Gambia’s Truth Commission resumes hearings on October 12
Banjul, Gambia (PANA)- Gambia's Truth Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC) will resume public hearings on October 12 after a long break due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The decision to resume public hearings was taken after careful consultations and considerations of the Covid-19 situation in the country, according to an official announcement made on Sunday.
As at the time of the TRRC’s second suspension of public hearings on 4 August 2020 the Commission had heard testimonies from 261 witnesses during 15 three-week sessions.
Of these witnesses, 166 were victims and 46 were self-confessed perpetrators and adversely mentioned persons. The hearings included several protected witnesses and in-camera testimonies.
For the remaining period of its mandate, the statement said, the Commission is scheduled to hold institutional hearings and the Judiciary among other public institutions, the 2005 murder of at least 56 West African nationals, including 44 Ghanaians, enforced disappearances, and the April 2016 incident during which several people were arrested and tortured resulting in at least one death.
However, as a result of two suspensions of public hearing due to the Covid-19 situation, that is clearly not possible. As things stand, hearings may continue into the first quarter of 2021, the statement said.
“Face to face outreach activities were suspended for most of 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. However, the various units of the Secretariat continued their operations using the best possible means in the light of the Covid-19 situation,” it added.
-0- PANA MSS/AR 20Sept2020
