists and other persons became victims of the system they slavishly and hypocritically defended. They were later caught up by the demagogue and brutal rolling wheels of AFPRC/APRC regimes. They were maltreated, used, grinned and dumped by their overlords whose bidding they followed unquestioned.

The Musa Jammehs, Tumbul Tambas, Daba Marenahs, Manlafi Corrs, Yankuba Tourays, FJCs, Massaneh Kintehs, Ensa Badjie, Lang Tombong Tambas and others who have been named as enablers, torturers and killers have ended up been killed or victimized by the regime they worked so hard to maintain and serve. The many young army officers and other security officers have later became inmates of the detention centres and cells they were keeping the journalists in.

By 2016, almost all human rights abusers in uniform, government and in the wider society were also arrested, detained and tortured in the same manner their victims were treated. The truth is, the perpetrators of crimes for Jammeh and the enabling system became victims of Jammeh later on in their lives. The revolving chair of shame and victimization of the Jammeh regime was given to l the enablers, torturers and killers to sit on.

A lesson for security and public officer is that NO one must act beyond the powers, scope and processes of the position and office one controls. Illegality and wrongs have a way of coming back on to the perpetrator. Yaya Jammeh and his regime exiled Gambians, he is now exiled.

By Simon Sabally