She had wondered for years how her son died. Then the confession came on YouTube. But numbness turned to fear this month when authorities let the self-identified killer walk free until a national probe ends next year — a chance at amnesty in exchange for telling the truth.
What started as an investigation into the human rights abuses of Yahya Jammeh — the dictator who ruled Gambia for 22 years before fleeing to Equatorial Guinea in — has become an internet phenomenon in the seaside West African nation of roughly 2 million. Since the hearings began in January, Jammeh has been linked to the deaths of more than 70 people, including political opponents, businessmen, a woman he is thought to have impregnated and a ship full of African migrants.
More than victims and accused perpetrators have taken the witness chair in a converted beach hotel the dictator once owned, implicating him in kidnappings, torture and murders. Both undertakings offered amnesty to criminals as the countries tried to heal. Both moves sparked outrage. Supporters say the online frenzy helps investigators find witnesses and keeps the population informed as more Africans gain access to smartphones, while critics note it could stoke unrest or sway how suspects are prosecuted.
We do not want to arrest everyone and send the message that they are doomed either way. Obey and complain later. Baba Galleh Jallow, executive secretary of the Truth Commission, said the Internet is sparking a healthy conversation. An educated democracy, he said, is less likely to elect another dictator.
He wants everyone to be involved as the nation rebuilds, and social media facilitates easier participation. Someone with WhatsApp in a rural village, for instance, can instantly send a tip to investigators. Fatou Gaye, a program manager for the Gambian Red Cross , sat in the hearing room, trying not to sob. Ms Gaye, 56, picked a middle-row seat, about 10 feet away from the cameras, watching as another Jungler, Jallow, confessed to strangling her brother, Abdou.
