Police officers continue their testimonies before the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC) on former President Jammeh’ infamous 2009 witch-hunt.

The nationwide witch-hunt targeted so-called “witches” and “sorcerers” after the unexplained death of the former president’s aunt and two of his senior protection officers.

The poor, elderly farmers and vulnerable people were often pressurised to confess to being witches and sorcerers.

Ken Mendy, a policeman, told the TRRC on Monday how the so-called witchdoctors forced senior police officers at the Police Headquarters in Banjul to pledge their allegiance to former president Yahya Jammeh by standing over sacrificial pit of a cock under a palm tree.

“These witch-hunters were having a cock and the cock was slaughtered under a palm tree and all the people paraded were taken to this palm tree to swear their allegiance to the president and the IGP was the one leading this process.

“To my knowledge when they do it at that particular moment it was not done on their (own free) will, maybe it was a sacrifice because to kill a cock at the police headquarters and asking the police officers to swear their allegiance is not part of our duties.

“The IGP called me into his office and when I arrived I found four to five men in the traditional (clothes), some were not in shirts and they were having round mirrors, horns and calabash.

“The moment I entered the IGP’s office, one of them pointed the mirror at me and asked me to come towards him and he was moving back as I was moving towards him. They said they didn’t find anything from me. They told the IGP that I am a good person.

“I heard that the alleged witches and wizards were taken to a place in Manjai (for a ritual) bath and then given something to drink.”

The TRRC testimony continues.

Reporting by Adama Makasuba