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Thousands of people gathered in the Gambian capital on Tuesday for the official funeral of the pro-democracy activist who died in custody in 2016 after protests against former dictator Yahya Jammeh.
Mourners lined the streets of Banjul as police passed by carrying coffins bearing Solo Sanden flags, in a ceremony that brought back memories of Jammeh’s brutal rule.
The dictator ruled the small West African country for 22 years before losing the December 2016 presidential election to rookie politician Adama Barrow and defecting to Equatorial Guinea.
Sanden died in custody in April 2016 at the age of 57 after organizing protests calling for the restoration of democracy.
His death was instrumental in uniting the country’s divided opposition and driving a wave of pro-democracy movements that ultimately led to Jammeh’s downfall.
Justice Minister Dowda Jarreau paid tribute to Mr Sanden, saying: “A man who fought for a cause he believed in and paid the ultimate price.
“He left an indelible mark on the political history of this country.
“His legacy lives on in the history of our transition to democracy as a country.”
The coffin was placed in front of a huge Greek-style archway in Banjul. This arch was built by Jammeh in his 1990s and was re-dedicated to commemorate his victims. Sanden was later buried at a site on the outskirts of the capital.
His body was exhumed in March 2017. In July 2022, six of his members of Jammeh’s National Intelligence Agency (NIA) were convicted of his murder, and the agency’s former director was sentenced to death.
Gambian authorities charged Jammeh with murder, rape, torture and corruption.
However, he retains considerable influence in his hometown.
The Burrow government, which won elections again in 2016 and 2021, has yet to fully implement the recommendations made by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in 2021.
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