There have been spontaneous demonstrations in The Gambia. It first started in Bijilo, this morning, where residents stormed the anti-crime police station to demonstrate against the alleged murder of a Sierra Leonean national, who was held by the police. The Sierra Leonean national, was held for days before he was released. Allegations of torture allegedly meted out to him came to the floor today, when protesters claimed that the man died after been tortured by the police. Such claims could not be independently verified.
Police fired teargas to repel the protesters. Stones were thrown at the police. Motor Tyres were set ablaze along the road within the Greater Banjul Area.
The demonstration later became violent. Police couldn’t repel the protesters. They had to be reinforced by armed soldiers.
The late Sierra Leonean national Ousman Darboe has been living in The Gambia for over twenty years. He was married to a Gambian woman. He left some kids behind.
Darboe owns a shop at the black market. He was said to have spent 13 days under police custody. He got released on Friday.
Similar demonstrations were reported in Brikama, where a group calling itself “Occupy the Brikama Area Council” took to the streets. They were denied police permit to hold a procession march. The protesters are demonstrating against the Chairperson of the Council. He has been accused of ineptness and lack of commitment to improve the road network in the municipality.
As we file this report, Banjul is tense. There are riot police in major towns across the Greater Banjul area. Police have arrested some of the protesters. Among those arrested include one Amadou Ceesay, a political science student.
Just recently, a University student was killed in The Gambia by a police officer. This followed a drug raided conducted by the officers. The student was stabbed to death by a personnel of the police.
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