A day of leisure turned into tragedy after three students on excursion drowned after a navy boat they were travelling in capsized in River Gambia.

The students who are from the Yundum Barracks Upper Basic School were travelling to Janjanbureh when the incident happened on Saturday morning.

Army deputy spokesman Captain Malick Sanyang confirmed the incident saying the navy boat was conveying them from the Laminkoto end of the river to the Janjangbureh end in batches. The ferry had apparently been grounded for maintenance.

Sanna Kijera a Grade 7 student, Musa B Batchilly and Aboubacar Jaiteh, also a Grade 7 student all drowned when the boat capsized.

Gibril Ceesay’s funeral on Tuesday degenerated into chaos after a delegation told the crowd they were sent by President Adama Barrow.

Ceesay, 30, was allegedly stabbed last Sunday night sparking violent protests in Sanyang in which the town’s police station was set on fire.

The victim was buried on Tuesday but his funeral saw tempers flare after a delegation said they were sent by President Adama Barrow. The victim’s uncle rejected D10,000 which the delegation claimed was donated by President Barrow; it sparked mayhem, one person who witnessed the funeral told The Fatu Network.

The situation resulted in the delegation quickly leaving the event which included Musa Suso and Ebrima Sillah.

The next day, on Wednesday, Suso allegedly returned to the family of Gibril Ceesay and confessed that the president never sent them, a family member said. He then begged that they should take the money, the person added.

An 80 year-old retired lecturer, Prof. Muritala Haroon, has told a Customary Court sitting in Mapo, that his wife, Afsat, still denies him sex.

At the resumed hearing in the suit this Thursday, Haroon said: “My wife did not abide by the advice given to her by this court to allow peace to reign by agreeing to perform her wifely duties’.

However, Afsat was conspicuously absent when she was called and nobody represented her in court.

The President of the court, Chief Ademola Odunade, cautioned Haroon to exercise more patience.

“The court will work with the extended members of the family to resolve the matter amicably,” he said.

Odunade adjourned the case until May 17 for further hearing.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Haroon in February, filed for dissolution of his 52-year-old marriage on grounds of sexual starvation and threat to life.

In the petition, he alleged that Afsat was fond of locking him out of the bedroom.

”I can no longer cope with the attitude again. Worst still, she and her relatives want me dead. ”Afsat attempted to stab me. She is misleading our six children. She has turned them against me,” he said.

Afsat had in her reply, rejected the prayer for separation.

“Prof is promiscuous. I cannot have anything to do with because he slept with his close friend’s three wives.

“My lord, Haroon slept with the three wives of the man who acted as an intermediary whenever we had problems,” she said. (NAN)

Police on Friday arrested 10 people in Sanyang, four days after violent protests that saw the youth of Sanyang set the town’s police station on fire.

The stabbing death of 30-year-old Gibril Ceesay in Sanyang last Sunday night sparked protests that the town where police fired teargas at protestors and the army briefing deploying troops. Police did not immediately arrest anyone.

But on Friday, they returned to Sanyang and began rounding up those suspected of committing crimes during the protests.

A source told The Fatu Network 10 people were arrested on Friday night and ‘lots’ of security forces deployed to Sanyang on Saturday.

Police spokesman Lamin Njie is yet to respond to a request for comment.

Njie Manneh has met UDP foot soldier Momodou Sabally and has made an offer of a car and D20,000 monthly salary if he opted to convert to President Barrow’s National People’s Party.

Manneh had vowed that he would take Sabally from UDP, which if he succeeds would come as a big blow to the yellow party.

And Manneh is now being used as a conduit to convince Sabally to accept an offer of a car and D20,000 salary per month to join NPP, according to one person familiar with the issue. Manneh himself confirmed meeting Sabally and making an offer to him.

“He is my own Momodou Sabally. I love him too much,” Manneh told The Fatu Network Saturday.

Popular Ebrima Sanneh commonly known as Baba Eks has died, sources to his family have told The Fatu Network.

Baba Eks died on Saturday in Brikama after a brief illness.

Baba Eks was much rumoured as being considered by UDP as its candidate in the now-abrogated Brikama Area Council by-election.

UDP had hoped a by-election would be held in the area council following its sacking of Sheriffo Sonko. A Supreme Court ruling this week dashed that hope where the top court said the law UDP relied on was faulty.

The proprietor of a massage parlour where Adji Sarr worked has bitten back at claims by the woman she asked her to carry out an abortion.

Sarr who accused top opposition leader Ousmane Sonko of raping her said in a bombshell interview this week her boss advised her to carry out an abortion after she told her she was pregnant.

But Ndeye Haddy Ndiaye in a video asked God to torment her if she did ask Adji Sarr to carry out an abortion.

Adji Sarr broke her silence on Tuesday telling the Senegalese media the politician put his hand in her private part and then raped her.

“He held me from behind, took his hand and put it inside my private part,” Sarr said, recounting an incident which she said took place last year.

“He told me ‘you will lie on the ground by force and I will do what I want’. He then placed me on the ground, took the oil that I was massaging him with and poured it over me and got on top of me,” Sarr said.

On her boss, she said Ndeye Khady asked her to drink ‘café’ for her to get rid of her pregnancy.

Samia Suluhu Hassan was sworn in Friday morning as the 6th President of the United Republic of Tanzania.

The ceremony took place at State House in Dar-es-Salaam.

President Hassan began her first day in office with an inspection of the Guard of Honour.

She’s the first woman to serve as Tanzania president and the second president of Tanzania from Zanzibar.

Ali Hassan Mwinyi, who also hails from Zanzibar, ruled for 10 years from 1985-1995. (CGTN Africa)

Jimara lawmaker Alhagie Sowe has issued a statement blasting President Adama Barrow over a ‘mass gathering’ at Sare Bojo lumo (market).

The president who is currently holidaying in his native Mankamang Kunda visited the market with his entourage.

But in a statement, Alhagie Sowe said: “I strongly condemn President Barrow roaming in the Lumo in Sare Bojo with mass gathering without observing Covid-19 protocols.

“It is a reckless act as his own government is discouraging public gatherings but he defies his own rules. I urge him to respect Covid-19 protocols and [i] strongly advise the minister of health (Dr Samateh) to do his homework right by condemning this act as it’s undermining the great efforts our gallant frontline workers are going.”

Lamin Dampha is at Banjul Police Station waiting for his COVID-19 test results ahead of his transfer to Mile Two.

Dampha is the only person arrested over the Sanyang on Monday.

He appeared at the Brikama Magistrates Court on Thursday where he was charged with willfully damaging property. He was then remanded in Mile Two.

The Fatu Network understands he is currently at Banjul Police Station where he is waiting for his COVID-19 test results ahead of his transfer to Mile Two. He will return to court on March 31.

Opposition APRC have recommended to government to pay reparation to the family of the killed Gibril Ceesay.

“The party also recommends to government to compensate the family of the deceased and any other victim,” APRC said in a statement signed by Dodou Jah on Thursday.

Violent protests erupted in Sanyang on Monday after 30-year-old Gibril Ceesay was stabbed during a botched robbery and later succumbing to his injuries.

APRC in their statement said they deplore and are worried with the ‘insecurity’ in most communities within the country.

“We therefore call on the government to immediately investigate and resolve the circumstances that led to this incident and assure the natives of Sanyang and all Gambians a tranquil and safe day-to-day livelihood,” APRC said.

Latrikunda Sabiji MP Saikou Marong has reacted to the outcome of a court battle between UDP and Brikama Area Council Sheriffo Sonko.

UDP lost their bid to have by-elections held after it sacked Sonko from the party. UDP went to court saying he automatically lost his seat as chairman of Brikama Area Council.

But the Supreme Court in a landmark ruling on Thursday said the law UDP relied on was unconstitutional, paying the way for Sonko to stay in his role.

MP Saikou Marong shared a screenshot of a The Standard newspaper story where UDP leader Darboe is seen saying Brikama Area Council by-election was ‘inevitable’.

“I’m just minding my business at my corner waiting for BAC CHAIRMANSHIP ELECTION,” the lawmaker wrote as caption to the screenshot which he posted to his Facebook on Thursday.

Marong was a member of UDP but he is now an enemy combatant after he got sacked by the party.

Abubakary Jawara and his brother Haji who is Gambia’s consul general in Angola were received by police operations commander Landing Bojang at Sanyang Police Station ahead of the businessman’s plan to rebuild the destroyed police station.

The people of Sanyang reached out to Jawara after the police station was set on fire on Monday amid violent protests that rocked Sanyang. The top businessman then volunteered to build back the facility.

“I’m the one that contacted Jawara that we had a sad incident that happened in our community. [That] the police station was burnt to ashes and we’re seeking for help. He told me he will personally take the responsibility to take care of the station,” Lamin Jabang village development committee chairman told reporters as Jawara toured the police compound.

Speaking to reporters, Jawara said helping law enforcement was in the DNA of his family since it started with his father.

“This isn’t the first time we’re doing something like this. If you look at Bakadaji police station, it was my father who used to pay the rent for more 20 years before the building of a new police station,” Jawara said.

He then said: “We also recently built the PIU station in Basse, it’s already finish and just to hand it over to the PIU. We wanted to hand it over this Saturday coming but the IGP passed away. So this is not new for us.

“We just came to sympathise with the community, to see what we can do. That’s why we will build this police station and we’re going to furnish it, with computers and everything. The youth should listen to the elders and maintain peace and stability. Without stability, you cannot do anything.”

Police commissioner of operations Landing Bojang speaking to reporters said Jawara had been a longstanding partner of the police.

“My Jawara’s long been our partner. In Basse, he’s creating an accommodation for the police and elsewhere. Maybe the people of Sanyang will think this is the first time but he’s long been doing [things] for the police. Gambians should come and emulate him,” Bojang said.

Jawara’s elder brother Haji also spoke to reporters where he asked Gambians to respect law enforcement officers.

“We should respect our police and our government. You cannot come to a police station and set it on fire and run away. That’s bad attitude. My sympathies to the family of the man who passed away Gibril Ceesay and may he rest in peace. We are all Gambians, one nation,” the older Jawara said.

Jawara was in Sanyang together with the contractor over a project that will cost 2.2 million dalasis. The Jawaras also gave D15,000 to the family of the slain Gibril Ceesay.

A woman assisted by a man shouted ‘thief’ as she tried to arrest Gambia Action Party leader Musa Yali Batchilly, in a video that has emerged online.

The woman in the one and a half minutes video accused the GAP leader of stealing her money. She did not explain how. Instead, she machine-gunned swear words at the politician.

Watch video below;

UDP has lost its bid to have by-elections held after the party sacked Sheriffo Sonko.

UDP in March last year fired Sonko alongside two councilors in West Coast Region after they were found to be ‘non-compliant’ with the rules of the party.

UDP had argued Sonko automatically lost his Brikama Area Council chairman role, relying on a local government law which says an elected local government official automatically loses his elected role when his party sacks him.

Sonko refused to vacate the role and the party then took the IEC to the high court for the electoral body to conduct by-elections. The case was later forwarded to the Supreme Court.

UDP spokesman Almamy Taal told The Fatu Network the Supreme Court is now saying the law the party relied on is unconstitutional.

It means there will be no by-election and Sonko will now keep his job as chairman of Brikama Area Council.

A staggering 15.5 million dalasis have been evacuated from NAWEC’s QPower account at AGIB Bank.

NAWEC public relations officer Pierre Sylva confirmed the news to The Fatu Network in an exclusive interview on Thursday.

Sylva said: “Around the 10 of March 2021, our treasury manager realized that some transactions have been done on that account without the authorization coming from NAWEC and they were able to know that an amount of 15.5 million dalasis have been withdrawn from that account. How the withdrawal was done was not coming from NAWEC.

“Normally what we do is, if we are doing a payment from our accounts in any of the banks that we’re doing banking with, we do the transaction through hard copy, we do the authorization to request for the bank to debit from that account to either a supplier or to somebody that we’re paying. But we do it through hard copy and send it to the bank.

“But this one, the day this email was sent, it was done through email. That email was sent 7am. They were able to forge the stamp that we use to dispatch the letters, they were able to forge the stamp that the bank uses to sign that they have received the authorization. They also used the signature of the treasury manager, our account director and even the signature of the former director of AGIB bank.”

Long time PDOIS supporter Pa Suma has left the party he has been supporting for decades to join the United Democratic Party, UDP.

A professional carpenter who plies his trade at Latrikunda Sabiji, Mr Suma has been engaged in discussions with UDP youth leader Haji Suwaneh for almost a year but he held his ground until he met Momodou Sabally on Wednesday.

Having accepted that UDP has good polices that can transform The Gambia, Suma asked Haji to bring a person who can convince him that the UDP policy agenda can actually be implemented to transform this country.

After discussions with former SG Momodou Sabally and UDP executive member Aja Binta Jabbie together with Haji, Suma declared that he is now convinced and formally announced his support for UDP.

He narrated an encounter he once had with the UDP SG and party leader Lawyer Darboe that happened more than three decades ago; he said that Lawyer Darboe is a humane lawyer with deep sense of magnanimity and he trusts Darboe’s  leadership style and sense of direction.