(JollofNews) – At least ten soldier of the Gambia’s State Guard Division have been arrested and detained in connection with the disappearance of detainees during the regime of former President Yahya Jammeh.
Mr Jammeh, who ruled the Gambia for 22 years, is accused of committing many human rights abuses with impunity including enforced disappearances, arrest and torture of journalists and government critics.
Police are currently investigating 30 cases of suspected extra-judicial killings by security officers and have already discovered seven secret graves of people who died in state custody.
The arrested soldiers are being detained at an undisclosed security installation under the ‘Armed Forces Act’ and helping authorities with their investigations.
“As you may know already, we started with the grave of the late Solo Sandeng and on Friday the bodies of three people, believed to be the December 30 attackers were exhumed and others will be exhumed in the near future,” said Baboucar Sarr, Crime Management Coordinator of the Gambia Police Force.
“We cannot give specific information on the investigation as you know that may jeopardise the whole exercise.”
Under the Armed Forces Act, Gambian authorities can arrest and detain soldiers indefinitely pending the outcome of an investigation.