Yakumba Jaiteh insisted the Supreme Court vindicated her intentions for a multi-million dalasis loan scheme proposal she sponsored for MPs.

Jaiteh last year moved a motion for 54 million dalasis to be given to MPs as loan so that they could build their houses. The MPs had slashed the budget of a number of government departments and allocated it to themselves.

Two civil society groups then sued them insisting it was illegal – and the Supreme Court this week held that the act was unconstitutional.

But Mrs Jaiteh insisted on Thursday: “The Supreme Court Ruling on the 54million  Loan  Scheme is partly bizarre, giving its  interpretation of  word ‘amend’ in S101 of the constitution,  which I do not agree with and will give my reasons in another post.

“Although the SC did not agree with the procedure used by National Assembly in approving the loan scheme. The Supreme Court vindicated my intentions for a loan scheme and proffered the exact same reasons and arguments I gave on the floor of the house.

“To those that were opposed to the loan Scheme and viewed it as “self serving” or a “conduct to improperly enrich NAMs”,  the SC has completely disagreed with you lot.”

The chairman of the now-defunct Operation Three Years Jotna Abdou Njie has reacted to President Adama Barrow’s comments NPP would choose death over shame at the December election.

Speaking to over 50 former MPs at State House, President Barrow said: “This election is worth everything to us. Whatever we should do we will. If you’re going into a fight, you should cast your mind to two things: shame and death.

“If you get shamed, you should know you have been hit by something of which you must die. The agony lives with you. So you rather choose death over shame. So we (NPP) will take death and not shame.”

But speaking to The Fatu Network, Abdou Njie of Three Years Jotna said: “He made the death comments because he knows it’s shame that awaits him. So he’d better started measuring his grave. But I will want him to live with the shame for a long time.”

The Gambian Ambassador to France Ebrima Ousman Camara on April 12, 2021 presented his Letters of Credence to the President of France Emmanuel Macron, at a ceremony held at Élysée Palace in Paris.

Following the presentation of his Letters of Credence, Ambassador Camara conveyed fraternal greetings from President Adama Barrow to the French President Emmanuel Macron, the Government and the people of France, the foreign ministry said in a statement.

The statement added: “During diplomatic engagement with the French President, Ambassador Camara highlighted the need for both countries to explore cooperation in the areas of trade and business opportunities for both Gambian and French companies. He also suggested the promotion of  exchange between people and institutions as France is one of Gambia’s biggest bilateral aid provider with support focusing on agriculture, water supply and budget support.

“Subsequently, Ambassador Camara would present his Letters of Credence to Heads of State in Portugal, Hungary and Romania which are all under his jurisdiction as Gambia’s Ambassador to France.

“It could be recalled that The Gambia established diplomatic relations with France in 1965 following the attainment of independence from Britain. In what was considered a smooth and beneficial relations cooled off following the 1994 military coup that resulted in the creation of authoritarian rule. During this period, development cooperation between Gambia and France dwindled. But with the 2017 ascension to power of His Excellency President Barrow, development cooperation surged for the mutual benefit of both peoples.”

Aja Maimuna Baldeh has assured President Adama Barrow of her unflinching support as she predicted 98% win for the president at the December election.

“He will get 98%, I’m 100% sure. For me, I stay put wherever I am, until death. So I can assure President Adama Barrow that I have come to not just do politics for him but real politics,” the respected politician said via a Facebook live video on Wednesday.

NPP last weekend put together its national executive after many months of delay. Mai Baldeh was appointed the party’s national women mobiliser.

The Gambia Prisons Service has been given a new ambulance and fuel coupons worth D100,000 by Gambia Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

The gesture came on Wednesday and it formed part of GCCI’s ‘businesses against Covi-19’ campaign.

GCCI chief Edrissa Mass Jobe wrote Wednesday: “This ambulance is yet to further the agenda of equivalence of healthcare and the right to health is a principle that applies to all prisoners, who are entitled to receive the same quality of medical care that is available in the community.”

Salihu Kemo Barrow has jetted back to Italy after spending months in The Gambia helping President Adama Barrow with his politics.

Barrow who is not related to President Barrow was in the country for nearly six months.

He announced two days ago he has arrived back in Europe as fellow NPP supporters in Europe welcomed him on his return.

Gambians online have been reacting to an audio of former President Yahya Jammeh where he is heard speaking on various issues including his return to the country.

The audio shared on the social media network Facebook and elsewhere in past days has sparked fresh chatter over whether the former leader should return to the country.

But The Fatu Network has confirmed the audio is the same as the audio the former president shared with his supporters last year, as they prepared to protest against his exile.

Two women wearing veils and the Muslim Abaya dress who stole a bag containing up to D200,000 at a store at Serrekunda Market have pleaded guilty to their crime.

Principal Magistrate Isatou Janneh-Njie of the Kanifing Magistrates’ Court on Monday convicted and sentenced Kumba Secka and Mai Baldeh to pay a fine of D25,000 each in default to serve six months imprisonment for conspiracy, and D25,000 each in default to serve six months in prison for stealing, The Point reported on Tuesday.

They were ordered to pay a compensation of D171,695 in default to serve two years imprisonment. This amount should be paid in three months from the 30th May to 30th July, 2021, failure which the whole amount will become due, and will serve two years, The Point said.

The Fatu Network broke the news of two women entering a store in Serrekunda and stealing money.

Kumba Secka and Mai Baldeh entered the fabric store on April 25 where the latter distracted the store owner Ousainou Samateh as the former who sat on a chair took out a green bag filled with money from a black bag. They then left the store.

By Fatou Camara II

A family store that became a subject of much talk after its security cameras caught two abaya-wearing women shoplifting has clarified the non-involvement of a third woman.

CCTV footage showed a third woman amid claims she was involved. The woman was shocked by the claims and has since reached out to the store for clarification and apology.

The shopkeeper Alieu told The Fatu Network: “We run this boutique and we are really sad that things turned this way and that is why we want to stand by Fatoumatta Jaiteh to help clear her innocence.

“Two women involved in the act made it clear that they do not know Fatoumatta Jaiteh and even The Fatu Network footage and the official Facebook page of our boutique did not include Fatoumatta. So how people go about distorting the footage is worrisome.”

The woman herself told The Fatu Network she fell victim of distorted information as many mistook her to be an accomplice in the act.

“I was at home when people started sending me cropped pictures and videos of myself seen on the CCTV footages. In the video it appears as if I am part of the thieves which is not correct. I approached my husband with panic and confusion. This is how we came to the Boutique for the Boutique owner to help us clear the air,” she said.

Police have since identified the two women involved as Kumba Secka and Mai Baldeh.

The Facebook and Instagram Oversight Board has upheld Facebook’s decision to ban former U.S. President Donald Trump from posting content on his Facebook and Instagram accounts.

However, in a statement, the board however said that “it was not appropriate for Facebook to impose the indeterminate and standardless penalty of indefinite suspension.” The board instructed the company to review the matter within six months, possibly opening the door to Trump’s return.

Facebook’s normal penalties include removing the violating content, imposing a time-bound period of suspension, or permanently disabling the page and account.

Trump was banned from Facebook in January after the Capitol Hill riots. (CGTN Africa)

Retired General Lamin Bojang has launched a scathing attack on President Adama Barrow calling him ‘clueless’ and blaming him for the country’s current problems.

“The current president in this country is clueless. Because he has never had any experience in this country. He has no work experience, he has no job experience. Sometimes smart people can learn on the job. So for him, he has no job experience, he is not learning on the job, that’s why Gambia is sinking every day,” Gen Bojang told reporters at the IEC on Monday as his party got registered.

Bojang stated his party, the Alliance for National Re-orientation and Development will provide effective leadership for the country if it assumes power.

A Malian woman gave birth to nonuplets in Morocco on Tuesday and all nine babies are “doing well”, according to a statement from the Mali Health Ministry.

Anadolu Agency reports that Halima Cisse, 25, delivered five girls and four boys.

According to the evaluation of doctors both in Mali and Morocco, Cisse was initially expected to have septuplets but gave birth by cesarean section to nonuplets, shocking the doctors, who had not noticed another two siblings during ultrasounds.

After a two-week medical stay at a hospital in the Malian capital Bamako, the doctors requested specialist care for the rare case of Cisse.

Nonuplets are extremely rare in medical practice.

(CGTN Africa, with input from Anadolu Agency)

By Ousman Jatta

The Kanifing Magistrates Court has delayed judgment in the much talked about trial involving Gambia Action Party leader Musa Ousainou Yali Batchilly.

Batchilly was taken to court by a private individual over money he allegedly owed the person. Judgment was supposed to be made in the case on Tuesday but it has been delayed after an application filed at the high court by Batchilly’s lawyers for a stay of the case.

His lawyers want the high court to put a stop to the court proceedings as their client was not given much time to prepare for the case.

The prosecution however challenged the application filed by the defense counsel saying it was not competent.

“We want this honorable court to refuse the double applications and so we can proceed to judgment,” the prosecution prayed.

The magistrate is expected to make a ruling on the application filed by the defense counsel at the High Court of the Gambia, on Tuesday 26th of May   2020, at 2:00Pm.

The magistrates ruling will determine whether the court will not wait for the High Court’s ruling to pass its ruling on the case.

Kebba Lang Fofana has shared a statement with The Fatu Network reacting to his selection as the secretary general of the National People’s Party, Youth Wing.

Fofana said, in his statement: “I want to express my gratitude to His Excellency the President, Secretary General and party leader of the prestigious and reputable National People’s Party for the trust and confidence bestowed in me to serve the political council and now the national executive as youth secretary general.

“This opportunity given to me is highly worthy as it accords me the much needed chance to contribute positively towards reshaping the political dynamics of our dear country for the greater good towards the attainment of our desired national development strides.

“NPP will inject in peace and positivity; hope and the transformation of our collective wishes to tangible developments in all sectors that guarantees the upliftment of the socio economic of ALL.

“I wish to take this opportunity to urge fellow young people from other parties to preach peace over hate, politics of policies and programmes over rhetorics of deception and misinformation, for the future is OURS the YOUTH and its successful delivery lies on the values and principles we uphold to which COUNTRY over PARTY should be the driving force.

“To my NPP family, we have the greatest test ahead but we are more equal to the challenge and VICTORY shall be ours, in between we shall maintain the principle of tolerance, peace, inclusivity and continually align ourselves to the ONE GAMBIA, ONE NATION, ONE PEOPLE gospel.”

Gambia For All has issued a short statement reacting to comments by President Adama Barrow NPP will choose death or shame at the December election.

The president made the comment while meeting with former MPs over the weekend.

GFA said: “Shock and dismay!!! The only fitting reaction to the alleged unpresidential utterances from the Head of State. We are hoping that this is a case of “lost in translation”.

“As it is always the case with this administration, we expect some senior official to come up with further clarification. Because if this continues to be the official position of the president, with all the advantages of incumbency at his disposal, the holding of free and fair elections in December will be at best flawed.

“Even worse, if this declaration persists, it will be viewed historically as another “Six feet deep” moment for the president.”

Work is progressing on the torched Sanyang Police Station, according new photos seen by The Fatu Network.

The people of Sanyang reached out to top businessman Abubakary Jawara for help after the town’s police station got set on fire during violent protests in Sanyang in March.

Jawara then accepted to re-build the police station and a project costing 2.2 million dalasis was then rolled out.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday declared as unlawful a multi-million dalasis loan scheme by the nation’s MPs and called for its scrapping from the 2021 budget, Gambia Participates said in a statement.

“Gambia, today we have saved you D54.4 million. In December 2020, in a joint suit with CRPD we took the National Assembly of the Gambia to court for creating a loan scheme for themselves in the 2021 budget. Today the Supreme Court has declared the action unlawful and called for the removal of the said amount from the 2021 budget,” the statement read.

The nation’s MPs last December came under fire after they borrow themselves taxpayers’ money under the 2021 budget running into millions of dalasis. The proponents insisted the law allowed them to do so, with MP Ya Kumba Jaiteh as initiator.

Two leading CSO groups, Gambia Participates and Centre for Research and Policy Development, then mounted a legal challenge on the decision.

The groups on December 28 filed a lawsuit at the Supreme Court seeking the top court to declare that the amendment done by the National Assembly by including a budget line item of D54.4 million is “in contravention of sections 151,152 and 155 of the Constitution and a violation of section 47 of the Public Finance Act, 2014”.

The groups also wanted a declaration that the approval of the annual estimates of revenue and expenditure for the year 2021 with the inclusion of the sum of D54.4 million as loan to National Assembly Members and staff of the National Assembly service was a ‘usurpation’ of the powers given to the President in section 152 of the Constitution and a violation of clause 70 of the Standing Orders of the National Assembly.

The groups had sued the cleark of the national assembly alongside the auditor general, ministry of finance and the attorney general.

The groups wanted an order directing the Auditor General not to grant approval for the withdrawal of the sum of D54.4 million or any part of it by the National Assembly or the National Assembly Service.

They also wanted an order directing the Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs not to pay from the Consolidated Fund or any Fund of the government the sum of D54.4 million or any money at all to the National Assembly members or staff of the National Assembly Service as loan pursuant to the approved estimates of revenue and expenditure of the Government for the year 2021.

Also, they wanted an order severing and striking down the part of the Appropriation Act authorizing the payment of the sum of D54.4 million as loan to the National Assembly Members and staff of the National Assembly Service.

Gambia Participates and Centre for Research and Policy Development also wanted an injunction against the Clerk of the National Assembly and the National Assembly restraining them from raising warrants or preparing payment vouchers or any document that would facilitate the processing of the payment of the sum of D54.4 million or any part of it to the staff of the National Assembly Service and the National Assembly members.

NPP national youth president Kebba Madi Bojang has returned D100,000 he took from a man in exchange for a 20×20 plot of land in Latriya.

Bojang sold land to Abdullah Jabang last year but Jabang could not get the land as at least two different plots he was showed apparently had owners.

Jabang last month lodged a complaint with police for Bojang to be arrested with the latter later meeting with police at Latriya over the issue.

When The Fatu Network contacted Bojang on Monday, he admitted taking Jabang’s money but insisted it was his conduit who took Jabang to the wrong plots. He then promised to return the man’s money on Tuesday, in a rapid move.

Jabang confirmed receiving his money which was dropped at the police station in Latriya.

“I took him to police two weeks ago and I went with police to his compound but we could not find him there,” Jabang had told The Fatu Network.

Jabang added: “I suffered a lot in getting my money from Kebba. He bullied me countless times. For instance, when I go to Jambur or Mamuda to get back my money, he would say that he was with the president with meet-with-farmers tour or in the State House — bragging that he is too important for this issue while still keeping my money.”

MPs Fatoumatta Jawara and Abdoulie Ceesay have landed key roles in the new National People’s Party executive.

The MPs rode to the national assembly on the wings of UDP but were sacked from the party in 2019. They formed part of eight MPs who gained UDP’s wrath for bromancing with President Barrow, a foe of the party.

The MPs have since settled to life in NPP with two now bagging positions in the party’s new executive put together at the weekend.

Tallinding MPs Fatoumatta Jawara landed the role of female youth wing president while Old Yundum’s Abdoulie Ceesay was tapped for deputy national organizing secretary role.