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| Emmanuel Joof, Human Rights lawyer |
STATE
HOUSE, BANJUL, 20TH JUNE 2018 - His Excellency, President
Adama Barrow has commissioned with immediate effect a Presidential Inquiry to
independently look into the circumstances that led to the death of civilians in
Faraba Bantang. The membership consists of the following:
1.
Emmanuel
Joof, a renown human rights Lawyer as the Chairperson
2. A
representative of the Ministry of Justice
3. A
representative of the Gambia Bar Association
4. A
representative of the Gambia Armed Forces
5. A representative
of the of the State Intelligence Services
6. A
Representative of Civil society from the Association of Non-Governmental Organizations
- TANGO
Taking into account the need for a speedy dispensation of justice
and accountability, the Committee starts work with immediate effect and has a
duration of one month to submit a comprehensive report to His Excellency, the
President of the Republic.
The Inquiry has been mandated to:
1. Investigate
the circumstances leading to the standoff between the villagers of Faraba
Bantang and the Police Intervention Unit
2. Investigate
the circumstances that led to the injuries and fatalities in Faraba Bantang and
identify the those responsible for the deaths, including those who may have
ordered the firings and those who fired the shots
3. Recommend
measures to prevent a recurrence of the circumstances that led to the stand-off
in Faraba Bantang
4. Recommend
measures to prevent an occurrence of the incident in Faraba Bantang and other
parts of the country
Additionally, the President has given approval for the appointment
of a Coroner to investigate the cause of the deaths as per the Coroners Act,
Cap 7.04, Vol. 2 Laws of The Gambia. The Coroner will work with a pathologist
to establish the facts before the corpses are released to their families.
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