Pains of how they got wiped out remain fresh to this day including the ensuing attempt by government to cover-up their brutal killing.
The defunct Daily Observer -then government controlled – ran a full story on its front page splashing photos of personalities Jammeh’s government accused of partnering Ndure Cham in his leaked 2006 plans to unseat the status quo.
The colonel had escaped upon tip-off seeking refuge in Senegal where he had been for years before his capture and subsequently killing.
Investigation was launched into a plot close sources said left Jammeh seething. Arrest were effected with up to six people rounded up some of them top ranked securities chiefs inclusive of then spies’ top dog Daba Marena.
It appeared former president Jammeh had already sanctioned what becomes of the detainees. The erstwhile head of state’s hit men, some of them trained commandos, were assembled and detailed to carry out the execution of the alleged plotters.
A thorough assessment of the would-be victims shows Masireh, Yaya Jammeh’s cousin sister was part of the purported plotters.
To further refresh minds of readers, Ebou Lowe, Daba Marena, Alieu Ceesay, a lady named Julia, Masireh Jammeh and Malangfi Corr were the captives. The latter is the same person who castrated Sana B. Sabally and Sadibou Hydara in their prison cells.
Details of how they came to be mired in the leaked military takeover wasn’t made public.
Typical of Jammeh’s leadership from the outset, the NIA, the country’s feared spies headquarters, issued a bogus dispatch claiming the sextuplets escaped while they were being escorted by armed soldiers on the way to JangJangbureh Prisons as the vehicle somersaulted.
Predictably, the news was received with apprehension amid doubts the pieces doesn’t add up.
True account of what happened will only come to light a month after Jammeh left for exile and some members of his hit-men got apprehended.
As part of a healing process of 22 years of agony, these henchmen have been testifying to dozens of killings they have participated in including what became of Daba Marena and co.
In the narration of Malick Jatta, a key figure of junglers, Daba and the aforesaid five detainees were driven on board a pick up to the thick bushes of Foni were, presumably, Ndongo Mboob was killed by Sanna Manjang on the pretext of being a rebel.
The captives were given heavy escort by the killer squad who were in groups of two namely Micheal Correa, Yusupha Sanneh, Omar Jallow, Bora Colley, Sanna Manjang, Sainey Jammeh, Alieu Jeng, Fansu Nyabally, Tumbul Tamba and Malick Jatta.
Occurring at nigh, Jammeh’s sister was said to be invoking God’s name throughout the journey as they were driven into the shrubs of Foni, the execution site beside a well.
“Sanna Manjang knocked the woman (Jammeh’s cousin) down and the woman was saying “Alhamdulilahi (praise be to God). In her attempt to get up, Manjang fired a pistol on a her head at point blank range,” Malick Jatta , tells a commission probing abuses by Jammeh.
“The other would-be victims would be seated down. then Sainey Jammeh (one of the Junglers) came with Julia and he asked her “what is your name?”, she said “Julia”. I heard this. I will never forget about this because these are things I keep remembering along the time. As they passed us, he (Sainey) gave a shot on the back of the lady and he gave another shot when she tried crawling up. Alieu Ceesay attempted to escape, he got shot that conveyed him into what I believe was a well. They were then thrown into what I believe was a well. The same happened to Corr and Daba,” Malick revealed during a heart-breaking testimony.
