By: Modou Touray 

Women vegetable gardeners at Jarra Jenoi have told The Fatu Network that they cannot carry out their routine gardening effectively due to the intrusion of salt water in their gardens.

According to soil experts, saltwater intrusion leads to loss of freshwater and spread saline mudflats into previously vegetated areas.

Sainabou Saidykhan, the president of Jenoi Women Gardeners, disclosed that most of her colleague gardeners have abandoned their gardens and are reluctant to continue vegetable gardening because of the adverse impact of the salt water on their gardens.

“The women want the problem to be solved. I always encourage them to come over, but due to the current condition of their gardens, it’s hard to convince them. It pains to cultivate vegetables and they eventually fail to grow due to the saltwater intrusion.”

The women leader pointed out that the garden they are using belongs to the neighboring settlement of Pakalinding. “We are very grateful to the people of Pakalinding, especially Buwa Kinteh who asked his people to jointly share the garden with us.”

She emphasized that the issue of saltwater intrusion has been affecting them for the past 4 years.

Saltwater intrusion occurs when storm surges or high tides overlays areas low in elevation. Salt water infiltrates fresh water and raises the groundwater table below soil surface.

“We decided to grow onions because it’s one of the salt-tolerant vegetables.”

Salt- tolerant vegetables are more able to absorb water from saline soil. Salt sensitive plants and vegetables have a limited ability to adjust to accommodate the effects of salt intrusion.

“We will be happy if we have another environment big and fertile enough to address our current major challenge. We are looking forward to seeing it solved. we are managing to grow few vegetables. This is our source of income.”

She suggested the construction of borehole to flush saltwater from their vegetable garden. “The current borehole was damaged and the women contributed some money to repair it. The cost for the materials and labor was high.”

She called for support from government institutions involved in the vegetable value chain to assist them.

The Fatu Network contacted Mr Ebou Jorbateh, an agricultural extension officer who advised them to relocate the garden.

“It’s difficult to cleanse saltwater from the garden. Most of these problems occur during identification of land for a vegetable garden. Before identifying land, you need to consult soil scientists or agric officials to check the land so that they will advise if it is ideal for agricultural purpose,” Mr. Jorbateh said.

Mr Jorbateh disclosed that there is currently no equipment available with them to clear the already polluted salt water.

Agricultural extension officers are intermediaries between researchers and farmers. They operate as facilitators and communicators, helping farmers in their decision-making and ensuring that appropriate knowledge is implemented to obtain the best results with regard sustainable production and general rural development.

By: Modou Touray

The regional director of agriculture in the Lower River Region (LRR), Mr Momodou Lamin Darboe, has admitted that some farmers in his region could not cultivate their crops on time due to delay in accessing tractors. He is worried that the impact might affect crop yields, thereby impeding efforts to attain food self-sufficiency.

“Our hope is to produce enough food for the country so that we will not rely on imported rice. Secondly, prices of basic food commodities will reduce.”

He said several farmers, especially those engaged in commercial agriculture, depend on modern ploughing tools.

“The number of tractors for ploughing is inadequate and cannot provide the ploughing needs of farmers in the Lower River Region. This has a negative impact on the growth of crops, particularly rice in this rainy season.”

The Lower River Region stretches from Kiang Jataba to Jarra Pakaliba. Sankandi to Kemoto is about 50 kilometers off the main road with a huge farming population. Most of the remote rural settlements depend on crop cultivation for their survival. Tractors enhance timely and large cultivation of crops.

“Some of the farmers who ploughed early after the first and second rainfall are at an advantage because their crops are performing well. Unfortunately, there was a few weeks of dry which affected farmers severely,” Mr Darboe added.

According to him, their general technical advice to farmers is to quickly plough and start cultivation after the first heavy rainfall.

“If tractors are not enough for farmers it will be impossible to do their agricultural activities as scheduled.”

Mr Darboe further stated that his office provided support to rural farmers by providing them with seeds at the start of the rainy season.

“As a regional office, we provide rice, maize and other commonly grown seed varieties to farmers.

The regional agriculture office is not only providing seeds but also routinely embarking on monitoring visits to farms. We monitor the performance of crops which enables us to ascertain their progress level and give technical advice where necessary.”

Reacting to challenges of individual farmers, Mr. Darboe was announced that some supports are available at the agricultural department which farmers could use to boast their farming.

Farmers in the rural areas especially in the lower river region faces many challenges which the overseer body, the region Agric Director struggles to solve.

Mr Momodou Lamin Darboe was speaking as a keynote speaker at a two-day media training organized by the Network of Agricultural Communicators (NAC) the Gambia and the Gambia Press Union. The training aimed to build the capacity of agricultural reporters on agricultural communication, networking, and story angling with reporting techniques.

The capacity enhancement will help the journalists to better report on agriculture which will help farmers direct their challenges to relevant authorities in that way to enhance agricultural development.

By: Dawda Baldeh

Sub inspector Seedy Gibba, who was said to have involved in a motorcycle accident while on duties in Farafenni on 13 February 2021, has claimed that the police are neglecting him after being sick for more than a year.

Speaking to The Fatu Network, Gibba said he was posted at Farafenni where he got involved in an accident.

“We were on operation to stop undocumented motorcycles operating in Farafenni and several people were apprehended. I was escorting one boy to the station whose motorcycle was arrested during the operation. It was not safe for me to ride because he might accuse me of anything.

So, I ask him to ride to the station while I was seated at the back and when we approach the station, he speeded off and took a different route because he was trying to escape. Unfortunately, he ran into and hit a truck that was packed off the road and we fell on the ground. I sustained fracture on my hip and upper thighbone. I was rushed to Farafenni hospital and was later referred to Banjul.

In Banjul, I was scanned and confirmed to have double fracture. The hospital recommended me for a surgery which cost sixty thousand dalasi (60,000), an amount I cannot afford,” he explained.

Gibba noted that he asked the doctor to prepare him the medical bill which he took to the police for assistance saying that he got the injury while on duties.

He added that the said medical bill was given to police commissioner Kinteh at the police medic whom he said later informed him that he had sent the bill to the registry at the headquarters.

“I went to the registry to make follow up and they also told me that the bill was taken to the Health Ministry. In all of these back forth, I have not heard anything from the police even after making several follow ups. The police are not making any follow up to help me,” he cried out.

He said the police asked him to continue making follow-up but noted that the serious body pain cannot allow him to be making such continuous follow-ups.

“I cannot walk without using crotches and now I don’t have anything. I got this injury while in the police, but they are neglecting me.”

Sub Inspector Gibba is a husband of two wives and a father of five children and also the breadwinner of his family.

He called on people to help him regain his health so that he can provide food for his family. “I really need help to regain my health so that I can work to sustain my family because I don’t have anyone to help me.”

However, the police Public Relation Officer has been contacted for response but could not be reached.

By: Ousman Saidykhan

Defense counsel, Sagarr Jahateh has objected to the calling of her clients “the accused persons” in the ongoing case of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) vs Sainabou Mbaye and two others at the Banjul High Court, saying they are just applicants.

“My Lord, I will not agree with that. We do not have any accused persons before this court,” defense counsel Jahateh said, replying to Justice Jaiteh, who said to her, “no, let’s say the accused persons” after introducing herself as representative of the applicant.

“It is okay. We have a transfer file. You have made an application; you understand? So that is why we are dealing with the first part of it,” Jaiteh told her.

The defense argued that the remand order made by the Magistrate has expired because the case is now before the High Court.

Sagarr continued that her clients are not accused persons because there is no case from the IGP.

“The fact of the matter is we are here for the original summon which is the application that you have made. We only have applicants here; we don’t have accused persons here.

“We have not received any indictment and there are no charges against the accused persons. So, therefore, I will take objections to the announcement of this case as IGP vs the accused persons,” defense counsel, Jahateh said, adding that: “I don’t even think my lord has the power to further remand them any further in Mile 2 prison.”

The counsel for the prosecution, M.B Sowe rose to tell the court he was surprised to have heard the defense counsel say the court lacks jurisdiction and the State cannot appear in the case, citing section 62 of the Criminal Procedure Code.

“So far as it’s transferred from a court that did not have the jurisdiction to this honourable court, sections 62 makes it clear that a charge that was previously before the Magistrate Court and that is before this court could both be treated for all intents and purposes,” the prosecution submitted.

The case was adjourned to 9th August 2022.

By: Ousman Saidykhan

Sainabou and co continue to be remanded at the Mile 2 prisons as Justice Ebrima Jaiteh of the Banjul High Court announced he would hand back to the Chief Justice the application filed by the defense seeking bail for their clients (Sainabou and others).

“In view of the fact that I will be out of the jurisdiction next week, I hereby return this miscellaneous application for bail to the Honourable Chief Justice for reassignment to a vacation judge,” Justice Jaiteh said.

It could be recalled that the defense counsels were asked to file formally after the court rejected their oral application for the accused persons be to granted bail in their first appearance before the High Court on Wednesday, 3rd August 2022.

It is that application they filed formally and served the prosecution as suggested to them by Justice Jaiteh but the prosecution told the court they could not file their opposition to it. They have up to eight days to file their affidavit against the application.

“We are yet to file our affidavit which we intend to do either before the end of business today or Monday first thing in the morning. I, therefore, crave the indulgence of this court to give us time to file today or Monday,” M B Sowe told the Court.

The defense counsel reminded the court that it was agreed the time is to be abridged citing the “urgency” of the matter.

“So, if we could have a quick date. If my Lord could transfer this case to the vacation judge so we could have a date early next week, so we can proceed with the application,” defense counsel Sagarr Jahateh asked.

The prosecution replied that “that is okay with us” and suggested they can even serve the defense the hard copy of their affidavit “counsel to counsel.”

The Judge agreed and ordered both the prosecution and defense to serve their affidavit and processes respectively to each other; counsel to counsel.

“The respective counsels are urged to file their processes before the next adjourned date and ensure that the processed files are made available to the court,” Justice Jaiteh said.

By: Modou Touray

Ebrima Manka is a farmer who specializes in groundnut cultivation on a large scale. He is a resident of Kembujeh-Mandina in Kombo Central District, West Coast Region.

In his first-ever media interview, Mr Manka speaks to The Fatu Network about his challenges as a seasoned farmer in the Gambia.

“This is the first time I have had access to a media interview. I have been engaged in groundnut cultivation since I was a child. There are many hindrances to my farming but lack of modern farming tools is my main problem,” Manka laments.

Modern tools for effective groundnut production are a key determinant for higher yield. Ebrima’s farmland is huge but that does not stop him, with the help of his family, to use manual labour to weed the farm every year.

“My farm is large; it takes me time to weed the entire farm. It would have been more effective and convenient with the availability of modern farming implements. Manual labour requires time and more energy compared to the use of farming tools which is more proper,” he said.

Weeds are unwanted grass which grows amongst the crops. The normal growth of a crop would be slow for the fact that they compete with planted crops with sunlight and soil nutrients.

“Weeds make our crops grow slowly. If you don’t have the proper tools to uproot them, it affects the timely maturity of your crops. The more time I use my simple tool to weed, the more my yield drops,” he bemoans.

Ebrima Manka and his family spend more time weeding their groundnut farmland daily.

“Sometimes if it rains heavily, our weeded grasses regrow. I am a farmer who grows crops regularly but the lack of support for modern tools is a major obstacle.”

He uses his agricultural produce for both commercial purposes and home consumption. Although he is not making much savings to buy costly modern farming tools, instead he takes care of his domestic expenses. “If your family is large, it’s difficult to have savings,” Manka noted.

This issue is not only peculiar to Ebrima but most low-income farmers in the Gambia also endure similar situations.

Besides the need for tools, land for groundnut production is another challenge for him. He discloses to this medium that his farm is located on a piece of land which belongs to the National Water and Electricity Company (NAWEC).

“I was informed by some officials that I am using their land but I negotiated with them to allow me to farm here until the time they will need it. Previously, I farm in the Nyanbikala area but there is an increase in housing for residential purposes in that area. Owners of that area now sold it for settlements. The area is already demarcated and buildings are being erected. Our farmlands get narrow yearly.”

The availability of land for agriculture and market gardening is limited in urban settlements due to scarcity of land. This is threatening the flourishing of agricultural production and productivity. Hence lawsuits on land disputes are magnifying, and farmers in the urban areas remain cautious.

Groundnut is a crop which usually requires a minimum of 3 months to mature depending on the variety planted

Experts recommend that sandy soil with less clay is the most ideal area for groundnut cultivation.

Groundnut production seems to be on the decline in the Gambia which is attributed to multiple factors including limited land resources and proper farming tools.

Helping to Make a Difference (HMD) charity foundation on Tuesday 2^nd August 2022 donated medical and mobility aid items worth over Six Hundred Thousand Dalasi (D600,000) to the Tanjie Health Center (over D200,000) and Kuntaya Health Center (over 400,000) in the North Bank Region.

The donated items include delivery beds, trolleys, wheelchairs, crutches, adjusted stools, zimmer frames, under the bed support, shower chairs, mobile commodes, brown static commodes, over the bed tables and mattresses.

Handing over the items to both public health facilities, Executive Director of HMD, Saihou Balajo said the donation is part of the organization’s continuous kind gestures in making a difference in the lives of people through charity.

“The government cannot do it alone. We all have a part to play in positively transforming the lives of people and contribute to national development,” Mr. Balajo said.

The over D600,000 worth of hospital equipment was received by the Alkalo of Tanjie, Village Development Community (VDC) chairman, Governor of North Bank Region, religious and community leaders and the management of both Tanjie Health Center and Kuntaya Health Center. They all expressed similar appreciation to the charity foundation, describing the donation as “timely, appropriate, needed and helpful.”

Thousands of people depend on the two health facilities for healthcare. However, the health centers are said to have been constrained in having the donated items.

Helping to Make a Difference (HMD) charity foundation has been engaging in providing food, clothing and shelter for homeless people; constructing borehole water facilities in poor communities; feeding street and vulnerable children; giving young offenders a second chance; providing support for persons with disability, among others.

By: Ousman Saidykhan

Two Senegalese have been arraigned before the Kanifing Magistrate Court for allegedly conspiring and stealing from a motor vehicle contrary to sections 368 and 256 respectively of the Criminal Code.

The 1st accused, Mustapha Njie and 2nd accused, Mbye Njie are charged on 2 counts of conspiracy to commit felony and stealing from a motor vehicle an IPhone SR worth D18,500 in Serekunda Bambo on 27th of July, 2022.

They pleaded not guilty to the two charges which attracts a 7-year imprisonment.

The first witness of the prosecution, Muhammad Jawara who is the victim, told court that he was driving in a congested traffic in Serekunda when the first accused knocked the door of his car and told him, “you are hurting me.”

He continued that he glanced to the other side but couldn’t see the phone.

The witness told the court: “I stopped the vehicle, grab his (the first accused) shirt and asked him to give me my phone. He said to me ‘search me whether you will see any phone’.”

He told court that a Nigerian man pointed at the second accused telling him he was the one in possession of the phone. “Another man got hold of him (the second accused) as he tried to run,” the witness added.

The two accused persons who are charged with conspiracy to commit felony, denied ever knowing each other. The first accused said his knocking of the door was to ask for lift.

“I asked him (the driver) to lift me to Westfield but he said he was going to a mechanic. All of a sudden I saw him open the door only to asked me not to move,” Mustapha Njie, the first accused said.

The second accused told court he was selling along the road and saw a crowd running after someone.

The person threw the phone to where I was standing. I picked the phone and said: is this the phone?” That was how they grip me and said I was the thief,” second accused, Mbye Njie told court.

Sub Inspector Jammeh, representing the IGP objected granting bail to the accused persons citing their notoriety in Serekunda.

However, Magistrate Jabang overruled the prosecution’s objection and granted the accused persons bail in the sum of D150,000 with three Gambian sureties.

The case was adjourned to the 23rd and 24th of August 2022.

By: Modou Touray

Vendors of Giboro-Kuta market in the Kombo East District, West Coast Region have told this medium that their market has become very tight and unaccommodating for them and buyers. They are calling on authorities to expand or relocate the market as they and other women who have expressed interest in starting small businesses in the market cannot fit in.

The Fatu Network engaged some vendors of the Giboro-Kuta market to know the challenges the face in earning a living and also catering for the market demands of people in the locality.

Maimuna Nyassi, who sells porridge in the morning, dilated on how she struggles to sell on the bare ground. “I sell food and by safety standards, I should not place it on the ground and sell to customers. Preferably, I need a canteen to sell such food. That is more hygienic,” She said.

Saku Mbye and Faye Manka both called on government’s intervention to provide a better market that can accommodate a lot of vendors and buyers. They noted that the rapid increase of vendors in the small market space has made life and business very challenging for them.

Adama Njie, a vendor dealing in vegetables, narrated his ordeal. “As you can see, I am sitting on the ground. I endure this hard condition daily.”

With the hope of making more profit to cater for her family’s daily upkeep, Adama bears the current conditions with the hope that things will improve someday.

Awa Njie, a fish vendor, complained of lack of refrigerator to preserve her fish.

“I preserve my fish at home and carry it to the market because there is no facility for that at the market. My house is far from the market; therefore, I often face difficulties especially whenever customers demand large quantity of fish.”

She said it will be easier for her to supply the market with abundant fish if she gets a shop in the market that can house her refrigerator. “In that way, my fish will not spoil easily,” she noted.

Another vendor, Tako Kebbeh, shared similar challenges, while pleading for urgent solutions; saying that more women intend doing small business at the market but are however being challenged by the small size of the market.

Because of the small space and other poor conditions of the market, vendors at Giboro-Kuta market are sometimes compelled by situations to carry their wares to the regional administrative capital, Brikama and sell fast at the Brikama market. They have to cover some distance to access the Brikama market.

Binta Jallow said: “Some customers feel angry because most of the basic ingredients for cooking are not available here. We definitely want to sell what they need but there is no enough space to place the demanded items.”

In her reaction, the deputy chairperson of the Giboro-Kuta market committee, Kumba Jallow, confirmed that the committee is fully aware of the limited market space, reiterating that they need a bigger space.

“The current market space can only accommodate between 30-50 vendors. Two vendors share a table, making it difficult for vendors with huge items. The committee is always in consultation with the village authorities to expand the market,” he explained.

Mr Jallow called on vendors to be patient as the situation will be tackled.

The Alkalo of Giboro-Kuta, Sheriffo Jatta, was quick to reveal plans to relocate the market to a spacious area on the main highway that befits modem market status.

Giboro-Kuta settlement is growing rapidly in population which is largely due to people moving from the densely populated urban settlements to the area. Bigger market space, adequate water supply, among other continue to be challenging.

By: Muhammed Lamin Drammeh

In an effort to learn the historical connections and relationships among countries within the sub-region, about one hundred students from the University of the Gambia (UTG) have embarked on a 5-day research trip to Southern Casamance in Senegal and Guinea Bissau to inspect the historical sites that have influenced the history of The Gambia. The six-day research trip started on July 28th and ended on 2^nd August 2022.

The 2022 UTG Historical Fact Finders team, which was led by Dr Ensa Touray, the head of the History department at UTG and his assistant Baboucarr Mboob, inspected Ossiou Monarchy in Cassamance. They were put through by the king who govern 17 villages in the area through the traditional system of ruling as well as the traditional religious way of life.

From there, the student researchers then drove to Bissau where they visited Checau and then the Bissau Military Museum.

Checau is a historical museum that houses paintings, records of slavery; historical artefacts about how the people of the former Portuguese colony were enslaved. The Museum allowed the students to be exposed to the tales of the inhuman treatments meted by the Europeans during the slave trade in Guinea-Bissau and how Bissau natives were captured.

Additionally, the research team also visited the Military Museum in Bissau where tombs of independence hero Amilcar Cabral and former military presidents, including Nino Veira and Malang Bekai Sanyang, the first Muslim president in Bissau are decorated. They were enlightened by the Bissau path to independence chronicling the 11 years of war against the Portuguese which led to their independence.

Dr Ensa Touray, lecturer and the head of the University of The Gambia History department told The Fatu Network that the research trip is enormously important as it exposed the students to the historical connection between the Gambia and Bissau.

“West Africa was an independent zone before the coming of Europeans. We are all connected culturally and in every aspect of human existence. Gambia, Bissau and Casamance were all under Mali Empire but the colonial demarcation separated people. So, this research trip helps us to discover the relationship between the two countries in terms of culture and identity”.

He emphasised that the teaching and learning of history cannot be limited only to the classrooms.

Research trip participant, Fatoumatta Krubally, told The Fatu Network that the trip has exposed her to the historical site and narration of the history of Bissau, which she said is cardinal.

“I was able to learn the history of Bissau and their struggle for independence as well as exposed to the fact that certain people are practising traditional religion and cultures, which is very important to my intellectual pursuit.”  She pointed out.

The students also visited the new Gambia Embassy building in Bissau. They were cordially received by the deputy head of mission in Bissau, Lamin Camara who praised them for embarking on such research. The deputy ambassador exhorted the students to continue their intellectual pursuits as the future of the country rest in the hands of the budding intellectuals.

By: Muhammed Lamin Drammeh

The national treasurer of the opposition Gambia Democratic Congress (GDC), Lamin KB Bojang, has called on the government of The Gambia through the Ministry of Local Government and Lands to demarcate the Brikama Area Council into two councils, noting that West Coast Region is too wide to be effectively governed by a single area council.

The erstwhile GDC candidate for the Brikama North Constituency in April Parliamentary elections argued that the current Brikama Area Council is inefficient because of the vast areas it covers.

“Brikama Area Council covers a vast area and so they cannot serve us effectively. It is high time the government looked into creating a new municipality that will be called Brikama Municipality and creating another area council that will be called Sibanor Area Council. West Coast Region is the biggest region and the most densely populated in the country. Demarcating the region into two will help in managing the revenue generated by the councils”, he pointed out.

According to Bojang, the Brikama Municipality should comprise Kombo East, Kombo South, Kombo Central and Kombo North. The other council, which he suggested to be Sibanor or Bwiam Area Council, said that council territory can start from Mandinaba in Kombo East to Kalagi in Foni.

He submitted that the Minister of Local Government and Lands should propose a cabinet paper and submit it to Parliament for approval.  He said if that is approved, the West Coast will generate huge revenue and will help find solutions to the current issues affecting the West Coast Region dwellers.

While suggesting the demarcation of the Area Council into two, Bojang claimed that the current Brikama Area Council is not serving the people of West Coast, accusing them of neglecting Brikama.

“It is disheartening that Brikama Area Council has neglected even Brikama town for far too long. Looking at our streets, we suffer a lot, especially in the rainy season. It’s sad that year in and year out, we will be affected by severe floods. It is like we don’t even have a council in the first place”, he claimed.

The Brikama Area Council is the local government council responsible for tax collection in the West Coast Region. The region is vast and has an area of about 1764.3 km2

By: Ousman Saidykan

Economic Expert Nyang Njie has said government should have embarked on a comprehensive civil service reform before leaping for a salary increment; an increment he referred to as “inequitable”.

“We have ghost workers on the payroll. We haven’t tidy-up our civil service. Once there is a civil service reform, we can now pay people properly,” Njie told The Fatu Network on The News Review programme.

The economist continued that if the government was “hell-bent” on increasing the salaries of civil servants, they should have first looked at equity.

“What is equity? Not everyone should get 30%. Because if you look at the total payroll of the government, it is fat up top and, on the bottom, it is empty. And 75% – 80% of government workers fall below the D7, 000 thresholds.

“So, what did the government do? Something that is not equitable, and government should ensure an equitable social contract – and first and foremost, it should start with the civil service,” Nyang said.

The increment was a promise made by the government but would only materialise if the review budget was passed, which was done by the parliament on the 28th of July 2021.

The increment received criticisms from some quarters who believe it is discriminatory. They say it enriches the rich and impoverishes the poor.

“This was a political promise. And this political promise is now costing lives and livelihoods of Gambians and that is why political expedience – this is where our technocrats should always not be willing to be strange bedfellows with politicians,” economist Njie added.

By: Ousman Saidykhan

Justice Ebrima Jaiteh of the Banjul High Court has disregarded the defence counsel’s oral application for the accused persons to be granted bail in a case involving Sainabou Mbaye and two others.

The defence applied for the court to grant the accused persons bail after the state applies for a short adjournment as they wait for an autopsy on Baby Muhammed to file an indictment.

“We will need a week or two,” prosecution counsel, P Gomez told the court.

The judge said the defence counsel’s application was not proper. He said the defence should have written a motion on notice and served the prosecution because oral applications can be heard after indictments are filed.

“I will suggest that you come with your application, formally,” Justice Jaiteh said, adding that “even if you serve the state, they will have up to 48 hours to respond to your motion.”

However, defence counsel C Gaye, argued that nothing is stopping the court from granting the accused person bail because there is nothing before the court besides the transferred files.

“The accused persons cannot continue to suffer because they [the state] are putting their house in order,” counsel C Gaye argued.

On the other hand, the prosecution counsel argued that it would be misinformation for the defence to say there was nothing before the court.

“We are strongly opposing that application because Manslaughter is not bailable,” says Counsel P Gomez.

The case was adjourned to Friday, 5th August for further mentioning.

Sainabou Mbaye, alongside her brother, Cherno Mbaye and Kibilly Dembally were all arraigned before Justice Ebrima Jaiteh of Banjul High Court for mentioning of their case.

They are charged with Manslaughter which is a capital offence and attracts life imprisonment as per the laws of the country.

The accused persons were first arraigned before the Kanifing Magistrate Court on the 26th of July 2022. However, the Magistrate transferred the case to High Court because he lacks the power to try capital offences.

The trio are charged for their alleged involvement in the incident that led to the death of Muhammed, the child at the heart of the Bob Keita rape trial.

Muhammed Mbaye was allegedly left in a hot vehicle with all doors and windows locked.

He passed out in the vehicle and was rushed to Afrimed Clinic, then to Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital and subsequently flown to Dakar on Monday 4th July 2022 With his Aunty, Sainabou Mbye.

He passed away in Dakar on the 10 of July 2022.

By: Muhammed Lamin Drammeh

In spite of being notified that Lamin Kaba Bajo, the incumbent and the Gambia Football Federation Presidential Candidate for Team Kaba will not be available for the proposed presidential debate, the Commission on Political Debate (CPD) is still positive that Lamin Kaba Bajo will honour the August 13 GFF Presidential debate request.

Speaking to The Fatu Network, the programme manager of CPD, Muctar Jallow, said that the commission is still optimistic that the GFF President Lamin Kaba Bajo will show up for the debate despite the rejection from the incumbent GFF president to debate with opponent Sadibou Kamaso. However, he said that his non-participation will not discontinue the debate preparation.

“We are still optimistic that Mr. Bajo and his team will reconsider their position. We remain optimistic”.

According to Mr. Jallow, notification of unavailability from Kaba Bajo’s team is a setback but has not affected anything about the debate.

“It is a setback but that will not affect anything we wanted this debate to be.   We do not build expectations around candidates’ participation in our debates”, Jallow told The Fatu Network.

Lamin Kaba Bajo’s former ally and now running mate, Sadibou Kamaso, has since accepted to go on the podium for the debate. According to team Kaba, they have a line-up of the campaign schedule which didn’t include this debate.

The incumbent Lamin kaba Bajo, last month told the Fatu Network that he is ready for a debate with Kamaso. He told this medium that he has much to say compared to Sadibou Kamaso, noting that he has been at the helm of affairs for eight years.  However, he said that he will only honour debate requests that will help in winning the election and not just any debate.

The proposed debate, according to Muctar Jallow, is the perfect campaign platform for Lamin Kaba Bajo.

Jallow further told the Fatu Network that the debate will still go on with or without Lamin Kaba Bajo’s appearance.

The GFF Presidential debate is scheduled to take place on the 13th of August.  Lamin Kaba Bajo will be battling it out with Sadibou Kamaso for the top office at the football house.

By: Sarjo Brito

President Adama Barrow during his assessment tour of the Greater Banjul Area on Monday 1st August 2022 disclosed that his government is set to embark on whopping 70-million-dollar project to address the drainage problem in the greater Banjul area. He says the project is geared toward addressing disasters like the recent flash floods across the country.

“We have a lot of projects that are coming. One of the projects is the drainage for the greater Banjul area. It is costed about 70 million dollars. Already we have the project and we have submitted it to the Indian government because we have a line of credit with the Indian government that is about 200 million dollars’’.

The Gambian leader says while the country’s poor drainage systems continue to be a major problem, the impacts of climate change must also be accepted. President Barrow further stated that the Gambia must adapt to climate change, emphasizing that his government is drafting the right policies to address issues of such nature.

Meanwhile, President Barrow says he will be meeting with his Cabinet Ministers to start working on relief packages to support affected families.

Saturday’s heavy downpour has displaced many families and reportedly claimed four lives in the country’s North Bank Region.

The Department of Water Resources has confirmed the almost 24-hour rain as the highest rainfall recorded in 34 years. According to their forecast, flash flooding is imminent in August and September as heavy rains are anticipated during these periods.

By: Ousman Saidykhan

Economic expert, Nyang Njie, has said the economy of The Gambia is doomed and that the recently passed revised budget by the National Assembly Members which sought a 30% increment of salaries in the Civil Service will only worsen the already ailing economy.

“This economy is doomed as we speak. The economy is on vacation and the country is not growing. If the country is not growing, we don’t have revenues, if we don’t have revenues it means for the rest of the year, we will resort to public borrowing, which is called deficit financing to pay salaries,” Mr Njie said.

The National Assembly Members passed the Revised Estimated Budget tabled by the Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs, Seedy Keita in the first Extra-Ordinary Session in the 2022 Legislative Year seeing a 30% salary increment in the Civil Service.

“That is consequential to our domestic debt that is already bloating. So, any way you look at it, is a cost to society and it is taking the economy and Gambians backwards,” the economic expert told the Fatu Network on its News Review programme.

The finance minister told lawmakers the basic salary increment was meant to improve the lives and livelihood of Gambians but of Civil Servants specifically, as this is the reflection of the Gambia’s current economic realities. It applies to civil servants; including ministries and departments likewise subvented hospitals and schools under the Ministries of Health and Basic and Secondary Education.

For economic experts like Nyang, the increment is detrimental to the economy.

“So, no one has won. But it was a politically expedient move and politicians have scored a point to the detriment of the economy and livelihood of Gambians,” he said.

By: Jankey Touray

Musa Yali Batchilly leader of Gambia Action Party sympathizing with the flood victims of 30th to 31st of July 2020 expressed his dismay in some government officials.

Speaking to the Fatu Network Mr. Batchilly said the flood is a Nation disaster, it is not about politics, and the people prefer preventive methods and cures.

He said the National Disaster Management Agency should have put in measures to prevent the flood before it’s coming, stressing that going round to people affected by the flood, he fears that some children might drown in the flooded water or be infected by dirty water where he saw children swimming in and other children might even drink those water during swimming.

He calls on the President to call for an emergency meeting with the vice president, NDMA, minister of works, minister of lands, and physical planning to find solutions to the problem at hand.

Demonstrating that some houses are also the causes of flood, as they are built on the runways for water, Batchilly says those houses need to be demolished and owners are compensated to prevent future floods.

He urges the government that if the contract for road construction is to be given, the contractor should have a blueprint of the drainage system and if they can not provide it let the contract not be given to them, also to those contractors that say they can do it and fail to do the drainage system should be taken to Janjanbureh prison.

Batchilly also recommends that the government to used the NDMA to build emergency homes in all the 53 constituencies in case situations like this emerge they can be evacuated and compensated on few, as the government can not compensate them with all damages, but with that victims can sustain and grow from there, affirming that the government has money and should do it.

He accuses some government officials they are not doing their work and all they do is eat and embezzled describing them as “Suluh Mbalkh” slippery people who fit themselves in every great situation and that the government should bring an independent team who will investigate the whole Lands Ministry and those who are not ready to work be dismissed.

He said it is sad for the people of eleven thousand two hundred and ninety-nine(11,299) square meters to suffer for fifty-seven (57) years of floods and urges political leaders to join hands with the government to support the flooded victims and learned to love each other, as this is a wake up called from Allah for people to learn and love one another.

By: Ousman Saidykhan

Principal Magistrate, Omar Jabang said on Monday, 1 August 2022 that his court would not be used as a “sanctuary for breaking, entering and stealing from people,” which he hinted as a fuel of mob justice.

Magistrate Jabang was delivering a judgment where he sentenced one Sanna Camara, 29, who was accused of breaking into a shop of one Mariama Sanyang with a spanner, screwdriver, pliers and a torchlight which were entered as exhibits A, B, C and D.

He pleaded guilty to the charge.

“Thievery is taking a deep root in our society. It is callous and heartless to break into the shops of people and steal therein and even more heartless to break into the shop of a lady. From Exhibits A, B and C; which are the spanner, screwdriver and the torch, I believe the convict is an expert in the trade of breaking,” Jabang said.

The Principal Magistrate said the society needs protection from the likes of Sanna who, even though, is a first-time offender, adding that mob justice is “unprecedented” in the country as a result of the loss of hope in the justice system.

“We need to take charge and correct the situation. By this, we can settle for a civilized society and men of law and not otherwise,” the Magistrate said.

The convict was handed a 5-year term instead of a 7-year jail term after he asked for the court’s mercy in his plea in mitigation as he said his father was sick and he is his father’s only son.

However, Principal Magistrate Jabang said stealing would not have been Sanna’s option had he considered his condition and that of his father.

By: Karimatou Jallow

Vendors at the Serekunda ‘Sandika’ market have said the size of the ‘Sandika’ is not favourable to them as the place is too small to occupy all the vendors. Moreover, they complained about the big trucks that park in the ‘Sandika’ space as this also affects their businesses.

Babucarr Ceesay, a vendor at the Serekunda ‘Sandika’ said the ‘Sandika’ is very tight and small and that being the case, they do not make many sales, especially “if these big trucks occupied the place.”

“Because of the size of the ‘Sandika’, we have no choice but to sell on the highway, however, we are also deprived of that as well because whenever we display our goods to sell we are being stopped by the police and told that it is not a selling point while we are paying taxes every day but we are not giving the opportunity to sell comfortably as we wish,” he told The Fatu Network.

Ceesay said they have been facing such challenges since the era of Yaya Jammeh but no one has ever come to their help. Moreover, he urged the current government to help them increase the size of the ‘Sandika’ market so that everybody will have the opportunity to sell their goods without many challenges.

Nedy Njie, also a vendor, said because of the small size of the place, many of them have no choice but to go around and sell their products because they don’t have permanent seats in the ‘Sandika’. She also lamented that it is from the small businesses they feed their families, which is why they have no choice but to sell in such a condition.

“The only reason we go around in the market and sell our goods is that we don’t have a permanent seat in the ‘Sandika’ and that is a result of the small size of the place. It is always not easy with us because the sun is always hot which can cause us serious sickness,” she said.

Njie also called on the government to intervene and address these issues because they are paying taxes like any other vendors in the ‘Sandika’ and have also the right as anyone of them.

“Sometimes we will be here from morning to afternoon but will not make any sell which is not good for us as business people and that is as a result of the trucks that park in front of our shop from morning to afternoon and no one will say anything because they are permitted by the police to park in front of our shops,” a source told the Fatu Network.

Moreover, the source said to ensure the ‘Sandika’ is free and comfortable for all the vendors, the source suggests the government look for a special place where these trucks will park and display their goods while the ‘Sandika’ be made a place to sell goods only.