UPPER SALOUM ARRESTEES ALLEDGE BEING WHIPPED Police Deny Allegation
Author: Publisher | Date: 25-07-11 | Topic: National News

Following the publication by this paper of the land dispute that
erupted on Saturday, 2nd July 2011, between villages of Bunting and
Njau in the Upper Saloum District of Central River Region of the
Gambia and which led to the hospitalization of one Omar Jaw and the
arrest of sixteen others, this reporter was informed by seven of those
arrested that they were seriously beaten by the Officer Commanding
(O/C) of Kaur Police station.
According to seven of those who were arrested namely; Babou Jaw,
Masillah Jaw, Kodeh Jaw, Badou Jaw, Papa Bittaye, Baboucar Ceesay, and
Alasan Sillah, they were first taken to Njau Police Station following
their arrest and later transferred to Kaur Police Station.

They claimed that upon their arrival at the Kaur Police Station, they
met with O/C Mboob who later requested for three sticks to be brought.
They said he then ordered for them to be whipped one after the other
on their buttocks and that they sustained injuries on their buttocks
as a result of the beatings.
Talking to this reporter at his residence in Njau village, Masillah
Jaw said he was both shocked and disappointed when he was being
whipped by the O/C. He said if he were to suffer any degrading
punishment from any person his place of redress would have been the
police. He said if the police who are supposed to provide protection
for people against aggression are the ones who perpetrate such violent
assaults then who is safe?
He asked: “if the act emanates from a senior police officer such as an
O/C where then could one turn to in order to lodge complaints? He said
that this is the reason why they turned to Foroyaa to find out whether
it is lawful for anyone in custody who has not done anything to the
police to be whipped.
Jaw said after the beating, he went to Kaur Health Centre and was
diagnosed as a patient suffering from general body pain and
lacerations on his skin particularly his hands which he said he
utilised at some point to prevent the lashes from touching his
buttocks.
Baboucar Ceesay also narrated similar experiences but said he has left
everything in the hands of God because he cannot take a Police O/C to
the police station and lodges complaint.
This reporter was shown a health Centre ticket which bears Masillah
Jaw’s name with registration number 0008565.
When contacted by this reporter on the alleged torture of the seven
men by the O/C they said they have met on arrival at the Kaur Police
Station, the Police Public Relation Officer, ASP Yorro Mballow denied
the allegation and said it is not true.

Editor’s Note
Section 21 of the Constitution states that ”No one should be subject
to torture or inhuman degrading punishment or other treatment.” Law
enforcement officers are required to respect the spirit and letter of
the Constitution. Every person who is in police custody is presumed
innocent until proven guilty. Punishment comes from the order of a
court after a person is found to be guilty.





This article comes from FOROYAA Online
http://www.foroyaa.gm

The URL for this story is:
http://www.foroyaa.gm/modules/news/article.php?storyid=7475


-- 
-Laye
==============================
"With fair speech thou might have thy will,
With it thou might thy self spoil."
--The R.M

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