Public invited to submit testimony as formal inquest launched into circumstances of Kalidou Diallo’s death at Kerr Serign. The Bursubi Magistrate’s Court has appointed Magistrate Mamsamba Jallow as Coroner to conduct a formal inquest into the death of Kalidou Diallo, a Senegalese social media personality known online as “L’Homme de Ziguinchor,” who died on 15 August following an operation by The Gambia Drug Law Enforcement Agency (DLEAG) at Lobo Apartments in Kerr Serign.
According to the DLEAG’s account, officers conducted a raid at the apartment based on credible intelligence of suspected drugs on the premises. The agency’s Director General, Demba Ceesay, stated that when officers arrived, they encountered two Senegalese men, both aged between 20 and 21. During the operation, one man panicked and fled through a back door, sustaining injuries when he fell. Officers arrested the second man and were preparing to leave when they discovered the injured individual and transported him to hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The DLEAG recovered drugs from the premises.
However, a different account emerged from eyewitness Bai Modou, during an interview with journalist VM Trawally, that Kalidou had been tortured by DLEAG officers. “Kalilou did not fall from upstairs; he did not die in an accident; he was tortured by the Drug Squad. They killed him,” Bai Modou allegedly stated. Conflicting claims circulated on social media regarding whether Diallo was pushed from a balcony or assaulted before his death.
Director General Ceesay categorically denied allegations of assault or torture, stating that DLEAG “has nothing to hide” and is fully cooperating with the police investigation. He challenged competing narratives, saying “an opinion as strong as that cannot replace facts.” Ceesay stated that the agency would refrain from discussing further operational details that could interfere with ongoing inquiries.
Now a coroner’s inquest is established. A coroner’s inquest is a formal investigation used to establish the facts surrounding a death, particularly circumstances that remain unclear and contested. The coroner’s role is independent and distinct from criminal or administrative proceedings. Rather than determining guilt or innocence, the inquest seeks to answer key questions: who was the deceased, when, where, and how did they die, and what were the circumstances?
The Registrar’s office at the Bursubi Magistrate’s Court has invited anyone with relevant knowledge or testimony to submit a written statement to assist the coroner’s investigation. Members of the public can contact the Registrar’s office directly to provide their account of events.
The appointment of Magistrate Jallow signals a parallel formal inquiry into the circumstances of Diallo’s death, separate from the police investigation already underway.
The coroner will independently evaluate all submitted testimony and other evidence to produce findings that establish the facts. The death has drawn international attention, with mourning expressed across Senegal and The Gambia, particularly amongst Diallo’s substantial social media following.
Kexx News will follow the court proceedings in the interests of public accountability and transparency.
