The government of Gambia is urging all women and girls in the country to report any sexual violence they suffered in the hands of former President Yahya Jammeh.
Gambia’s Attorney General Abubacar Tambadou has issued a statement praising some women who came forward to speak out about their ordeal in the hands of Mr. Jammeh.
One of such women is a former Gambian beauty queen, Fatou Jallow who has accused Yahya Jammeh of rape.
The incident occurred five years ago when Ms. Jallow was just 18 years and had been crowned winner of a national beauty pageant.
Jammeh had summoned the then 18-year old to his presidential palace asking her to marry him.
Ms. Jallow who said she refused the proposal initially “thought it was a joke.”
“I was very naïve. I didn’t know how brutal he was,” she is quoted as saying.
But Ms. Jallow said she was summoned again for what she thought was a Ramadan event only to be allegedly raped by Mr. Jammeh.
During another meeting at Gambia’s statehouse, she said, as she and the president reviewed the budget for her project, Mr. Jammeh asked her to marry him. She said she explained that she wanted to study before marriage.
“He told me to think about it, that probably I didn’t understand what this means and needed time to process it,” she said.
‘Summoned only to be raped’
Ms. Jallow narrated that when she was summoned to the presidential palace that day she thought it was a beauty pageant event with other contestants to help kick off Ramadan.
Jallow had worn a traditional Muslim gown with a head scarf and her crown as was requested by the former president.
She was then dropped off at the president’s residence and told to wait with her bag and phone taken by a security guard.
Jallow further narrated that a few minutes later Mr. Jammeh arrived, dressed in baggy slacks and a T-shirt.
She said her “guts literally fell down,” upon seeing the former president in his undergarments.
Jammeh then allegedly told Jallow “You know a woman has never rejected me.”
Ms. Jallow, known in Gambia as “Toufah” said Jammeh took her by the hand and led her into a room, shoved her into a chair.
The former president then started ripping off her dress, according to Jallow who said she started crying.
Jammeh then allegedly pulled a syringe from his pocket and injected Ms. Jallow’s arm.
Sodomized by the president
Mr. Jammeh pushed her to her knees and rubbed his genitals in her face.
Ms. Jallow said Jammeh then pushed her onto the bed and sodomized her until she blacked out.
Waking Ms. Jallow said she found her leggings on the floor and Mr. Jammeh sitting in a chair in the corner.
“I literally stumbled out of there,” she said, and into the same car that had brought her.
Ms. Jallow said she was too scared to tell her parents, or anyone, what had happened.
Ms. Jallow said five days later she put on a veil, took money from her mother to go to the market, and instead fled into Senegal.
She was later helped to seek asylum and resettlement in Canada.
The Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC) of Gambia has already started hearing stories of witnesses as it investigates happenings during the Jammeh era.
Yahya Jammeh ruled Gambia for 22 years until he was forced out of power in 2017.
Source: Africafeeds.com
