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Gambia's Leading
Torturer Reported Dead
Major Musa Jammeh, a man described as the leading torturer for the
regime of President Yahya Jammeh was reported to have died on November
18, 2007 after a sudden mysterious illness. Another member of the squad,
Captain Tumbul Tamba also died under the same circumstances last April.
Nicknamed Maliamungu (Idi Amin's serial killer) or Chemical Ali (Saddam
Hussein's notorious mass killer), Major Jammeh who was a personal
protection officer to President Yahya Jammeh, also headed “Junglers”, a
secret killer squad. The squad, whose members dress in black suits and
drive vehicles without number plates, has been accused of inflicting
various degrees of terror on their assailants late at night.
The squad was very active after the Gambian authorities announced the
foiling of an abortive coup attempt in March 2006. This followed a wave
of arrests of security officers, politicians, lawyers and journalists.
Most of the suspects, who never appeared before a court of law, were
severely tortured by the squad.
Journalists tortured by the squad include Musa Saidykhan, Madi Ceesay,
Malick Mboob, Musa Sheriff, Lamin Cham and Lamin Fatty. The hit and run
squad was also accused of having a hand in the December 2004 shooting to
death of The Gambia's leading newspaper editor, Deyda Hydara.
They were also accused of executing West African migrants, including 44
Ghanaians, after accusing them of trying to overthrow the government in
July 2005.
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