Gambia’s Leading Torturer Dies

Major Musa Jammeh, a man described as the leading torturer for the regime of President Yahya Jammeh 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 "Jugglers", 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. Journalists tortured by the squad include Musa Saidykhan, Madi Ceesay, Malick M’boob, 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 the West African migrants, including 44 Ghanaians, after accusing them of trying to overthrow the government in July 2005.

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