By Mama A. Touray

Today, during the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly, President Adama Barrow affirmed The Gambia’s unwavering dedication to the promotion of human rights and the establishment of a dynamic democracy. 

”At the national level, The Gambia remains steadfast in its commitment to promoting human rights and establishing a vibrant democratic environment. The establishment of a National Human Rights Commission and entrenchment of a free, independent, and impartial judiciary provide a solid framework and a sense of security for our citizens, thus ensuring they have a place to seek redress for injustice,” he told the assembly.

He informed the assembly that, since 2017, The Gambia has not documented any political prisoners, nor have any journalists or human rights activists been incarcerated.

“Proudly too, in August 2024, The Gambia was recognised as one of Africa’s leading defenders of freedom of expression and ranked third in Article 19’s Global Expression Report 2024. We will continue striving to better our situation.”

He added that as committed advocates of peace and security, respect for basic rights and freedoms, and the application of international law, Gambia stand firmly against injustice, no matter where it occurs.

“No doubt, as a nation of peace, guided by democratic principles, we have learned valuable lessons to act upon and share,” he said.

“With the help of the international community, we are steadily taking steps to bring closure to the saga of the victims of dictatorship in our country. So far, we have successfully managed the Transitional Justice and Reform processes. Moving forward, we count on your support in the next critical stages of ensuring justice, reconciliation, and reparation, where necessary”.

He assured the gathering that The Gambia will continue advocating preventive approaches to peacebuilding to avert future conflicts.

At the international level, President Barrow said: “The Gambia believes in collective international efforts to combat global challenges. Based on this, last year, The Gambia joined the international community by co-sponsoring UN General Assembly consensus resolution 77/276, which sought to engage the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on the obligations of States regarding climate change”.

He added that last August, The Gambia submitted its written statement to the ICJ and is looking forward to participating in the oral hearings later this year in The Hague.

By Alieu Jallow

Abdolfazel Kia Rostami, a German national, and Modou Kujabi, a Malian national, are currently on trial facing two counts of felony.

These charges violate section 368 and section 291 of the criminal code cap 10 vol. III laws of The Gambia 2009, which pertain to felony and obtaining credit by false pretences, respectively.

The trial is taking place before Magistrate Touray at the Kanifing Magistrate Court.

STATEMENT OF OFFENCE

Conspiracy to commit felony Contrary to Section 368 of the Criminal Code Cap 10:01 Vol III Laws of the Gambia 2009.

PARTICULARS OF OFFENCE

“Abdolfazel and Modou Kujabi, for what you did on or about 26th July 2023 at Senegambia in the Kanifing Municipality of the Republic of the Gambia, You conspired with intent to Commit a felony therein, to wit: obtaining credit by false pretences, thereby Committed an offence.”

Count two

STATEMENT OF OFFENCE

Obtaining credit by false pretences contrary to section 291 of the criminal code cap 10 vol. III laws of The Gambia 2009.

PARTICULARS OF OFFENCE

“Abdolfazel ka Rostami and Modou Kujabi for what you did on or about the 26th of July, 2023 at Senegambia in the Kanifing Municipality of the Republic of the Gambia, you by false pretence with intent defraud, induce, obtain from AMB Ahmed M Adams the sum of D930,000 equivalent to £20,000 with the pretext that you were going to refund him the said Sum within two to four weeks upon Selling your property In German which representation was false and knew it to be false, thereby committed an offence.”

In his testimony, AMB Ahmed M Adams, a retired Nigerian ambassador to Guinea Bissau and Cape Verde, informed the court that he encountered the first accused last year. He said the accused was residing with a mutual friend who implored him to help the accused by sending $30,000 to Germany to cover legal fees for the sale of his property, with a promise of reimbursement.

PW 1 stated that he felt compelled to assist and had to organize a money transfer from Nigeria. He informed the court that he had advised the first accused of the exchange rate fluctuations and suggested waiting for it to stabilize. However, he noted that the first accused insisted on sending the money regardless of the fluctuations and that the resulting amount in Gambian currency should be treated as either 20,000 or 30,000 dollars.

“So, I transferred the money, and it amounted to D930, 000 meanwhile the first accused person and I made an agreement for him to loan him $20,000 U.S. dollars to be refunded with interest”

The matter was adjourned to Tuesday 5th November at 13:30 for a continuation of hearing PW 1

By: Alieu Jallow

The Inspector General of the Gambia Police Force, Seedy Muktarr Touray, in a recent press engagement, presented a comparative analysis of their annual crime statistics, offering a clear overview of various crimes the police dealt with over the past two years. IGP Touray highlighted rape, murder, burglary, rash and negligent acts causing death, robbery, defilement of girls under 18, and theft, among others, as some of the major crimes committed in 2023 and the first quarter of 2024.

“Rape: 15 cases in 2023 and 11 in 2024. Murder: 2 cases in the first quarter of 2023 and 4 cases in the first quarter of 2024. Rash and negligent acts causing death: 7 cases in 2023 and 4 in 2024. Robbery: 15 cases in 2023 and 13 in 2024. Burglary: 4 cases in 2023 and 6 in 2024. Cattle theft: 22 cases in 2023 and 9 in 2024. Defilement of a girl under the age of 18: 10 cases in 2023, and 0 in 2024. Economic crime: 1 case. The total for 2023 was 67, while the first quarter of this year saw 50,” he pointed out.

Road accidents remain a grave concern for many Gambians, with several losing their lives due to reckless driving, brake failures, driving under the influence of drugs, and other causes. IGP Touray noted that over 185 road accidents were recorded in the first quarter of 2023, while 242 were recorded in the first quarter of 2024, indicating a slight increase.

“Fatal accidents: 28 in the first quarter of 2023, and 29 in 2024. Serious injury accidents: 62 in the first quarter of 2023, and 83 in 2024. Minor injury accidents: 50 in 2023, and 64 in 2024. Non-injury accidents: 45 in 2023, and 66 in 2024,” he outlined.

In his comparison of major crime offenses for the second quarters of 2023 and 2024, IGP Touray noted a significant drop in major crimes, with 63 cases recorded in 2023 and 46 in 2024. The police chief also provided data on road traffic accidents for the second quarters of 2023 and 2024 across various regions.

“Banjul region: 7 accidents in both years. Mobile traffic: 50 cases in 2023, and 56 in 2024. Brikama region: 133 cases in 2023, and 38 in 2024. Mansakonko: 11 cases in 2023, and 6 in 2024. Janjanbureh: 0 in both years. Basse: 24 cases in 2023, and 3 in 2024. Serrekunda mobile traffic: 17 cases in 2023, and 19 in 2024. Denton Bridge: 7 cases in 2023, and 0 in 2024. Fraternity: 29 cases in 2023, and 22 in 2024, bringing the total to 278 road traffic accidents in the second quarter of 2023, and 151 in the second quarter of 2024,” he explained.

While describing the statistics as a significant improvement, IGP Touray vowed that the police are committed to further improving these figures and tackling major crimes and accidents through their patrol teams. He also revealed data on the number of cases prosecuted, citing 278 cases last year and 151 this year.

By: Dawda Baldeh

Freedom Radio executives are facing a conflict of possession, accusing Salieu Njie of hijacking the station and blocking them from accessing the radio’s password.

The online radio, once popular among Gambians, was at risk of collapsing after the death of its founder, Pa Ndery Mbai. Colleagues attempted to revive the operation to uphold his legacy and support his family.

Salieu Njie is accused of changing the password, declaring himself CEO, and exhibiting dictatorial behavior during executive meetings. The executives, who had contributed funds to revitalize the radio, expressed disappointment over the alleged hijacking.

Following reports of the alleged hijacking, The Fatu Network reached out to the executives for comments.

Alhagie Cham, also known as Sir Jackal, a member of the executive team, told this medium that they have been blocked from accessing the radio password and code. “Salieu Njie hijacked the radio, changed the password, and made himself the CEO and Chief Editor,” Cham said.

When questioned about the reason for their alleged blocking, Cham stated: “I don’t know why, but he blocked us and hijacked the radio, which none of us can claim ownership of.”

He recounted, “Njie always showed irrational behavior during our executive meetings before hijacking the radio. He is a dictator who doesn’t want any rectification from anyone. He’s Mr. Perfect… we are all disappointed by his actions, and now he’s operating the radio alone,” he added.

In a joint statement obtained by The Fatu Network, the Freedom Radio executives expressed their disappointment over the alleged hijacking and scam, describing Njie as a dishonest individual and referred to his actions as unacceptable.

“I am completely devastated and disappointed by the attitude and behavior displayed by Mr. Salieu Njie,” said Tijan Ceesay, a program host at Freedom Radio.

According to the joint statement, members of the executive team contributed funds to revitalize the radio. Pa Njie Girigara contributed $2,500, while others contributed $5,000.
The contributors include Tijan Ceesay, a Germany-based Gambian; Alhagie Cham (Sir Jackal); Gibril Fadia; Oley Soseh; Abdoulie Sanyang; Joe Barry; Fallabowh; and P. Mendy.

Njie Responds to the Allegations

Reacting to the allegations, Njie admitted to blocking the executives but denied the claims, asserting that they were ineffective and disrespectful in their approach.

He stated that the executive term had expired and claimed he had provided the code to the program host (Tijan Ceesay) multiple times, accusing him of irresponsibility. He went on to claim that the executives had been ineffective and had left all the burden on him. “The executives have been very dormant, and their terms have expired,” he said, adding that he has been left with the responsibility of financing the radio’s activities.

“Initially, we agreed that the executives would contribute 10 euros each month, but they failed to honor that. I blocked them because of their unprofessional behavior. I don’t want to talk to them on the phone because of the insults, so I gave them my email to engage with me. They have been insulting me and fabricating all kinds of lies,” he asserted.

In his lengthy response, Njie explained that the executive term had expired as they were elected to serve for one year, adding that there will be an election for new executives.

Responding further on denying the executives access to the code, Njie claimed that he had given Tijan (the program host) the code several times. “Every time I gave him the code, he wouldn’t save it, and I think he’s not responsible,” he alleged.

According to Njie, his refusal to give out the code is intended to mitigate potential problems and monitor activities to avoid legal battles.

Njie further criticized the executive team, stating they could challenge him in court if they believed he had acted illegally. He expressed disappointment that the executives had made such allegations against him while ignoring their responsibilities. “They keep asking for the code but forget that they have responsibilities as executives and that the radio has bills, which I have been paying,” he added.

Njie also threatened legal action against the executives over the allegations, stating that “the insults and lies against him are too much.”

By Zackline Colley

A two-day workshop in Banjul has brought together key stakeholders to bolster national and regional advocacy efforts against female genital mutilation (FGM) and strategize on protecting women and girls from harmful practices.

The workshop, jointly organized by GAMCOTRAP, NGBV, and Tango, was dedicated to the defence of the Women’s Amendment Act 2015 that criminalizes FGM, countering attempts to overturn the legislation.

Judy Gitau, Regional Coordinator for Equality Now, emphasized the haste of safeguarding the law and raising public cognition on the harmful effects of FGM.

“Moving forward, we must map out strategies to protect and defend the Women’s Amendment Act of 2015 so that it can continue to protect women and girls,” she stated.

Gitau also highlighted four major challenges facing the anti-FGM efforts: litigation, strong cultural norms, patriarchal systems, and an organized anti-rights wave.

“We never anticipated a need to defend the law, but we must strategize to ensure its implementation becomes the new culture, the new norm,” she added.

The workshop comes at a crucial time, as The Gambia has seen efforts to repeal the Women’s Amendment Act. In July 2024, the National Assembly rejected a private member’s bill aiming to repeal the law. However, according to Gitau, the fight is far from over, with ongoing legal challenges and societal resistance.

“The threat to the anti-FGM legislation here is a manifestation of a broader anti-rights wave that, if we are not careful, can push back on the rights of women and girls across the globe,” she warned.

Mr. Fallu Sowe, National Coordinator for the Network Against Gender-Based Violence, also echoed these sentiments, describing the fight against FGM as both a national and international issue.

He recalled the 2023 prosecution of three women for engaging in FGM, which sparked significant backlash. “Religious leaders and some communities began speaking out, calling for the repeal of the law. It’s a big lesson we must learn from – when we have laws, we must stand to protect them,” Sowe asserted.

Civil society organizations (CSOs) have played a vital role in advocating against FGM and supporting survivors. Yadicon Njie Eribo, Chairperson of Tango, spoke on behalf of CSOs, highlighting their efforts to raise understanding and engage communities through dialogues and workshops.

“CSOs have consistently lobbied for stronger legal frameworks and policy reforms to protect women. The Women’s Amendment Act 2015 stands as a powerful testament to our collective resolve to eliminate this harmful practice,” she noted.

Eribo praised the ongoing advocacy efforts, pointing up that education and socialization workshops have been pivotal in furnishing community members with vital information about the threats of FGM and the legal protection provided by the 2015 Act.

Honourable Minister of Gender, Children, and Social Welfare, Madam Fatou Kinte, restated The Gambia’s commitment to international human rights conventions, including CEDAW and the CRC, which protect women’s and girls’ rights.

“The Gambia will continue social mobilization at the community level on the health and reproductive consequences of FGM while defending and implementing the law,” Kinte assured participants. She emphasized the importance of collective grassroots efforts and multi-stakeholder collaboration in ensuring the rights and well-being of women and girls are prioritized.

The workshop serves as a significant step in reinforcing The Gambia’s commitment to ending FGM, with stakeholders agreeing on the need for continued advocacy, enhanced implementation of the law, and greater public engagement to safeguard the future of women and girls in the country.

By Mama A. Touray

The Internal Audit Director at the Kanifing Municipal Council, Landing Colley, has told the ongoing Local Government Commission of Inquiry that there was a capacity gap in the council’s internal audit unit.

“There was a capacity gap in terms of knowledge about how audit works, and the staff therein has a capacity gap regarding auditing and how it is done,” he told the commission.

He added that at the time of assuming office, there were 5 staff in the Internal Audit Unit and that the Audit Unit was without a director for at least 2 years.

Colley informed the commission that KMC was “medium” in terms of control processes.

“There is a will from both the policy makers and the management of KMC to improve themselves, but the problem is that they have limited exposure to the legislative framework governing the councils. The understanding of the [Local Government] Finance and Audit Act was a bit low,” he said.

He also testified that he did a procurement audit looking at the procurement activities, contracts awarded, and the evaluation criteria used.

He told the commission that “there was no independent evaluation committee” at the council, though he advised the council to establish an independent evaluation committee as some of the policy makers in KMC do management work.

“When I came newly, I did what we call a procurement audit. I looked at the procurement processes, how contracts were awarded [and] the evaluation processes. When I looked at that, I found out that, when it comes to the assessment of contracts, there was no independent evaluation committee,” he explained.

Colley testified that at KMC, policy makers perform administration functions which he said makes them not best suited to do evaluation of contracts.

“For example, let’s say the job is not completed and as an auditor, if you have a query, you will go back to the same people who did the evaluation. So, there is that conflict there,” he said.

At this juncture, Colley agreed with Lead Counsel Gomez’s statement that without an independent evaluation committee, the contracts may be susceptible to fraud, nepotism, and favouritism, among other wrongs.

By: Mama A. Touray

The Chairman of the Brikama Area Council, Yankuba Darboe, said in an interview that the BAC has started a property assessment to determine the number of properties within the West Coast Region, as the council does not have a database of properties within its jurisdiction.

“We started a property assessment at the council. BAC does not have a database, so when you say, for example, at Bijilo, we don’t know how many properties are there. The collector that goes to Bijilo may say we have collected from ten compounds, but he can even collect from a hundred compounds and report only ten because we don’t know the number of properties there,” Darboe explained.

He alleged that, at times during the year, collectors would again tell the council that they had exhausted all the properties in a given area.

According to Chairman Darboe, this behavior by collectors is one of the reasons BAC often refers to a “limping period” and resorts to taking loans from banks to pay staff salaries.

“This is what collectors do. It’s why most of our collectors have multi-story buildings built in their names, and this is the reality,” he said.

He added, “So what we have done is to assess all areas and determine how many households are in Bijilo and how much they should pay in a year. This will help us in budgeting and knowing how many shops and businesses are there.”

Chairman Darboe, however, lamented that although they hired an assessment team, the collectors are not allowing them to do their work. “The collectors don’t want us to have the information because information is power, so they don’t want us to know, and they are not collecting from everywhere.”

He continued, noting that when the assessment team visits some places, residents report they have never seen BAC officials collecting from them since they began occupying the property. He added that even the NAMs in Jabang have never paid anything to BAC since they acquired their properties. “All the NAMs in Jabang have never paid anything to BAC because none of our collectors reached them, but this year, our assessment team did.”

Darboe stated that BAC has many development goals for the West Coast Region, but without tax payments, they cannot achieve them.

“All those who were at BAC before us did nothing for us. They left it for us, so we have our work cut out for us. This year, we are dedicating efforts to acquiring trucks because we know that will help us address the issue of trash, which is a very big problem in the West Coast Region, and this is the reality,” he concluded.

In Banjul, a disputed building under construction has tragically led to the death of a child after it collapsed.

According to sources, the builders were placing iron rods on a ten-layer brick structure when it collapsed on three children.

“They were on top of the ten-layer bricks placing the iron rods when the bricks collapsed and hit the children. The first child suffered serious injuries, leading to his immediate death, while the other two were rushed to the hospital,” said Sheikh Ahmad Jaw, the Ward Councilor.

“The new store being built at that junction collapsed into another structure, causing the death of 7-year-old Ali Njie from Thompson Street, now Alasan Ndure Street, and seriously injuring other young people,” an eyewitness said.

The Fatu Network has been informed that residents are planning to stage a protest this evening, demanding the evacuation of the store, which they claim shouldn’t be in the residential area.

More details to follow…