By Lamin Njie

The Gambia Armed Forces has arrested some of its own men after a break and enter incident at the army headquarters in Banjul on Wednesday.

“It was since yesterday in the morning when we reported to work,” army spokesman Major Lamin Sanyang told The Fatu Network Thursday even as he said he would not be able to say the exact number of soldiers arrested.

The arrested soldiers include those who were on duty as well ‘some other soldiers’.

The Fatu Network has gathered fuel coupon of D300,000 have gone missing. Other items also appeared to have been taken.

The army spokesman said he would not be able to comment further because it could jeopardise their investigation.

The International Vision for Community Development, IVCD, otherwise called Baadugula Tuwaaxun Kompe, BTK, has given Kanifing Municipal Council D50,000 to support the country’s fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

IVCD/BTK is a development oriented organisation dedicated to addressing educational and socio-economic communal and national development initiatives. It has members from across the world with its headquarters in Dippa Kunda Chupe Town.

At the presentation of the cash sum at Kanifing Municipal Council on Wednesday, the country director of the organisaion Yaya Drammeh said: “IVCD/BTK recognised that your office is working tirelessly to mitigate the spread of the dreadful virus.

“IVCD/BTK is committed to empowering youths through sponsorship and mentoring thus complementing government’s efforts for national development.

Mr Drammeh who is also a deputy permanent secretary at ministry of finance and economic affairs of The Gambia added: “We hope this small contribution will support your effort in combating COVID-19 pandemic in the country.”

By Lamin Njie

Constitutional Review Commission chief has fired back at those accusing his commission of delivering to Gambians a draft constitution that is heavily plagiarised.

The CRC on 30 March submitted the draft constitution to President Adama Barrow bringing an end to its nearly two years work of drafting a new constitution for The Gambia.

The CRC has however been accused of going about lifting entire chapters in Kenya’s constitution and putting them into the country’s new draft constitution.

But a dissenting Justice Cherno Sulayman Jallow, the chairman of CRC, told The Fatu Network: “Constitutional review is different from constitutional theory and one has to be careful about that. If you look at every modern constitution in this world, they borrow from each other.

“Part of the constitutional building process entails looking at international best practice and the way you deduce international best practice is to look at what other countries have done, and when you comes to the draft there is a principle which states that, ‘you don’t reinvent the wheel’ where something has been properly established.

“So you look at what is there, if it’s something that can be adopted under the circumstance, you adopt that. You call that plagiarism? I don’t know any constitution in this world that is copyrighted.”

The CRC chairman then further went after those accusing them of plagiarism.

He said: “We have international consultants one from Ghana who was the chairman of the constitutional review commission of Ghana and another one who was involved in the constitutional development of Kenya, a former chief justice, and all of them agreed on this particular approach.

“So if somebody just to sit there and all that he can say is that the constitution has been plagiarised, then I am afraid that is misleading. And the ultimate question I will ask is anybody making that claim, what have they contributed to the constitutional development process? Because we have been very transparent, we have given everybody the opportunity and have they writtent to the CRC to make suggestions?”

Senegalese Ministry of Health and Social Action said on Thursday that ten more patients were cured of COVID-19, bringing the total number of cured patients to 123 out of the 250 confirmed cases.

During the daily COVID-19 briefing, Senegalese health minister Abdoulaye Diouf Sarr said all of the six confirmed cases are contacts of earlier confirmed patients.

However, the health minister asked the population to strictly respect the prevention measures taken by the government in order to contain a possible surge of community transmission cases.

For a fifth consecutive day, Senegal hasn’t detected any imported cases since March 13.

On Tuesday, Senegalese interior minister Aly Ngouille Ndiaye suspended, till further notice, the issuance of special travel permits throughout the national territory.

This order was taken by the Senegalese Minister of the Interior after consulting the Ministry of Health and Social Actions who worries about the multiplication of community transmission cases of COVID-19.

Last Saturday night, Senegalese President Macky Sall extended in a presidential decree the current state of emergency, along with the dusk-to-dawn curfew for 30 days, till May 4.

The country has isolated itself since March 20 midnight when all its international passenger flights were suspended. (CGTN Africa)

By Lamin Njie

Leading power production company Karpowership on Tuesday donated rice and sugar and other food stuff to the Gambia Police Force, Banjul City Council, an orphanage and a school.

The company also gave sanitary items to the police, BCC, an orphanage and a madrassa (Islamic school) to support Gambians amid the coronavirus pandemic.

At the police headquarters where the first presentation was made, Karpowership’s country manager Yankuba Mamburay said it was part of his company’s corporate social responsibilities which it has been engaged in since they started working in The Gambia in May of 2018.

“We have been mandated to produce up to 30 megawatts of electricity. We have been doing that for the past two years and I believe everyone has seen the impact of Karpowership in this country,” Mr Mamburay said at the event.

Police chief Mamour Jobe heaped praised on Karpowership saying the donation could not have could at a better time.

“There’s a common saying that if you’re given a gift, your response should be very short and all that you would say is ‘Thank you’,” Mr Jobe said.

Karpowership officials then proceeded to Banjul City Council where a similar presentation event was made.

“We are very pleased to be here Lord Mayoress. We are glad to work with you and we are glad to be hosted here in Banjul,” Yankuba Mamburay said at the event.

The mayoress of Banjul City Council Rohey Malick Lowe taking delivery of the items thanked Karpowership and said she was happy to have played host to the company.

“I want to assure Karpowership that their gesture will be filtered down to the community and that they should be rest assured that they have done something that will forever be remembered by the people of Banjul,” the BCC chief said.

The Karpowership team rounded its Tuesday’s assistance in Wullinkama where an orphanage and an Islamic school were given food stuff as well as sanitary items.

By Lamin Njie

A 28-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly sodomising a 13-year-old boy.

The man was arrested last week in a village he had gone into hiding in Nuimi.

The boy would be playing outside when the accused would lure him to his house and have sex with him, the boy’s mother said in an audio message a neighbour made available to The Fatu Network.

Cover was blown over the man last week Monday when the boy told his mother about what has been happening.

The mother told The Fatu Network over the phone on Wednesday police in Manjai have transferred the matter to Banjul.

The mother had earlier said in an audio message the man would tell her son not tell anyone because his mother risked dying if he disclosed what transpired.

The mother said: “The child was always afraid to tell me but one day when luck was about to run out on him, I had gone out and when coming I brought some stuff for the kids in a bag. He (son) ran to me and take the bag off my head and took it to the kitchen.

“While we were in the kitchen unpacking, he said to me, ‘mom’ and I said, ‘yes’. He then said to me, ‘something happened’. I asked him, ‘what happened?’ He said to me, ‘mom, I am afraid, they said if I told you I am going to die and my dad too’. I told him, ‘no, the person who told you that is lying’. I asked him to tell me.

“He said to me, ‘mom, that boy that comes here…’ He described him and told me, ‘he comes here and would find me playing and he would take me and remove my pants and put his penis in anus and when he does that, he would ask me to run home before it gets dark’.”

According to the boy’s mother, her son poos on himself when he goes to school.

She said: “Hospital officials following an examination told me his anus hole is loose. The child would always shit on himself before he gets to the toilet.

“When he goes to school, he shits on himself and one day I asked him why he would always shit on himself and he would tell me it’s not deliberate.”

The man allegedly sodomised the boy ‘many’ times, with all the incidents happening in his house in Manjai. The man later allegedly left Manjai for a village in Nuimi.

He was arrested last week Thursday after days of manhunt by the police with contribution from the boy’s mother.

The national coordinator of Child Protection Alliance told The Fatu Network his outfit is aware of the issue and has reached out to the police.

“We went to the station and we have engaged the police officer in charge to confirm and to have firsthand information of the matter because we want to know what will be the outcome of this case,” Lamin Fatty told The Fatu Network.

Police spokesman Lamin Njie (not the author of this story) could not immediately comment on the issue.

Former Presidential Affairs Minister and President of the Sabally Leadership Academy (SLA), Momodou Sabally, presented four bags of rice and detergents to the community of Ndangaan in the suburbs of Banjul, off Bond Road on Tuesday, April, 7, 2020.

The donation was made on behalf of the SLA, in support of the current fight against the COVID-19 pandemic and related challenges.

Presenting the items as well as two of his books, “Instant Success” and “Jangi Jollof” to the community, Sabally exhorted the recipients to use the donated items well, especially the liquid soap. He emphasised the need to abide by advice given by healthcare professionals, including proper hand-washing and social distancing.

He urged the youths in the community to cultivate the habit of reading and make good use of the books donated to transform their lives and become agents of positive change in their community.

A representative of the community, Augustus Sanyang, expressed gratitude for the items donated and assured Sabally that they would be put to good use; he stated that the donated rice was quite timely in view of the current state of emergency imposed by the government.

Mr. Sanyang also thanked the Fatu Network and their CEO, Fatou Camara for covering the presentation of the gifts, “Fatou was the first to recognise this place by coming here and interviewing one of our old ladies; the founder of this settlement, who was aged 125 years at the time.”

In a related engagement, on the same day, Sabally also presented two bags of rice to an association of deaf people in Talinding. He used the opportunity to assert that disabled persons need support in many ways including sustenance given the current partial lockdown the country is going through.

Established in 2015, Sabally Leadership Academy (SLA) is a youth mentorship foundation aimed at educating, instructing and inspiring youths for self-fulfillment and positive contribution towards community development and national progress.

By Lamin Njie

At least 50 employees of Brikama Area Council have had their salary dues for March withheld by the government.

Reports have emerged the affected officials most of them security officers have in fact been sacked by the BAC.

BAC spokesman Lamin Singhateh told The Fatu Network the officials have not been sacked.

“It’s not about unlawful dismissal, it’s as a result of a communique that was sent to council from the ministry’s [of local government’s] local government service commission advising the council not to pay these staff, salary for the month of March,” Mr Singhateh said.

The staff comprise officials who were hired by Brikama Area Council even after the ministry of local government advised it against the idea.

Mr Singhateh said: “In terms of appointment, the council has to seek approval from the ministry particularly the local government service commission.

“An approval was sought but at that time what was advised was for council hold on not to go ahead with it but then the former CEO decided to on with it. They have worked for almost one year now since February 2019 up to date.

“So it was in March that this communication was sent from the ministry to the council not to go ahead and pay them March salary.”

Police have said Canada-based Alhagie Sowe is not in their custody.

Mr Sowe had previously had a run in with the law after he allegedly obstructed officers. He was on a visit to the country.

Reports emerged online on Tuesday that Mr Sowe had gone missing as fingers got pointed at the police.

But police today said in a statement: “It has come to the notice of the Inspector General of Police that information is circulating on social media that One Alhagie Sowe is currently missing and held under Police custody. The information went further to state that his travel documents have been confiscated by the Gambian Police Authorities thereby preventing him from traveling.

“We wish to make it clear that Alagie Sowe is not in Police custody. Furthermore, none of his documents are with the Police.

“Sometime around December 2019, officers at Farato Police Station were on a road marking exercise (Painting Zebra Crossing point at Farato- Jamburr Junction). The exercise was part of our proactive initiatives to ensure road safety, as well as a respond to the needs of the community of Farato who through community policing efforts purchased paints while the Police provided man power to mark zebra crossing at hotspots for accidents. During the exercise and of course for safety reasons traffic had to be diverted for a period of time.

“Drivers and other road users were using the diversion as indicated by an officer giving signals. It was during this moment that a gentleman who later came to be known as Alhagie Sowe found officers carrying out this exercise.

“He first questioned the reason for the diversion ànd was told, a road marking exercise was ongoing. He further questioned the authority for such exercise on the road. The Police officers maintained that they were on a lawful exercise and he was accordingly adviced to go about his lawful business. Mr Sowe who seemed not satisfied then stopped his vehicle, started filming, and taking pictures. After several attempts to make him stop, he refused to heed to police advice.

“Mr Sowe was then arrested and charged with Obstructing a Police Officer, Contrary to laws of the Gambia.

“Subsequently, he was arraigned before the Brikama Magistrates Court where he took his plea of not guilty. He was admitted to bail in the sum of D25,000 with one Gambian surety who should produce his original biometric ID card which must be deposited at the court. Additionally the court ordered that the accused should submit all his travel documents to the Registrar of the court pending the final determination of the case. Furthermore, the surety must swear to an affidavit of means in the large sum.

“This was done and the matter was adjourned for hearing on subsequent dates. As the trial proceeds, the Prosecution opened their case and called in three witnesses who all testified. At the close of the case of the Prosecution, the defence made a No Case to answer submission, to which the Prosecution replied.

“The matter was then adjourned for rulings which could not be delivered due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Courts have temporarily suspended sittings.

“We wish to once again clarify that Alagie Sowe is not held under Police custody as his case is a subject of litigation before the subordinate court.”

President Adama Barrow has declared Friday 10 April a public holiday. The president has also declared Monday 13 April a public holiday.

These developments are in respect of the Easter celebrations.

State House said in a statement: “The Office of the President wishes to inform the public that His Excellency, President Adama Barrow, acting under Section 76 of the 1997 Constitution of Republic of The Gambia, is pleased to declare Friday, 10th April and Monday, 13th April 2020 as public holidays throughout the country, for the Easter celebrations of Good Friday and Easter Monday.

“President Barrow wishes to take this opportunity to extend best wishes to the Christian Community who dedicated themselves to 40 days of fasting and prayers in commemoration of Easter.

“The President also extends a message of appreciation to the Christian leaders and their congregations for respecting the State of Emergency regulations of closing all places of worship, especially during the Lent period.

“While wishing the Christian Community a blessed holiday period, the President seizes the opportunity to further urge all Gambians to work together for peaceful co-existence and reconciliation.”

By Lamin Njie

Njie Manneh has warned that he cannot be shut after UDP leader Ousainou Darboe reportedly gave him a bag of rice.

“His politics is too dangerous. Someone who have been with for 22 years and has never given him even a cup of rice? You then fall out with that person and now you’re giving that person a bag of rice?” Njie Manneh said in an audio message.

He added: “I told the man he sent that it’s Darboe we are talking about and I know him well. I told his messenger we don’t belong to the same political group and one day if we argue he could say he gave me a bag of rice.

“If the idea to make me keep quiet, then come and take your bag of rice. You cannot shut me. I will continue to enlighten Gambians on who Darboe is.

“But if you have given it to me on the basis of Islam, I then accept it and I pray that you live long.”

By Sarjo Brito

Their businesses are closed but they still sit in front of their shops, all staring in frustration as they think of how they will earn their next meal. Vendors at the Serekunda market said they will probably die of hunger before being killed by the deadly coronavirus, following government’s decision to close all non-essential food outlets.

Vendor Jamanty Fadera said the shutting down of non-essential businesses is not looking good for people like him. He urged The Gambia government to reconsider their decision or help provide relief packages to help poor families across the country.

“I am asking the government to help. Let them help the people who depend on this market for survival. I have a family and I have five kids but since the state of emergency was declared, I haven’t been able to feed them.”

Badou Jobe, who also sells at the market said he still doesn’t understand how the National Assembly arrived at the decision to extend the state of public emergency to 45 days without clearly telling people how they’ll be supported by the government when they are asked to stay home.

“They asked us to stay home without providing us without a single relief package. Before the virus kills us, we will be killed by hunger. All the countries that asked their citizens to stay home have provided them with relief packages and in our case, what is there for us?”

By Lamin Njie

Halifa Sallah on Monday warned the country’s lawmakers against aiding and abetting the violation of the constitution.

“…if we confirm we are complicit, we are aiders and abetters of the violation of the constitution and this national assembly must never be found guilty of that,” the Serrekunda lawmaker told deputies as they debated a request by President Adama Barrow for the approval of his appointment of Bakary Sanyang as the country’s new ombudsman.

President Barrow had initially tapped Babucarr Suwareh for the role only for it to be rejected by the country’s lawmakers.

The president through his vice president Dr Isatou Touray returned to the National Assembly today armed with a new name.

“In coming with this replacement, due regard has been made to Section 164 (1) of the constitution which stipulates that; provided that where the National Assembly rejects a person nominated by the president, it shall not again reject the person nominated to replace him,” Dr Isatou Touray warned the lawmakers.

Halifa Sallah then stood and insisted that Bakary Sanyang’s appointment as the new ombudsman still be sent to House’s committee on public appointments.

He argued: “It is very clear from Section 164 that if we reject the first, we cannot reject the second. But still the section remains that the person shall appoint an ombudsman and his or her deputies in consultation with the Public Service Commission subject to confirmation by the national assembly.

“That is there regardless of first or second… Subject to confirmation by the national assembly. Should we confirm everything? We can reject or we may not be able to reject but confirmation is our right and that can never be negated.

“Honourable speaker, I will still move that we suspend the debate. That we should still send this appointment to the committee [public appointments committee] today to look at it.

“Because the issue is not only being qualified, the other issue is being disqualified. That’s what the scrutiny requires. And the member for Wulli West and the member for Lower Badibbu had already mentioned the section which quite a number of members had in fact engaged in consultation about. And what was to be confirmed is whether he is still a governor and the vice president did indicate that he is still a governor.

“So that committee by consultation with the individual could advise… Because when we scrutinise, we invite them and we invite the authorities and through that consultation, if there are disqualifications clauses then the person must be required to go and resign and send the letter of resignation to the committee and the committee should be able to come back and say, ‘well, we are satisfied even though we cannot reject but confirm’.

“But unless that happens, if we confirm we are complicit. We are aiders and abetters of the violation of the constitution and this national assembly must never be found guilty of that.”

The lawmakers have sent Bakary Sanyang’s appointment to the National Assembly’s committee on public appointments.

Mr Sanyang is the current governor of West Coast Region.

By Lamin Njie

The Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs has clarified that the 500 million dalasis announced by the government in response to the coronavirus crisis is available.

“The million dollar question is the 500 million. It’s available and it’s ready for disbursement,” Mambury Njie told lawmakers at the National Assembly in Banjul on Friday.

It comes as questions continue to be raised over the money – whether it is available or only in paper.

The finance minister’s clarification now means The Gambia has over one billion dalasis in coronavirus money after World Bank gave the country 10 million dollars.

The crisis has also seen the IMF triggering a staggering 47 million dollars credit facility for the country.

By Lamin Njie

Gambia Action Party presidential candidate Lamin Bojang has joined the push-up challenge mustering an impressive 50 reps.

Mr Bojang is among a host of politicians that have joined the classic exercise. Most Gambians have been staying home these days due to the coronavirus crisis and boredom has been taking a toll on many.

Other politicians that have taken part include UDP leader Ousainou Darboe and GDC leader Mamma Kandeh.

Watch Mr Bojang’s push-up videos below.

By Lamin Njie

Minister of Health Dr Ahmadou Lamin Samateh admitted they have officials that will ‘not’ give up in their attempt to pilfer the country’s coronavirus money.

The ministry of health has come under sharp public scrutiny following the announcement of 500 million dalasis in emergency funds set to be used in the fight against coronavirus.

There has been palpable public concern after a letter was leaked online showing officials already making moves to get themselves loaded under the guise of allowances.

The minister of health told lawmakers on Friday ‘we have people among us, they will not change’ as he reacted to the letter.

Dr Samateh said: “Yes, we know we have people amongst us, they will not change and they will not give up trying [to steal]. They will keep on trying but will they succeed? That’s the issue. So if people try, and their trial leaks, I don’t think that’s calls for alarm.

“Because what we did, when I went to see the minister of finance, I said, ‘this thing, first we need to make an expeditious and judicious use of these funds but because it’s emergency, procurements need to be done first but under those circumstances people can abuse them’.

“I suggested the formation of the committee and he said to me, ‘I will support you’ – and we have a committee. The committee is the permanent secretary ministry of health and a few senior members; permanent secretary ministry of finance, few senior members from there [finance ministry]; the accountant general; the director of internal audit; the director general of GPPA.

“They sit over every procurement issue so that they can decide and make sure there is transparency and accountability at that high level. And they report to us and we see what they have decided on. Every request goes through them, the disbursements, all these things go through them.

“Now I said to a group of people, I said to the people who are responsible, who are making the list for these allowances. I said to them, ‘I the minister of health, I don’t want any allowance, I don’t want any honorarium, I don’t want any butut, I am doing sacrifice for my country irrespective of the challenge’.

“Now few days down the line, they put forward a long list of many names. Now that list did not get to me for vetting, it went straight to this committee and this committee detected that it was bogus and I was alerted and we withdrew it and I told them to withdraw it and we reprimanded them for that. So this is what is happening and we are observing all the processes.”