The investigators of the Gambia’s Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC) have dig up human remains of the executed soldiers of the November 11 attempted coup at Yundum Barracks.

The remains were exhumed after two weeks of digging in an unmarked mass graves at the Yundum Barracks. Eyewitnesses who testified to the Commission had led the investigators to the site of the unmarked mass grave where the executed soldiers were buried after they were tortured and killed allegedly by members of the AFPRC Junta and their orderlies.

Superintendent Thomas R.J. Gomez, the lead investigator, made the presentation of their findings before the Commissioners and family members of the deceased soldiers.

Gomez said that after two weeks of digging in the located site they were able to discover the remains of seven people. He added that the investigation would continue until they discover the remains of the others.

He said the next phase of the investigation was to engage forensic pathologists to help identify the human remains.

Chairman of the TRRC Commission, Dr Lamin Sise, extended his condolences to the bereaved families and described the killings of the soldiers by the junta members as a scar on the Gambia’s conscience.

He said the commission was committed to fulfilling its mandate of investigating the atrocities and human rights violations during the Jammeh era. He added that the commission will be transparent in its work.  

“We couldn’t do this thing in secret, we have to come here and show the family members, show the country what this country went through. If anybody doubts it whether or not people were killed and that they were buried in mass graves, well here is the evidence,” Dr Sise said.

“It is emotional for all of you and emotional for all staff of the TRRC but more emotional for their families and a very heavy burden was put on The Gambia as a whole, for us to come here see the mass grave of Gambians killed and see their remains is not an easy task for anybody.”

The exhumed remains included teeth, skulls, legs, under wears, ropes used to tie them, other small bone fragments.

The executed soldiers on November 11, 1995 were Lieutenant Basirou Barrow, the alleged coup mastermind, Lieutenant Gibril Saye, Lieutenant Abdoulie ‘Dot’ Faal, Sergeant Fafa Nyang and Sergeant Basirou Camara, Cadet Amadou Sillah, Buba Jammeh and several lower ranking soldiers.

They were said to have been tortured and executed at the Yundum and Fajara Barracks as well as at the Lance Corporal Bojang range when their alleged countercoup against the AFPRC Junta was foiled.