Jammeh’s accusers narrate experiences

Gambia

Fatou (Toufah) Jallow

Jallow was a star drama student and qualified for the “July 22” pageant (named after the date of Jammeh’s coup), which the Ministry of Education organised in December 2014. The pageant was held in front of a live audience, including Government Ministers, Media, family, and friends, and was broadcast live on national TV. Jallow was crowned “queen.”

“There was no routine on how much [prize money] you would get,” Jallow said. “It depended on how the President felt.” Jallow said that shortly thereafter she got a call from Jimbee Jammeh, the President’s cousin, asking her to attend an event at State House. She tried to decline, but Jimbee insisted and ordered other staff to call Jallow’s family.

In her first meeting with Jammeh, together with other contestants, Jammeh “was very jovial, making jokes about tribes,” she said. “He said that the purpose of the competition was to empower us. He told us not to get married right away and become housewives. He said ‘I am going to know about it. I’m not going to be happy about it.’” She said Jimbee gave her and the runner-up 50,000 GMD (approximately $1,250 in 2015). That was followed by an official meeting broadcast on State television with Jammeh and several Ministers at which the contestants were all given money, a Mac computer and iPhones. Jallow later realised her movements could be tracked by the phone.

The women had to present a charitable project to the Ministry of Education for funding. Jallow’s was a community poverty alleviation project using drama. Jallow said Jimbee Jammeh repeatedly called her to finish up the project, then invited Jallow to State House to go over the project. “Jimbee did not tell me that I would meet the President,” Jallow said. Once there, she met Jammeh privately for the first time, together with Jimbee, and talked comfortably with Jammeh while Jimbee lounged nearby. After more than an hour, Jimbee “brought a box, with a gold chain inside. She said it was a gift ‘from us. You deserve more, you are really awesome.’”

Jallow said that one week later, Jimbee Jammeh visited her house. Jimbee reached Jammeh on the phone, who said: “Jimbee told me that you don’t have running water in your home… I’m going to talk to Jimbee to settle that.” Soon thereafter, the State company installed running water. Jallow said that Jimbee Jammeh also bought the family expensive furniture.

The next time she met Jammeh privately, they had dinner with Jimbee Jammeh in his apartment. Jallow said that Jammeh told her she was beautiful and asked her if she ever thought of marriage. Jallow said she replied that she was only 18. She said he told her that there was nothing wrong with getting married to a man who supported her and asked if she had a boyfriend. She said she laughed and replied, “Are we supposed to talk about that?” He asked her who the boyfriend was, Jallow said, but she didn't answer. She said he then told her, “You know I’m the President, I can find out anything,” and then he said, “I have a surprise for you,” which was that Jimbee would give her money for her project.

In the meantime, Jallow said, an aide brought her another 50,000 GMD, which Jammeh told her was “for the bother of coming and waiting here.” Then he told her, “Honestly I cannot drag this out any longer. I want to marry you.” Jallow said she responded, “Why? You are three times my age? You are my dad’s age. It’s not you, I’m just not ready.” Jammeh then said, “Maybe you are confused right now, but get back to me.” She then left.

Jallow reported that the next day, Jimbee Jammeh took her on a tour of villas, saying that the President was ready to give her a villa and a car. She said that Jimbee told her, “He told you something yesterday and when that becomes possible, that’s yours.” She said Jimbee then changed tone and said, “What is wrong with you? Who gets an opportunity like this?” After that, Jallow blocked Jimbee’s number, but worried that she was being followed.

Jallow said that in June 2015, Jimbee Jammeh told her that as queen, Jallow had to come to State House for a religious ceremony marking the start of Ramadan. Jallow thought it would be with the other finalists, but Jimbee took her to a room where Jammeh soon appeared and later locked her in another room.

“He told me, ‘No woman has ever rejected me. And who do you think you are?’” Jallow said. “His face changed, his eyes were so red, different from the man before. He said, ‘No woman rejects me. You think you can get away with it?’” She said he then slapped her, and she fell on a chair: “He yelled at me, ‘This could have been nice, because I loved you but you decided to be this feminist girl to me.’” She said that she screamed, and he slapped her, told her to shut up, and then injected her in her arm with a needle.

She said she was reaching for the door when he warned, “If you make any move, I will kill you with my own hands.” He then pulled her dress off, she said, and said “Let’s see if you’re a virgin.” She said he rubbed his genitals in her face and touched them to arouse himself. She screamed that she was dying. “He said, ‘This does not kill, it’s fun.’” Jallow said he then held her hands down and raped her. She said she lost consciousness and when she woke up, Jammeh said, “Get out of here.” Jallow said that King Papa, an aide, told her as she was leaving: “He is the President, and we will do everything to protect him.”

Days later, Jallow fled to Senegal. After meeting with Amnesty International, Article 19, and various United Nations agencies, she obtained asylum in a third country, where she lives today.

“Anta”

“Anta” said she was pressured at age 23 to become a “Protocol Girl” after Jammeh spotted her at an event. She said Jammeh promised her a scholarship, and gave her a new smartphone:

One day, Jimbee [Jammeh] asked me to go with her inside the room where His Excellency was, so when we arrived, Jimbee’s other two sisters were there too. I was asked to sit beside him, when he started to rub my body. When I tried to stop him, he said to me remember that he was supporting my family and that he could end it any time. I kept quiet and later His Excellency gave us [the women] GMD 100,000 ($2,500) to share among ourselves.

A few days later, Jimbee took me to the President’s room and said that we should massage him. He gave Jimbee his foot and gave me his hands. We massaged for a while and Jimbee left us alone in the room then he started undressing me and saying that he was in love with me that he will do anything for me and my family that I should not tell anyone because if I do I will face the consequences. I felt I had no choice. That day he slept with me without protection and this made me feel very uncomfortable.

One month later, Jimbee asked me to move to State House. I did not want to but Jimbee came with a guard to collect my things by force saying I will go whether I like it or not because it is the President’s decision so I can’t disobey. You did not have a life at State House. I was only allowed to go out with Jimbee or if the next day was a day off – and even then, I was only allowed to go and see my mother.

I was called in another time at night. Around 1 or 2 a.m. my phone rang and Jimbee told me to come immediately to State House as the President wanted to see me. When I arrived, Jimbee was waiting for me. At one point, Jammeh came in and told me to follow him. He took me into a bedroom and I had to sleep with him.

“Bintu”

“Bintu” said Jammeh sexually assaulted her when she was a 22-year-old “Protocol Girl”:

He [Jammeh] offered me a job at State House to be a Protocol Officer. He told me that I could choose a school abroad and that he would pay the scholarship for it. I wanted to go to a school in the US.

Protocol girls would prepare meetings, when guests were there we would serve something to drink. It was only when big events (birthdays, celebrations) were planned that we were really working (typing letters and invitations). But most of the time we would not work much, people did not ask us to do much because we are the “President’s girls.”

Whenever the President would go to Kanilai, the Protocol Girls would go with him. Sometimes we would stay there up to a month.

[In Kanilai, at night Jammeh] would call all of us to his house. So, while we were all gathered in a sitting room, or on the veranda, Jimbee goes into his room and then calls one girl to come into his private apartment. The rest of us sat and waited. The girls called in were many [names women], sometimes girls join us we don’t even know them. All the girls knew that when one girl was called in it was for sex. Some wanted it. They felt honoured or wanted the money. My fingers were always crossed that he would not call me in. Sometimes he would call everybody inside and we watch TV. That was nicer.

Some of the girls who were called in talked to me. “Anta,” for instance. She told me that she had been abused.

The President did not protect himself, so it was risky. I know that some girls got pregnant – I know of two at least. When that happened, they would get fired.

When he had an affair with a woman, he treated her like his property. Sometimes the woman would get a house and a car but had to come in for sex whenever he wanted. So many were fed up with that. When the affair was finished, he took everything back.

During one of the President’s nationwide tours, Sanna Jarju, the Chief of Protocol, told me to go and take a girl’s number and her name. He said because it was his classmate – I later understood that it was for the President. I later saw that girl in Kanilai.

During another tour, in Basse, Jammeh spotted a light skinned girl in the crowd. Jimbee approached her. The next morning, I saw her coming out of his house – with a big envelope. The President was giving money to Jimbee, she would take her share and give the rest to the girl.

He is smart, he is very nice to the girls, he takes his time, and then he makes his move.

It happened in Kanilai. We were all there. One evening, Jimbee called me and told me to come with her to the President’s private apartment. He asked me to undress. He told me that I was young and needed protection so he wanted to apply spiritual water on me. We went to the bathroom and I undressed. I remember that I said, “It’s okay, because you are like my father.” Jimbee was there.

The next day, the President called me in again. In his private apartment, he asked me to undress and then he wanted to do things that were inappropriate. He started to touch my body. I was too young for this. I started crying. The President got angry and Jimbee told him that I was crying because I was shy. But I said no, that it was not because I was shy, it was because it was not appropriate. He got mad and sent me out.

The next day I was told to leave. It was a Saturday. On Monday, I was supposed to go for my visa interview at the US embassy. I had been admitted at an American college and Jammeh had promised me to pay for my scholarship. But Jammeh called Sanna Jarju and told him to tell me that I should not go. My contract at the State House was terminated and my scholarship was cancelled.

Fatoumatta Sandeng

Sandeng got a call from Jimbee Jammeh in 2015 telling her “you are needed by the President tomorrow.” She said that Jimbee insisted that Sandeng come alone and not bring the other band members or her Manager, as she requested. She said that at first she refused, but then received a call from Chief of Protocol - Sanna Jarju who said that it was an “order” and repeated that she had to come alone.

Sandeng was driven to Kanilai by the same man who drove Jallow, “Anta,” and “Bintu.” She said that over the next three days, Jimbee prevented her from leaving the Sindola Hotel in Kanilai while her meeting with Jammeh was postponed. On the fourth day, Jammeh had to attend a funeral, and Jimbee gave her 50,000 GMD ($1,250) and allowed her to leave on the promise that she would come back. “Looking back, I was so lucky to get away and escape the fate of other women,” she said. 

  • Credits: Human Rights Watch