Man dies behind steering wheel of his car
By Fatou Camara II
A man has died in his car.
Photos of what appeared to be an unresponsive Momodou Darboe of Gunjur circulated online on Wednesday. He was said to have been found dead in his car on Wednesday in Latrikunda near the Trust Bank.
The Fatu Network tracked the Family of the victim and one person confirmed the tragic development.
“The man in question is my uncle. I am not staying together with him but I was even with him yesterday. The body is currently at the Kanifing Hospital and they are trying to carry some checks up to know the cause of the sudden death. No medical reasons are known yet,” Muctarr Ceesay told The Fatu Network.
‘This is utter nonsense’: War between Kebba Jallow and Touma Njai boils over as Jallow expels her but Touma reacts that she is leader of PPP
Touma Njai said ‘this is utter nonsense’ as she reacted to her supposed firing from People’s Progressive Party.
Touma shared a letter on Wednesday showing the Kebba Jallow-led PPP pulling the trigger on her. Her supposed termination came on Wednesday.
Touma quickly reacted to development by sharing the letter online and writing: “This this utter nonsense and I take it as such. I stand by my communications to the public via my press conference on the 1st March 2021 as proclaimed after the agreement of all the Regional chairpersons of the party. I maintain the position of the SG and the Party the Party Leader pending free and fair elections.
“The corrupt practices have been further emphasised by the high court ruling of the 1st March. For me as always demonstrated, accountability and transparency is always utmost. I published this just for the information of the public but it is of no importance to me as my position remains the same. We do not recognise MR Jallow as a leader and as such this letter is of no significance and of no value.”
Meanwhile in the letter, Kebba Jallow told Touma “your actions have proven gross and serious violations of the constitution, principles, norms and decisions of the party”.
He then told Touma: “Consequently, acting on the recommendations of the national disciplinary committee, the National Executive Committee of PPP, regrets to inform you that you are expelled from the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) with immediate effect.”
‘Either to resign or be sacked’: DA Jawo says Yankuba Sonko has no choice but to either resign or be sacked
Former Information Minister DA Jawo said on Wednesday the Minister of Interior Yankuba Sonko has no choice but to either resign or be sacked.
Former officer commanding investigation at the NIA Aziz Hydara told the TRRC Wednesday Yankuba Sonko led a team that deliberately deleted every available information on the movement of scores of West African migrants who were murdered in the country back in 2005 on the orders of former President Yahya Jammeh.
According to DA Jawo, Sonko’s role as interior minister seems to now be untenable.
He wrote on Wednesday: “Interior Minister Yankuba Sonko’s position seems to be untenable after being implicated for not only participating in a cover up in the killing of the West African migrants but for lying to the TRRC.
“He has no choice but to either resign or be sacked.”
Number plate producer Comfort Quality Services reacts to claims made on FTPBTP
By Ousman Jatta
Number plate producer Comfort Quality Services has reacted to claims of wrongdoing in the way and manner the company won the multi-million dalasis vehicle number plate contract.
Comfort Quality Services in 2019 came out on top in a bid to manufacture number plates and a contract was signed between the company and the ministry of interior.
Journalist Yusef Taylor investigated the company and concluded in his story the way the company won the contract was suspect.
On Sunday, he appeared on For The People By The People Show where he stood by his story and went on to make charges the security features of the number plates produced by the company do not work. He also said the complaint review board of the Gambia Public Procurement Authority had branded the way the ministry of interior awarded the contract to Comfort Quality Services as ‘scandalous’.
But Ousman Njie Chief Operations Officer of Comfort Quality Services responding to the claims said: “We have journalists that actually come here and interview and ask questions but what we actually replied and what they actually go out and say is completely different.
“They always talk about the contract, how it was obtained. I believe I have done a couple of press conferences here and we explained in detail how the contract went and the whole run down of how we acquired the contract. But it’s like people still believe that it’s their God-given right to obtain something that was tendered. We have actually fulfilled what we were required to present [at the tender].”
The contract given to the company for number plate is worth 65 million dalasis.
Madi Jobarteh wonders why Gambia is still without a police chief insisting some positions are not meant to be left empty at ‘any time’
Madi Jobarteh on Wednesday wondered why the nation remained without a police chief following the sudden death of Mamour Jobe.
Jobe died on March 13.
Commentator Madi Jobarteh wrote on Wednesday: “It’s 12 days since the former IGP passed away yet there is still no one appointed or acting in that position?
“What is the President waiting for to appoint an IGP? Some positions are not meant to be left empty at any time. When will the President appoint an IG?”
The Gambia Police Force remains without a leader since Jobe’s death – and a statement on Tuesday over the Sanyang riot is said to have come from the police ‘high command’ instead of the traditional ‘Office of the IGP’ approach.
The New Gambia’s Poorly Managed Change
By Dibba Chaku
It is often said that “the secret to change is to focus all your energy not on fighting the old but on building the new.” Change management can be a daunting task and if not handled with care and precision, an organization or a nation may slip and fall into some perilous ravine and then be faced with a mammoth task of trying to emerge from that quandary. The Gambia is faced with the conundrum of trying to put herself on the right footing amid novice mediocre leadership and rampant ‘chunneh’ conduct that is doing nothing but stifling her efforts to head in the right direction. It is without a jot of doubt that the initial euphoria that surrounded the democratic transition has worn off gradually, giving birth to the current tense conundrum. After uncaging ourselves from the whims and caprices of brutal dictatorship and autocratic rule, we availed ourselves of the opportunity to start afresh and put The Gambia on the right footing. Four years into our new dispensation, you wonder how much progress we have made so far, with our shameful and ugly past fresh on our minds.
The current administration promised to embark on reforms that we hope would lay down that solid unbreakable foundation we can build on. To begin with, a commission of inquiry was set up to investigate the financial dealings of former president Jammeh. The findings startled many, but most importantly, many were left in a state of bewilderment when the current administration cherry-picked the recommendations of that commission and resorted to preferential treatment for obvious reasons because it is wining and dining with some of the adversely mentioned untouchables. This undoubtedly jeopardized the work of the commission that drained the nation off its meager pecuniary resources. We also saw the setting up of a constitutional review commission that comprises highly educated and experienced people with exemplary characters who were tasked with drafting a new constitution that represents the wishes of the Gambian people. Their integrity was unquestionable from the onset. They had consultations with Gambians both at home and abroad, and crafted a document that captured the wishes of the people. To the dismay of the president, his cabinet and stalwart supporters, this draft constitution would serve as an impediment to Mr. President’s desire to self-perpetuate. That is when they started developing a strong aversion to this important national document and devised a ruse to block its passage. We saw the attorney general’s feeble attempt to “defend” a draft bill at the national assembly in a performance that was nothing but lackluster. He refused to own that bill and acted indifferent to its passage. To add salt to injury, the information minister came up with the pretentious pronouncement that they invested so much in the draft constitution and that they really wanted it to pass. Unfathomable! Even ruminants will struggle to regurgitate that paradox because the inconsistency would rupture their rumens. That is like a lioness telling us that she is an herbivore when she is in fact a carnivore because we see her lay down ambushes to strike down and ravage other animals beyond repairs, feeding on them thereafter. The country is now stuck in a constitutional impasse because the person who was voted to lead a transition government and help fix an inherited broken system has now fallen in love with longevity in that position. He is the epicenter of this quagmire as he is determined to cling onto power even if that means being culpable of moral misconduct.
The biggest slogan of the current administration since its embryonic stage has been reforms. Undoubtedly, this gave hope to the citizenry that we were heading for posterity. One of the biggest reforms that continues to reverberate in our ears is security sector reform. Not much has been done in that area because only the reformers know, see, or feel what exactly is being reformed. The fragility of our internal security is an unfortunate reality that petrifies us daily, although we continue to be under the illusion that there is a security sector reform. It may be helpful to consider reforming both the reforms and the reformers. The so-called eight region was promised voting rights in the next presidential elections. Will diaspora Gambians partake in the December polls by casting votes in their various countries of residence? I seriously doubt this because the current administration has lost its popularity in the diaspora and is likely to come up with some lame excuse of either not having the financial resources or unprepared for it. The powerful minister of tourism insinuated this in the recent meet the people’s tour by saying it would be unfair to extend the franchise to diaspora Gambians in some communities and not others. Therefore, diaspora Gambians who want to vote in December should go back home to register to vote. This administration had almost five years to devise a ruse and work on logistics for diaspora Gambians to vote in December 2021. To not make that happen amounts to nothing but unwillingness on the part of the government.
From 2017 to date, the current administration seems either unable or unwilling to turn things around and put us on the right footing. Now it is asking for more time because it believes or is made to believe that it is doing a fantastic job. The Gambian voters cannot say that they are not in the know as to whether their lives and standard of living have improved or not because he who feels it knows it. Gambians have seen enough of this government’s performance to be able to appraise that performance, so the ball is in our court to either retain or replace this administration, knowing fully well that being elected to office by the general populace provides no guarantee that national leaders will be effective or dedicated to the national interest. David Cuschieri said “The mind is a powerful force. It can enslave us or empower us. It can plunge us into the depths of misery or take us to the heights of ecstasy. Learn to use the power wisely.” A regime change in The Gambia unaccompanied by a system change would be insufficient to put us on a development-bound locomotive.
Alaji Jawo set the record straight that he never relocated to NPP as being peddled by NPP people
Alaji Jawo has dismissed reports of switching to National People’s Party.
NPP supporters circulated photos and an audio of Jawo saying he converted to President Barrow’s party.
The GDC youth leader told The Fatu Network on Wednesday the reports are false.
“I never left GDC. They came to me and said I have been invited to meet President Barrow. I honoured the invitation and spoke there but my comments were misrepresented to mean I joined NPP,” Jawo said.
According to Jawo, he is however thankful to the government over the support he received from it after he wife gave birth to triplets at Bansang hospital on New Year ’s Day last year.
“But despite this support, I can never leave GDC. The party and Mamma Kandeh have done so much for me,” Jawo said.
The Fatu Network understands President Barrow gave Jawo who’s from Sare Njobo in Upper Fulladu D10,000 during their meeting on Monday.
NPP continues its raid on rival parties as UDP’s Matarr Gai and GDC’s Samba Sabally move to party
Matarr Gai said to be UDP’s campaign manager for Jokadu constituency has defected to National People’s Party while Alhaji Samba Sabally of Lower Fulldu and an honorary father to Mamma Kandeh has also converted to NPP, NPP officials have told The Fatu Network.
Gai and Sabally announced their defections to the National People’s Party on Tuesday March 23 in Mankamang Kunda.
The duo promised to fully support President Barrow and his NPP party.
“I have supported UDP for 20 years but I never shook hands with leader of UDP. This man (President Barrow) doesn’t know me but I know him since he mingles with my younger brother called Modou Njie. I have a large crowd behind me and I want us to work with you (President Barrow),” Gai said during his defection.
Samba Sabally said he asked Mamma Kandeh to join President Barrow because being president is a thing that comes from God.
“When I spoke with him and he refused, I told him I’m out,” Sabally who said he advised Kandeh as his honorary father said.
PPP issues statement as party continues to be dogged by speculation a high court judgment has rendered its recent congress meaningless
The Kebba E Jallow-led People’s Progressive Party has issued a statement saying a recent high court judgment has no effect on its recent congress held in Brikama-ba.
PPP last month held a congress in Brikama-ba where Kebba E Jallow emerged as leader of the party in strange circumstances after his challenger Touma Njai walked out before voting could take place.
Days later, the high court in Banjul delivered a judgment in the case of BB Darbo and Papa Njie, a judgment which says the congress the party held two years ago should be conducted again – and speculation has since persisted that it would render the party’s recent congress meaningless.
But PPP in a statement on Tuesday said: “Following the media publication regarding the consent judgment which was wrongly reported, the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) wants to inform and assure its members, supporters and the general public that the said judgment has absolutely nothing to do with the recent National Congress held in Brikama-ba from the 26th-27th February 2021 where Hon. Kebba E Jallow was elected Secretary General and Party Leader.
“The plaintiff’s that brought the 2018 congress before the courts never filed an injunction to stop all future congress of the party.
“The PPP was obliged to organize a congress as required by law. Therefore, only a court order could have stopped both the IEC and the party from holding a congress in 2021. Now that a congress was held and a new leadership elected, the courts cannot nullify the elections based on the outcome of the 2018 congress while there was no injunction to stop it.
“The Independent Electoral Commission sends observers to all party congresses and normally does not play any role in the way and manner parties conduct their congresses.
“We thank the IEC for sending representatives and their patience throughout the congress until a new leadership was elected.
“Besides the above, the party leader and Executive will embark on a nationwide tour to thank all delegates and members for the trust they have in them to run the affairs of the party for the next four years.”
Police say all records at Sanyang Police Station were burnt by protesters
Police have said all records at Sanyang Police Station were burnt after protesters attacked the station and set it on fire.
Youth of Sanyang took to the streets last week Monday following the fatal stabbing of Gibril Ceesay. The youth attacked the police station and set it on fire.
And according to police on Tuesday, “the building burnt down including all records, case exhibits, furniture and a Taxi Car parked at the station, was equally damaged”.
It comes as police disclosed the extent of the damage elsewhere due to the violent protests including the burning of nine fishing vessels and the looting of millions of dalasis.
Aziz Hydara makes bombshell claim Interior Minister Yankuba Sonko led team that falsified police diaries to cover up migrants’ brutal extermination
A former officer commanding investigation at the National Intelligence Agency Aziz Hydara on Wednesday told the TRRC Yankuba Sonko led a team of security officials who falsified police diaries in a bid to covering up the curious case of West African migrants.
At least 50 West African migrants who were on their way to Europe were arrested in the country in 2005 and brutally killed on the orders of former President Yahya Jammeh. Most of them were Ghanaians.
A taskforce was set up to cover up the movement of the killed migrants that was led by then Crime Management Coordinator Yankuba Sonko, according to Aziz Hydara. Sonko is now the nation’s interior minister.
“I know he was the head of our team and he was present, he was there as the head of the team when this thing was happening.
“I have high regards for him (Yankuba Sonko) and I’m going by his advice that we should come to this commission and tell the truth. So that is what I’m doing,” Hydara who was a member of the taskforce and officer commanding investigation at the NIA at the time told the TRRC.
Sonko appeared at the TRRC a few weeks ago where he accepted that there was cover up but he claimed that he did not know the police diaries were tampered with.
But according to Hydara, he was in fact the leader of a taskforce that met at Kairaba Police Station and concocted new diaries where anything that has to do with the migrants in terms of their movement was taken out.
AG’s office issues statement after blunder
The Attorney General’s office issues a statement on Tuesday saying it blundered in the Elections Bill 2021.
Gambians savaged the government after parts of the proposed new law around elections suggest the government is planning a fresh delimitation of boundaries which would see the country’s constituencies decrease to 41. Gambia currently is delimited in 53 constituencies.
According to the Attorney General’s office on Tuesday, the First Schedule of the Elections Bill 2021 which MPs have begun discussing contains an ‘inadvertent’ error. It appeared the office just lifted the law on boundaries in the 1996 Elections Act and inserted it in the new proposed bill.
The AG’s Chambers now says it has been in contact with the Independent Electoral Commission and the National Assembly and this ‘inadvertent’ error has been rectified.
“We wish to assure the general public that contrary to news reports, no decision has ever been taken by the government to alter the list of constituencies, neither does the government have the power to do so,” the attorney general’s office said in a statement.
It added: “The delimitation of constituencies is reserved solely for the Boundaries Commission pursuant to Section 50 of the constitution and whose powers are currently exercised by the Independent Electoral Commission under Section 9 of the Elections Act.”
Total number of people arrested over Sanyang ‘riot’ revealed by police
Police have revealed that a total of 50 individuals were arrested over the March 15 violent protests in Sanyang.
According to police on Tuesday, the investigation led to the arrests of 50 individuals currently helping the police in their investigations.
“Twenty-Two individuals among the arrested people have been charged with offences under the criminal code including Arson, Rioters demolishing buildings, Rioters injuring buildings, unlawful assembly and conspiracy to commit felony,” police said on Wednesday in a statement.
Breaking News: Millions of dalasis ‘suspected’ to have been stolen as police finally break their silence over Sanyang ‘riot’ incident
Police have broken their silence over the Sanyang events of last week which saw the town’s police station set on fire and Senegalese fleeing for their lives.
Below is police’s full statement;
The Police High Command wishes to inform the public that it has opened an investigation into the violent riot incident that occurred at Sanyang Village in Kombo South of West Coast Region on Monday 15th March 2021.
This unfortunate incident resulted in several acts of vandalism, attack and burning of the Police Station in Sanyang, burning and looting of a Fish Meal processing factory, burning of tires on roads as well as numerous acts of destruction to properties by rioters.
Preliminary assessment of properties damaged reveals that, 13 Fishing boats, 9 Boat engines , 5,273 Fishing nets were burnt and destroyed. Cash amount of about 8 Million Dalasis, 1 Million, Five Hundred Thousand CFA, and Thirty- Four Thousand Chinese Renmini ( RMB 34,000) is suspected to be looted from the Nessim Fish Meal processing company and from individual residents. A total of four Motor Vehicles including two Pickups and two Mini Truck were also burnt down. Sanyang Police Station was attacked and the building burnt down including all records, Case exhibits , furniture and a Taxi Car parked at the station, was equally damaged.
Furthermore, homes of 5 individuals within the Village were attacked and their compounds and properties vandalised . A mobile shop was broken into and items estimated at Two Hundred and Fifty Seven Thousand Dalasis were all looted.
Further threats of violent attacks on foreign nationals within the coastal south areas led to the creation of a temporary shelter at Batokunku Village. The shelter is currently inhabited by over 250 people of various nationalities, mainly Senegalese. Security and relief is being provided for individuals at the shelter while efforts to reintegrate them into their communities are underway.
In view of the wanton destruction and looting of public and private properties by rioters contrary to the Laws of the Gambia, the Police High Command has initiated a thorough investigation into the incident on Thursday 19th March 2021 . The investigation led to the arrests of 50 individuals currently helping the Police in their investigations.
Twenty-Two individuals among the arrested people have been charged with offences under the criminal code including Arson, Rioters demolishing buildings, Rioters injuring buildings, Unlawful assembly and Conspiracy to commit felony. They will be arraign before the courts as soon as possible.
Meanwhile, investigations are in progress and members of the public are encouraged to come forward with information that may be useful to the investigations.
The GPF High Command reminds the public that , in as much as the law provides for citizens to express themselves, they must do so within the confines of the Law and in a peaceful manner.
The cooperation of the public during the investigations is highly solicited.
Massive 22 Sanyang youth in hot water as they get dragged to court and charged for burning police station
Twenty-two youth of Sanyang appeared at the Brikama Magistrates Court where they were charged with conspiracy to commit felony, arson and unlawful assembly.
Lamin Tijan Jabang, Abdou Kunta Fofana, Sainey Badjie, Arfang Sanneh, Modou Lamin Marong, Lamin Manneh, Suwaibou Bojang, Mbye Darboe, Mbye Sanyang, Ousainou Dumbuya, Abdoulie Bayo, Sulayman Sanyang, Bubacarr Darboe, Yerro Jallow, Ebrima Manneh, Amadou Joof, Lamin Saidy, Samsidy Sanneh, Bakary Kanteh, Yaya Gaye, Ba Saikou Sanyang and Ebrima Bojang were jointly charged on Tuesday.
According to court documents seen by The Fatu Network, the lot allegedly conspired among themselves to commit a felony. They have also been charged with deliberately and unlawfully setting the Sanyang Police Station on fire. They were also charged with assembling illegally.
They are being kept at Police Anti-Crime in Bijilo ahead of their return to court on Wednesday.
TAB jabbed! KM Mayor Talib Ahmed Bensouda announces he has been inoculated with AstraZeneca vaccine
KM Mayor Talib Ahmed Bensouda, TAB, has said he has been inoculated with the AstraZeneca vaccine.
“Today I lead the KMC in vaccinations by taking the first dose of the Oxford, AstraZeneca Vaccine.
“I want to thank the Ministry of Health officials who administered the vaccine for their diligence and patience in getting all out questions answered,” TAB said on his official Facebook page on Tuesday.
Gambia has 36,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine and health workers and public officers including President Adama Barrow have all been taking the vaccine.