By Awa DK Conteh
Imam Baba Leigh appeared before the TRRC to testify on his background, his brushes with the law under Jawara, his contact with AFPRC soon after the coup in particular, Baba Jobe, his service to the AFPRC as an interpreter, his participation in youth activity in Basse and the Futampaf, after which he expressed his opinion, the presence of NIA (National Intelligence Agency) officials at his mosque, the difficulties encountered with Gamcotrap, his programs with West Coast Radio and GRTS, the Annual Ziyareeh of Saikou Omar Futiyou, his travel ban by the government, and his arrest and detention at the NIA and Jeswang Prisons.
Baba Leigh told the TRRC that he was born in Serrekunnda and his father was a teacher and thought for his entire life. Mr Leigh recollected that he taught briefly and later got a scholarship to Libya were he pursued a degree programme in Electrical Engineering and later came back to The Gambia and worked with National Water and Electricity Company (NAWEC).
According to him, under Jawara because of the Kukoi Samba Sanyang coup of 1981, it was difficult to name Libya in The Gambia because there was this belief that it was Ghadafi who was behind the coup. He was reported to Jawara after allegedly meeting Kukoi Samba Sanyang when he led a delegation to Libya, which he said was false. He said he was arrested 10 times under the Jawara regime. However, in all these arrests, he claimed his rights were neither violated, nor was he tortured
Imam Leigh explained that as a result of the numerous arrests, he was assisted by Jawara's Protocol Officer to meet Jawara and he explained to him what he had to do with Libyan authorities. Since his interaction with Jawara, he was never arrested and used to travel to Libya and come back without being arrested.
He said while he was working at the Kotu Power Station he met Yahya Jammeh and after the coup, he was called by then CDS Babucarr Jatta, Abdoulie Kujabi,then NIA Director, to State House, where they had a meeting with Council members. During the meeting, Jammeh told them that they were fighting rampant corruption and added that the imams were not given their due despite the pivotal role they were playing in society. He then appealed for the imams to help him.
Mr. Leigh revealed that after this meeting,Jammeh ordered for another meeting with the imams which he succeeded and almost all the imams supported him. He said when the Junta wanted to have a relationship with the government of Libya and appealed for him to go with them he intimated to them that his father was getting old and secondly he did not know Libya politically. He then suggested Baba Jobe to him and Yahya Jammeh then decided to contact Jobe and went with him to Libya.
On the two Youths Festivals in Kanilai(Futampaf) and Basse, he said prior to preparing his sermons, he used to read all papers and there was a time he read that 7 Million was spent on Futampaf and the youth festival in Basseand as a result of that he prepared his sermons and advised the youth to be careful with politicians because they always fool the youths that they are the future leaders yet they don't help them to prepare for the future.
He said when he was arrested the NIA told him that all his sermons were recorded and Yaya Jammeh used to get a daily briefing about him, noting that soon after those sermons, there was a call from BBC by Hassan Arouni who wanted to interview him about his preaching; especially on the recent one at the time.
After the interview, he got about three calls and the caller advised him to leave the country if not he would be arrested but he refused and few moments later, the NIA went to his home, arrested and took him to the NIA headquarters in Banjul for interrogations. At the NIA, the officials urged him to speak the truth or else he would face the consequences. “However, on this occasion, I was not tortured,” he revealed
The outspoken Imam testified that he was later granted bail and was asked to be reporting to their headquarters. “I received several calls from people advising me to leave the country” but he remained adamant and continued to do his sermons and at the same time worked at Gamcotrap.
He said after making a research on FGM and having experienced the sufferings women went through during circumcision he decided to join others to fight the practice. He said when he started his advocacy on FGM, he went all the way to Iran to make research about it. However, at this time the former government did not like it.
On whether he had ever been dealt with by the authorities for his activism, he said not directly but Imam Fatty once alleged that he is receiving money from white people and that was why he was advocating for FGM to stop. "My mother was watching TV and upon arrival she asked what I did to Yahya Jammeh but I told her that am not aware of it yet. She then said,‘just now he was saying on the TV that if he catches you, no one will see your grave...’”Imam Leigh quoted his mother.
At this juncture, it was brought to his attention that Dr.Isatou Touray and Amie Bojang Sissoho were arrested and charged with the theft of 30,000 Euros from a Spanish NGO, Yolocamcamba Soldieridad but were subsequently discharged and acquitted. On the programme he held at West Coast Radio called ‘Yetteh’ he was compelled to stop the programme because him being a target also made West Coast to be a target. He said ‘Ideal Wife’ was a programme he ran at GRTS but was stopped by Yahya Jammeh. He said he was also identified to spearhead a group for theZiyarreh of Saikou Omar Futiyou and his plan was for the place to be visited just as the way Touba and Tiwawone are visited.
With the influence of Momodou Lamin Touray he (Leigh) was barred from doing the Ziyarreh there and was sanctioned from going to Gunjur by one Mr. Bojang, an NIA operative. He said he was not surprised that the annual Ziyarreh in Gunjur was put to a halt.
