PRESS RELEASE
Mr. ALHAJI BOYE Case in Raleigh, North Carolina
Date: August 9, 2016
The December 30 Gambia Freedom Foundation (D30 GFF) wishes to inform the public that we are aware of the recent detention of Mr. Alagie Boye, of Raleigh NC, in connection with the December 30th, 2014 heroic attempts to restore democracy and the rule of law in The Gambia. Mr. Boye had his first appearance in court today, August 9, 2016 at 10am for “Detention Hearing” in the court of Magistrate Judge Robert T. Numbers, II in Raleigh, NC. But the “Detention Hearing” has been adjourned to this coming Friday, December 12, 2016 at 10am Eastern Time in the same before the same judge.
We (The D30 GFF team) have had our leadership in constant touch with the family of Mr. Boye, since day one. We have been sharing and exchanging information, and strategizing with the legal defense team, the family, and their appointed spokesperson, Mr. Omar Ann of Raleigh, NC. The D30 GFF leadership have also been speaking to Mr. Boye himself and so has Spokesperson Ann, who along with the family visited Mr. Boye in Jail over on Monday August 8, 2016. Also, the family, Mr. Ann, and some Gambian community members from Raleigh were in the courtroom this morning to render morale support. Ann is working with the community to mobilize a strong presence in the courtroom this coming Friday to show their support of Mr. Boye and in respect of he and his fellow Heroes’ immense sacrifices in seeking freedom for the Gambia.
Over the course of the prosecution of the initial group of heroes connected with the December 30th incident whose cases were tried in Minnesota (MN), the core group of volunteers of the D30 GFF and the MN Legal team have built a tremendous and resourceful knowledge base, visa a vis the Neutrality Act and in particular the effective defense of our December 30 heroes. We know that it is because of the formidable amount of defense work, collaboration, research, advocacy, community support and donations that the initial court cases, for Heroes Mr. Cherno Njie, Captain Alhaji Barrow, Army Official Papa Faal, and Mr. Banka Manneh, received what could only be described as very lenient and favorable sentences given what they were originally charged with.
We have activated the D30 GFF team to provide guidance, advice, and support to Mr. Boye, to the family, and to the legal defense team in Raleigh. The D30 GFF Team has also been facilitating collaboration between the former Defense Team in Minnesota (MN) and the Raleigh Defense Team so they can share the legal documents and research in connection to the Neutrality Act and key defense strategy that was employed in the MN cases. We are also hoping to collaborate with the Diaspora fundraising group, Gambia Democracy Fund (GDF), to raise funds in support of Mr. Boye and his family throughout the course of the legal proceedings. D30 GFF henceforth has secured the legal services of lawyer Elliott Abrams for Mr. Alagie Boye. D30 GFF has been in contact with Mr. Abrams law firm for the past days.
As previously stated, we are pleased to inform the general public that, Mr. Omar Ann, Community Activist in the State of North Carolina, has been appointed by the family of Alagie Boye as their spokesperson. Mr. Ann is an eminent, credible, and trusted member of the Raleigh, North Carolina community, and all questions pertaining to the case of Mr. Boye, could also be directed to him.
The D30 GFF team will be supporting the efforts of Alagie Boye’s family and specially his legal team to ensure a strong and adequate legal defense. And we have been working and will continue to work with Spokesperson Ann through the course of the proceedings. Our Facebook (D30 Gambia Freedom Foundation) and Twitter (@D30GFF) pages and Website (WWW.D30GambiaFreedomFoundation.Org) will be reliable sources of information and updates on the case. We will ensure there is up-to-date information about the case available on the aforementioned platforms on an ongoing basis.
We are urging the community to show their support by attending the scheduled “Detention Hearing” for Mr. Alhaji Boye on Friday, August 12, 2016 at 10am Eastern in the court of Magistrate Judge Robert T. Numbers, II in US Federal Courthouse, 310 New Bern Avenue, Raleigh, NC 27601.
Alagie Boye is one of us and he is a hero who like all the other December 30th Heroes, sacrificed immensely in an effort to bring freedom to ALL Gambians. Let us all stand by our own and show our support now when he needs us the most.
If you would like to attend the Court case on Friday or any further information, please contact Mr. Omar Ann through his Facebook account (Omar Ann) or via email ([email protected]) or contact the D30 GFF via Facebook (D30 Gambia Freedom Foundation) or email ([email protected]).
The D30 GFF will very soon be releasing information asking you to write support and character attestation letters to the judge in Mr. Boye’s case. To donate for support of Mr. Boye and his family, please go to the following GoFundMe link: https://www.GoFundMe.Com/2H8QWY4. We are very grateful for and would like to thank all of you for the support you have been providing to ALL our heroes, and we look forward to your unfaltering support of Mr. Boye his case.
Sincerely,
The December 30 Gambia Freedom Foundation (D30 GFF)
For The Gambia, Our Homeland, We Strive, and Work, and Pray.
Where should the line be drawn with Yahya Jammeh now
It is painfully evident that, the repeated harm and humiliation of Gambians at the hands of Yahya Jammeh is getting worst each time. Not so long ago, Ebrima Solo Sandeng was murdered in cold blood and yet again, Gambians are dissolved into tears and hanging our heads in shame when we learnt about the death of Solo kurumah — one of the jail UDP sympathizers under states custody. Yet again, we have witnessed one of a string of extraordinarily and increasingly brazen attacks on Gambians at state institutions such as hospitals, many of which bear the mark of regimes responsibility. The reality can’t be altered anymore because our country is in the hands of our adversary. As Pressure cranks up on Yahya Jammeh, he averted his anger against UDP by indiscriminately continuing to kill its supports, jailing its leaders and he is already setting a lousy example by schooling Gambians about what is to come next if he is allowed to lead Gambia again.
It’s innately unhuman to have a thirst of killing of your citizens, let alone cease your opponent’s dead bodies or deny people burial but— those are the things which thrills Yaya Jammeh to happiness. It’s hard to imagine when what Yahya Jammeh wants is impossible or things doesn’t palpitate to his likings, he tosses his tantrum on the defenseless Gambians by murdering them, thinking that will solve his problems. What is more strange about this man is — he extols killings, he is the archetype of tribalist and he grew significantly more intolerant of Gambia culture. He continues to exploit Gambians by selling them the theme “Development” in exchange for patriotism and legitimizing dictatorship. This is a stark sign of how flat-footed some Gambians are in buying in his theme and still trusting him despite his failed performance or not delivering on his promises.
it is worthwhile for Gambians to apply some common sense to abandon Yahya Jammeh but so far, fear and milquetoast response of world leaders has unable them to caught up with that trend. We have seen string of systemic targeting of renowned popular people at the very highest level in their party and little unknown in the opposition for sacrifice. Abandoning his party is treated as a crime and we have seen clear an example in the case of Tina Faal — whose bail was revoked by the regime without knowledge of the presiding magistrate or prosecutor. This leads to the conversation about the new Party GDC. I am sure they are working diligently to earn the freedom of their colleague behind the scene with the best way they thing possible. However, most Gambians are very concerned of another woman in the hands of the dictator. They want the leaders of GDC party to project confidence and competence in forcefully condemning Yaya Jammeh, communicate a clear compelling message to challenged Yaya Jammeh to end this business of arbitrary arrest of all citizens. The failure of communicating the message clearly is particularly galling to many Gambians because GDC still continues to campaign for elections despite Tina is in state custody.
With Ousainou Darboe and most of his party executives in Jail, some Gambian see the election route as means of taking on the dictatorship even though they know very well he will rig the elections. The urgency of ending dictatorship is making some Gambians willing to skip the screenings of the new candidates torridly and willing to do away their reservations of Mama Kandeh. Maybe this is why GDC arrival on the political scene have been welcomed with unanimous “thumbs up” and allowed to shoulder its way into the political scene without rigorous evaluations of their leader or stamp of approval of his policies. Some people asked questions about rushing towards someone we don’t know enough about and his ethical lapse of working with regime in tandem whiles in the parliament. Others say Mama Kandeh is willing to step up to draw the line against Yahya Jammeh for a good reason whiles people with academic abilities or charismatic personal characteristics are watching on sidelines.
What is clear to our nation and the world is— Yayha Jammeh isn’t looking for legitimacy through elections because predictably, his crimes already indicted him. Nevertheless, self-congratulatory tributes in the campaign trails, speaking in vague understatements often to hide unpleasant words such as a “Dictator”, or putting every statement for reconsideration and revision before it is uttered will not make him stop his violence or incomprehensible hatred of Gambians. What Gambians want to hear is —release all our political prisoners, release our fallen heroes’ dead bodies, release all our women in prison and the final red line drawn on dictatorship.
By Habib ( A Concerned Gambian)h