By Seedy Jobe
The leader of the United Democratic Party (UDP), Lawyer Ousainu ANM Darboe, sharply criticized the Barrow administration on Wednesday for its handling of the high-profile Ousainou Bojang case, calling it an example of the government attempting to target political opponents through the criminal justice system.
Speaking publicly for the first time following the acquittal and discharge of Mr. Bojang and his sister, Amie, Mr. Darboe said the judiciary should remain independent and free from political influence.
“The criminal justice system should not be used to witch-hunt political opponents,” Mr. Darboe said. “This is precisely the plan that the former Deputy Inspector General of Police and the government spokesman and whatever security personnel whose advice they might have relied on—that was their main mission, that was their main plan to paint us as violent people.”
He also highlighted the acquittal of Abdoulie Sanyang, another figure previously prosecuted under politically charged circumstances, as evidence of the judiciary’s independence.
“We have seen the trial of Abdoulie Sanyang, who was charged and prosecuted for an offence he never really committed. The upright judge, Justice Jaiteh, a very courageous judge, treated the evidence as it is and gave it the deserving treatment it should have, and that is to discharge and acquit Abdoulie Sanyang,” he said.
Mr. Darboe recounted that the government had previously attempted to associate the UDP with the murder of police officers and that he himself had been accused of complicity.
“I personally was accused of being an accomplice in this murder. I may secretly rest for those defamatory and slanderous statements against me, but for now, we thought we should just be on the quiet because whatever actions we might have taken, whatever statements we might have made, would have been seen as self-serving statements or self-serving actions,” he said.
He urged the current administration to conduct a thorough and transparent investigation into the killings, asserting that it is the government’s responsibility to identify the perpetrators. “It is now the duty of this government, Barrow; it is now your duty to mount proper investigations in order to find out those who killed these serving officers, those who have put that young lady in a state of trauma,” Mr. Darboe said.
He further warned that failure to conduct proper investigations could result in the next government taking action to uncover the truth. “If you do not carry out proper investigations, I can assure you that the next government will carry out a thorough investigation to unearth the actual murderers of our serving men,” he added.
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