Solo Sandeng Receives State Burial
Following the conclusion of the case of The state versus Yankuba Badjie, the government of The Gambia has stated an official burial of the remains of the late Solo Sandeng on the 10th January, 2023 at the never again arch in Banjul.
The funeral commence with a procession from the Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital mortuary to the never again arch, where the tribute service was held in his honour, following religious rites which took place thereafter at the Dippa kunda central mosque and was finally interment at the Dippa kunda cemetery.
Muhammed Sandeng, the son of the late Solo Sandeng , has commended President Adama Barrow for according his late father a state burial and funeral service six years after his demise.
“someone else may say otherwise, but i think maybe making a proclamation for an official funeral does it for President Barrow and i commend him for that,” he said.
He added: “it is an honour to have a state burial done for a loved one and a national icon for that matter, so i am pleased with such a gesture. i also believe that Solo Sandeng is one person who everyone agrees deserves honourable recognition for his sacrifice.”
According to Muhammed, his father envisaged a democratic and prosperous Gambia by giving up his life. he said for The Gambia to actualize what Solo envisaged, they must labour today and reap tomorrow.
“my father envisaged a democratic and prosperous Gambia. he gave his life for [it], knowing he’d not benefit from it after his death. that’s to say that achieving such requires us to labour today and reap tomorrow. so, it is a process and we have made strides, albeit with many challenges. it is left to us to continue his legacy as Gambians,” he said.
The government is committed to ensuring that what happened to Solo Sandeng doesn’t happen in this country again, Justice Minister, Dawda A Jallow says while representing president Barrow at the funeral and tribute services accorded to the late Mr. Sandeng.
Solo Sandeng led a peaceful protest for electoral reforms in April 2016 and was arrested but died in detention after his arrest by agents of the defunct National Intelligence Agency (NIA).
His remains were exhumed in March 2017. Saikou Omar Jeng, the director of operations at the NIA led the police to Solo’s grave at Tanjji Village in the West Coast Region.
On Wednesday 12th of July 2022, honorable Justice Kumba Sillah Camara, justice of the court of appeal presided over and read out a judgment sentencing (to death) Yankuba Badjie, the Former NIA officers who participated in the gruesome killing of Ebrima Solo Sandeng, in April 2016.
a senior United Democratic Party (UDP) militant and an alleged victim of former President Yahya Jammeh’s regime Nogoye Njie, in testimony before the truth, reconciliation and reparations commission said the directives to torture mr sandeng was given by the NIA former operation commander Sheikh Omar Jeng to Tamba Mansirreh, Haruna Suso and others which resulted in his death.
