By Alagi Yorro Jallow
Fellow patriots and allies in justice, today we honor those who sacrificed everything for truth, inspiring pride and gratitude in our collective fight for justice and press freedom. Alhmadulila. With Sanna Manjang now in custody, the truth we carried through fire and fear demands to be heard. The arson attack on The Independent Printing Press was not only the destruction of a machine, but it was also state‑sponsored terrorism, designed to silence democracy. Sanna Manjang is in custody, but our fight for justice continues, and we are committed to ensuring accountability and transparency in pursuit of the truth. I bow in gratitude to the guardians of truth-former staff of The Independent, editors, journalists, and their families-whose resilience under Yahya Jammeh’s tyranny laid the foundation of our civic memory and resistance, reminding us that our struggle continues.
We must acknowledge a select few courageous individuals who truly deserve our recognition, while simultaneously safeguarding the identities of other unsung patriots for their safety and security.
Mr. Namory Trawally, who picked up the gun and ammunition left behind, ensured the evidence would not vanish. Mr. Lama Jallow, our photographer, captured the gun and ammunition left at the crime scene, which others sought to erase, and recorded the serial number of the gun.
Senior Counsel Amie Bensouda, whose wisdom advised and redirected the investigation and traced leads to Manjang’s refuge at Captain Khalipha Bajinka’s residence, and who gave life‑saving counsel: “Do not publish this. If you publish, you will be killed. This is state‑sponsored terrorism.” Her wisdom redirected our path from peril to protection.
Honorable Hamat Bah, who investigated, confirmed the evidence, and, with courage, raised the matter in the National Assembly, exemplifies our ongoing fight for accountability, transforming silence into a public record and inspiring continued action.
Our independent investigator, whose name has been withheld for security concerns and is now a senior government figure, risked everything to track Manjang’s movements from Captain Bajinka’s residence to Yundum Barracks and Kanilai.
When our informant, a senior military source, called, despite being silenced, we met him at the Come Inn bar and restaurant, opposite GRTS on Kairaba Avenue. To identify him, he told me he wore a white kaftan, and I asked him what. I wore a blue blazer and jeans, accompanied by my production officer, Namory Trawally. In that quiet act of patriotism and in his refusal of a reward from me, he provided vital information: the trail of Sanna Manjang from Bajinka’s residence to Yundum Barracks, and finally to Yahya Jammeh’s home in Kanilai, where he nursed his wounds. He provided vital intelligence about Sanna Manjang and his gang, as well as his secret nursing at Captain Bajinka’s home. Lawyers Amie Bensouda and Hamat Bah, together, are our saviors and protectors who have proved that justice requires. This was not just intelligence—it was defiance. It was proof that even within the machinery of repression, conscience could speak.
In the darkest hours after the arson attack on The Independent Printing Press, when silence was demanded and fear was weaponized, our lawyer Amie Bensouda stood as a beacon of wisdom. She warned me plainly: “Do not publish this. If you publish, you will be killed. This is state‑sponsored terrorism.”
Following Amie Bensouda’s counsel, we understood that publishing the information outright would be suicidal. Instead, Honorable Hamat Bah investigated, confirmed our findings, and raised the matter in parliament. His courageous action transformed secrecy into a public record, ensuring that justice was not silenced. This demonstrates how legal and parliamentary channels are vital tools in our fight for justice and press freedom.
It was then that Honorable Hamat Bah agreed. He investigated independently, confirmed the evidence, and, with courage, carried the matter into the National Assembly. In that chamber, shielded by immunity, he exposed the arson attack. His intervention transformed what could have been a silent death sentence into a public record, amplified by local and international media.
This moment was pivotal: it showed that even under tyranny, truth can find sanctuary in law, and courage can find protection in parliamentary immunity. Our unity as patriots and advocates is essential for lasting change, and together, we must continue to stand for justice, support ongoing investigations, and hold those responsible accountable.
Authenticity lies not only in evidence but in the encounters that followed:
At the Banjul Police Station, I faced IGP “13” Badjie, senior officer Abu Njie, and Officer Bojang, whose statement on Captain Bajinka was recorded, and who today serves as a Seyfo in the Kombos. Police officers were present, yet justice was deferred. Later, I was summoned to the State House for a National Security Council meeting, chaired by Vice President Isatou Njie Saidy, where I shared my account before the nation’s security chiefs. The truth had entered the highest chambers of power, even if action was denied. These encounters proved that the state, the police, and the security chiefs knew. Silence was not ignorance—it was complicity. The truth had entered the halls of power, and our persistence is vital to challenge this complicity and demand accountability.
This struggle teaches us that journalists, lawyers, security officers, and politicians must work together, supporting each other to stay safe and ensure that truth endures without unnecessary risk.
Now, with Sanna Manjang in custody, the circle of silence is broken. His burns, once hidden at Captain Bajinka’s residence, are scars of guilt that history cannot conceal. His arrest must lead to transparent trials, reparations, and reform. The sacrifices of those who stood for freedom demand that we pursue justice relentlessly, ensuring their efforts lead to meaningful change.
Now, with Sanna Manjang in custody, the circle of silence is broken. His burns, once hidden at Bajinka’s residence, are scars of guilt that history cannot conceal. His arrest is not the end—it is the beginning of accountability.
The Independent’s spirit endures in every journalist, lawyer, and patriot; let us unite to demand justice, accountability, and press freedom.
Justice for The Independent is justice for all Gambians. The flames that consumed our press must now ignite accountability. Let this moment honor the courage of Amie Bensouda, Hamat Bah, Namory Trawally, Lama Jallow, our investigators, our military sources, and every patriot who refused to bow to tyranny. Publishing would have been suicidal—but voicing it in parliament turned fear into freedom.
To the victims, to the staff, to the families, to the nation: Your sacrifices were not in vain. The flames that consumed The Independent Printing Press must now ignite a renewed commitment to truth, accountability, and press freedom. Justice for The Independent is justice for all Gambians. Let this moment mark the dawn of accountability, where crimes against democracy are punished, and the voices of the oppressed are finally heard.
