A police officer was forced to quit five months into her job after it emerged that she had received gifts worth more than £34,000 from an 87-year-old widower.

Fatou Mendy-Sambou, 28, resigned from Gwent Police in August last year, after joining in March.

A disciplinary hearing was told she would have been dismissed if she had not resigned over the “inappropriate relationship”.

She also lied about her contact with him.

Mendy-Sambou was struck off by the hearing yesterday after pleading guilty to gross misconduct.

She first met the married pensioner while working as a carer for his wife in 2014, the hearing was told.

But when his wife died in 2015, she visited his home, initiated regular contact with him on the phone and went out for meals with him.

The hearing was told that the elderly man gave Mendy-Sambou gifts including weekly payments of £50, a £2,000 holiday to Paris, flights to Gambia, £2,700 for a master’s degree and £9,000 for a BMW.

She was given a deposit for a house and £750 towards a police training course by the widower, identified only as Mr JB.

Mendy-Sambou, from Newport, was given a £320 Michael Kors watch as a present for her birthday and a silver necklace from Sri Lanka, along with a washing machine, cooker and even a fish tank.

In the case, brought by presenting officer Kate Connell, the force alleged of Mendy-Sambou: “You accepted money and gifts from him amounting to many thousands of pounds and engaged in an inappropriate relationship with him.

“When questioned about these events, you initially lied about your contact with JB, dishonestly inventing false stories about the sources of your money to try and conceal the extent of your financial gain.

“You did this because you knew that your actions in forming and exploiting the relationship with JB were wholly wrong.”

Panel chair Susan Davies said had Mendy-Sambou continued to be a police officer she would have been “dismissed without notice”.

Maria Henry, representing the former constable, told the hearing: “She admits she behaved in the manner alleged.” (Telegraph)

By Lamin Njie

A youth organisation formed to advance President Adama Barrow’s national development agenda has dismissed claims that the president was one of the people who sponsor its activities.

Kebba Lang Fofana, the secretary general of President Barrow Youths for National Development, speaking to The Fatu Network in an exclusive interview said “President Barrow is not giving any projects to Gambians through this organisation.”

Fofana said: “This organisation developed its own strategic plan for four years and on annual basis from the year 2017 we extract annual workplan and we go out there to mobilise resources for the implementation of those workplans..

“I don’t need to lie to you or anybody else, President Adama Barrow does not sponsor any of the projects undertaken by this organisation.”

Mai Fatty has said his presence at the supreme court on Monday should be understood as a personal endeavour meant to bring him up to speed with the ’emerging jurisprudence’ both as a lawyer and as a party leader.

A section of Gambians online on Monday made a mountain out of Mr Fatty’s attendance of Ya Kumba Jaiteh’s case.

A picture of the president’s special adviser was posted on Facebook by Bubacarr Sidiqi Jammeh with the caption, ‘Mai woo Fatty. Time does have a way of revealing people’s true colors, don’t it? Aling nga taa dorong.’

Fatty reacting to the criticism told The Fatu Network that “the entire media fraternity know what transpired.”

He said: “The state attorneys are known as much as the plaintiff’s. Font I have the right to be there? What’s wrong if a lawyer goes to court?

“They assumed I appeared for Barrow. Is Barrow a defendant in court? There are 3 known defendants. Is he one of those? Only parties named in a suit need representing.

“Barrow, a non party to the suit needs no legal representation. Binga Daniels announced representation for NA and AG. 2nd Defendant unrepresented. What’s therefore so alarming about me sitting in court?

“This case is unprecedented and both as a lawyer and a Party leader, I should be interested to closely follow the emerging jurisprudence. Does it mean working as Special Adviser I lost my personal identity?”

By Lamin Njie

A former driver in the Gambian army on Monday detailed how Peter Singhateh and other soldiers hid in flowers on the night of November 11, 1994.

Mafugi Sonko testifying before the TRRC on a day that saw the brutal killing of at least 10 people – all soldiers – said soldiers led by Lieutenant Peter Singhateh hid in flowers near the main gate of Yundum Barracks.

November 11, 1994 is a date in infamy in The Gambia as this was when at least 10 middle ranking officers of the Gambian army were killed after they were accused of trying to overthrow Yahya Jammeh’s government. The alleged ringleader of the coup Lieutenant Basirou Barrow was among the officers killed.

Sonko in his testimony said he could recall the events that led to the arrest of some of the leaders of the coup.

Sonko said: “I was not on duties that day but on that day around 9 pm, Lieutenant Minteh who was my boss came to my room. He found me in bed. He called me, ‘Mafugi Sonko.’ And I said, ‘yes’. He asked me to come and take these lieutenants to Yundum and come back. I have not forgotten that. I know a few of them; Lieutenant LF Jammeh, Lieutenant Darboe, a light-skinned Lieutenant Jammeh, Nyancho Sanneh. Lieutenant Basirou Barrow was also among the people I took [to Yundum Barracks].

“When all these lieutenants entered my vehicle at around 10 pm, I started the car headed for Yundum Barracks. They were conversing. They didn’t know me, we didn’t even belong to the same camp. At that time, none of them had a gun, there was no fight, there was no quarel. There was no problem in the country. We went until we arrived at Yundum Barracks,

“When you’re going to Yundum Barracks coming from Bajulinding you have to turn right to enter the barracks. At the gate, there are flowers. The place is a bit dark because there are a lot of things including trees. I didn’t know until we got there. I heard gunshots. They were firing at our vehicle.

“The firing was rapid. I stopped the car and all the soldiers that I was conveying opened the doors and scrambled for safety. Lieutenant LF Jammeh and another colleague managed to escape. The rest including myself were captured. We were stripped. Lieutenant Peter Singhateh and Samba Batch, Edward Singhateh’s driver were the two who led the operation. Once we were stripped, we were all lying on the ground, we were crawling. They were kicking us as if they were kicking at a football. They also used guns to hit us.”

By Lamin Njie

The Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission has vowed to deal with anyone who attempts to obstruct its work.

Adelaide Sosseh, the vice chairperson of the commission, told the commission’s sitting on Monday that insofar the commission has critics “it will not tolerate persons who attempt to obstruct its work.”

Sosseh said: “The TRRC has critics and opponents. The TRRC values constructive criticism and will do all it can to address all those criticisms when they occur.

“The TRRC however, will not tolerate persons who attempt to obstruct the work of the commission or who tries to distract from its work by vilifying the integrity of the commission or the commissioners.

“The TRRC stands resolute in carrying out its mandate to the best of its ability without fear or favour and as mandated by the TRRC Act 2017.”

Sosseh’s comments come after at least two people have been arrested and charged to court for interfering with the TRRC’s work. Yankuba Touray and Fatoumatta Jahumpa Ceesay face up to three years in jail if convicted.

The TRRC also has critics and one person who stands out is proud companion of former President Yahya Jammeh, Samsideen Sarr.

The former Gambian army commander writes long articles where he often tears into the TRRC.

By Lamin Njie

The Kanifing Magistrates’ Court on Monday adjourned the trial of Yankuba Touray after prosecutors informed the court of their desire to strengthen their case.

Yankuba Touray is on trial for allegedly interfering with the work of the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission.

The former AFPRC strongman is accused of calling a witness and asking him not to cooperate with the commission. Alhagie Kanyi later turned up before the TRRC and implicated him in the brutal murder of a Gambian state minister in 1995. Touray faces up to three years in jail.

At the court on Monday, police prosecutors led by Almamy James Manga said they would have loved for the case to proceed but for the emergence of new evidence.

“We wanted to proceed but due to circumstances we’ve not been able to make progress… Investigations have taken a new dimension, new facts have started coming out. Because of that we are trying to consolidate this case and the sister case,,” Manga told the court as he prayed for an adjournment.

Touray who was represented in court did not oppose the application.

The magistrate, Isatou Janneh Njie, then adjourned the case till Friday March 22, 2019.

By Lamin Njie

A small crowd on Monday gathered at the Supreme Court in Banjul chanting ‘Allahu Akbar’ in a defiant show of support to embattled national assembly member Ya Kumba Jaiteh.

Ya Kumba Jaiteh on Monday began legal proceedings against the attorney general and at least three others.

It comes following her controversial sacking as a member of the national assembly by President Adama Barrow.

“We came to court to get a declaration to set aside the decision that has so far been taken by the executive,” Ms Jaiteh’s lawyer Bori Touray told The Fatu Network on Monday shortly after the case was adjourned for hearing.

Touray added: “The matter only came up for mention. There is a motion before the court in which we are seeking to restraint the swearing in of the so-called appointed new member of the national assembly. So the state said they needed time to be able to file a response to the application before the court and on that note the matter has been adjourned for hearing to Thursday.

“The action is unconstitutional.The executive cannot be interfering with the smooth functioning of the legislature, not in a democratic situation just as how he cannot interfere in the smooth running of the judiciary so it is the same as the legislature. He has a whole arm of government to be dealing with, so therefore he cannot be interfering in the proper functioning of the legislative arm of the government.”

A panel of Supreme Court justices led by Justice Hassan Jallow has adjourned Ms Jaiteh’s case until Thursday March 14 for hearing.

An Ethiopian Airlines jet has crashed shortly after take-off from Addis Ababa, killing all on board, the airline says.

It said 149 passengers and eight crew members were believed to be on flight ET302 from the Ethiopian capital to Nairobi in Kenya.

The airline added that there were 33 different nationalities on board.

The crash happened at 08.44 local time, six minutes after the months-old Boeing 737 Max-8 took off.

It is not yet clear what caused the accident.

An eyewitness at the scene told the BBC there was an intense fire as the aircraft hit the ground.

“The blast and the fire were so strong that we couldn’t get near it,” he said. “Everything is burnt down. There are four helicopters at the scene now.”

First word of the crash came when Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed expressed his “deepest condolences” on Twitter.

In an earlier statement, the airline said that search and rescue operations were under way near the crash site around the town of Bishoftu, which is 60km (37 miles) south-east of the capital.

“Ethiopian Airlines staff will be sent to the accident scene and will do everything possible to assist the emergency services,” the statement added.

Boeing, the company that built the aeroplane, said in a tweet that it was “closely monitoring the situation”.

Its 737 Max-8 aircraft is relatively new to the skies, having been launched in 2016. It was added to the Ethiopian Airlines fleet in July last year.

Another plane of the same model was involved in a crash five months ago, when a Lion Air flight crashed into the sea near Indonesia with nearly 190 people on board. (BBC)

By Lamin Njie

The National Reconciliation Party has denied the reported defection of dozens of its members to the United Democratic Party.

UDP on Saturday held a rally in Farafenni, North Bank Region, with a prominent member of the party claiming that more than 50 people have abandoned NRP and have gone on to join UDP.

“More than 50 people from nrp have switched their allegiance from little nrp headed by their chairman Dorro Bah to mighty UDP!!!! They just sake hand with our leaders,” Bakary Njie, a UDP national assembly member, said in a Facebook post on Saturday.

NRP quickly responded to the claims, saying they were false.

“We want to inform the general public that the information circulating on social media purporting that hundreds of NRP supporters led by Doro Bah cross carpeted to UDP, is false,” NRP said on its official Facebook page.

According to the party, Dora Bah was the APRC Chairman for Lower Saloum constituency.

“He joined UDP and recently got elected as it’s CRR Chairman. It is therefore illogical to say he cross carpeted to a party he already holds chairmanship or led people from a party he was never a member,” it added.

By Lamin Njie

The Gambia Police Force has said it is investigating the death of Edmond Thomas.

Mr Thomas is reported to have died under curious circumstances on Wednesday at a mechanic shop in Brikama.

The police in a statement on Saturday said they are aware of Mr Thomas’ death and that investigations were ongoing.

The statement from the GPF press office read: “On Wednesday 06 March, 2019, approximately 1730 hours, the Office of the Inspector-General of Police received information that the lifeless body of a man identified as Edmond Thomas was found lying under the chassis of a fuel tanker at the premises of Global Electrical Group (GEG) in Brikama.

“Preliminary investigations revealed Mr. Thomas was a mechanic supervisor at GEG until he was laid off some six months ago. On the fateful day, it is believed he drove to the location in his private vehicle, a black Pajero marked BJL 5388 B, and upon arrival, removed some parts from the fuel tanker which belongs to his former employer, GEG.

“Mr. Thomas’ body was found by the spouse of Mr. Foday Ceesay, a man employed by GEG to secure their premises. She informed her husband and he reported the matter to Kabafita Police Station.

“After taking appropriate actions, the Police moved the deceased to Brikama Health Centre and eventually Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital for autopsy.

“The Office of the Inspector – General of Police hereby informs the public investigations are ongoing and its outcome will be made public as soon as possible.”

By Vanguard newspaper

The Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, Mr. Moustapha Cisse Lo has disclosed that ECOWAS Female Parliamentarians Association, (ECOFEPA) has championed the legislation for the enhancement of women participation in politics in West Africa.

Cisse Lo made this disclosure at the end of a three day conference on Single Currency organised by ECOWAS Parliament in Dakar Senegal.

Mr. Cisse Lo said, “Women through the instrumentality of ECOWAS Female Parliamentarians Association, ECOFEPA, have championed the legislation for the enhancement of women participation in politics in West Africa.

“I acknowledge the roles played by the ECOFEPA, women caucus, with citizenry of the community.”

“The improvement of legislation for the citizen’s empowerment and their contributions towards ensuring further participation of women in political life in West Africa”.

International Women’s day is celebrated on March, 8th every year as a focal point in the movement for woman’s rights. This year’s theme which is #BalanceforBetter is a call to action for driving gender balance across the world.

Some Female members of the ECOWAS Parliament who spoke on what the day means to them.

Mrs. Veronica Sesay, who is also a member of the Parliament of Sierra Leone, said the International Women’s Day is a great day because it is very essential for women to be recognized for their role in the society.
She decried the fact that women are the vulnerable and contribute immensely to the society, out of the whole year; the role of the women is just acknowledged just a day out of 365 days in a whole year.

According to Mrs. Sesay” we are mothers, sisters, Aunties, so I am very much happy that this day is a day that should be worth celebrated by every woman.”

In my own parliament in Sierra Leone we have 12% representation but not withstanding, we interact because we have the male champions that work in collaboration with us whenever we have issues of women they come along with us.

“Just two weeks ago, we adopted a resolution for peace and security, for all the women in the whole world, in the adoption there is violence against women, affirmative action, all these was embedded in that resolution, in my country.”

“We don’t discriminate against women in Sierra Leone, just that sometimes, it is very difficult for women to come on board, but if we have the affirmative action adoption put in place, things will be better.”

Fatoumatta Njai, a member of the Gambian National Assembly, said women should be celebrated every day, because of the role they play in the society.

She noted in the Gambian Parliament, female parliamentarians are only seven percent.

For Ama Pomaa Boateng, a Ghanaian Parliamentarian and a member of ECOWAS Parliament said the day creates opportunity to promote the advancement and recognition of roles of women in any society.

Politically in Ghana, Boeteng noted that there has been increase in women participation.

She said, “Women should strive to compete favourable with their male counterparts.

By Lamin Njie

A raft of Gambians have taken to social media to ridicule Musa Batchilly after the Gambia Action Party leader audaciously claimed he could fix The Gambia in 90 days.

“If they can borrow me Gambia, if they can borrow me. If Barrow can step out, borrow me, Gambia for like 90 days, Wallahi 90 days I will do a proper, effective impact the whole entire dunya (world) will talk about it. [In] 90 days I will do proper management. It [Gambia] [will] start walking,” Batchilly exclusively told QTV.

Gambians have taken turns on social media to react to Mr Batchilly’s comments.

Faith Cole posting a one-minute video of Mr Batchilly’s QTV interview on Facebook commented: “Belie where did this man come from, Gambia belie du dem (Gambia will not move).”

Pa Amang Sanneh, reacting to Faith Cole’s post, said: “Too bad I had to watch this gruesome show of a man. I’d rather we encourage leadership of people who are well contained in their emotions and ideas hence exhibit these in very excellent ways without having to sound aggressive, bullish and sarcastic. Met the man once in person some time last month, exchanged pleasantries though however snippets of this interview gave me an insight as to how much of power hungry individuals we have within our midst. God Save The Gambia.”

Gambia First, said: “Hahahahaha….OMG ” If they can borrow me Gambia 90 days, I will do a proper effective impact “…I will bring a battalion of proper technocrats “….I thought General Baxso was the worst English speaker among our politicians, but this Man surpassed him… Definitely kee dafa yabb Gambians…who in their right mind will vote for this clown ? Let him go sir somewhere please with his wolengish ( wollof + english ) dialect…lol”

Awa Omadi Sarr said: “…Borrow me Gambia… With that grammar, he might be worse than Barrow.”

Kebba Ceesay said: “Hahaha seriously ths guy is a clown… So thsi guy was an executive member of GDC… No wonder they failed.”

By Lamin Njie

Government spokesperson Ebrima Sankareh has said that President Adama Barrow is a deportee from Germany.

Sankareh made the astonishing revelation during a panel discussion on QTV on Thursday.

“The immigration issue… This question for me is a very passionate issue. It is very emotional. I have my own son deported from America. President Adama Barrow, the president of The Republic of The Gambia is a deportee from Germany, today he is the president of the Republic of The Gambia,” Sankareh told QTV’s Viewpoint even as he fell short of stating why Germany deported President Barrow.

The Gambia government is facing the full fury of the Gambian public in its handling of the deportation issue.

Anti-deportation campaigners holding a protest on Thursday demanded an end to what they describe as the government’s silence on the issue.

““We are here to send a message on behalf of our brothers in the diaspora. This movement came as a result of the announcement of the deportation of 2500 Gambians from Germany. It’s about government’s silence about deportation that’s what triggered this movement,” Omar Saibo Camara, one of the leaders of Thursday’s protest told fellow protesters at Westfield.

But the Gambia government on Friday said it has imposed a moratorium on the deportation of Gambians from Europe.

“Following intense diplomatic negotiations regarding the plight of thousands of Gambians facing potential mass deportations from across Europe, The Government of President Adama Barrow has imposed a moratorium on repatriations pending further negotiations with our European partners,” government spokesperson Ebrima Sankareh said in a statement on Friday.

By Lamin Njie

Government spokesperson Ebrima Sankareh said Friday the Gambia government has struck an agreement with Germany to temporarily halt the deportation of Gambians from Germany.

Sankareh stated this in a statement he signed and sent to news media organisations including The Fatu Network on Friday.

Sankareh said: “Following intense diplomatic negotiations regarding the plight of thousands of Gambians facing potential mass deportations from across Europe, The Government of President Adama Barrow has imposed a moratorium on repatriations pending further negotiations with our European partners.

“After a frank and amicable meeting; first between the German Ambassador Stephen Roken and the Interior minister, Mr. Ebrima Mballow and later between Ambassador Roken and Gambian vice President H. E. Ousainou Darboe, witnessed by senior officials of the Gambian Foreign Ministry on Wednesday, The Gambia government agreed with Germany to halt the planned mass deportations while better and more humane modalities are worked out. Meanwhile, Government is meeting visiting senior British officials on Monday and will be sending a correspondence to our Spanish, Italian, British and Austrian allies formerly informing them of the moratarium on pending repatriations.

“During the discussions, vice President Darboe responding to wild allegations of complicity in the ongoing repatriation of Gambians, made it categorically clear that “neither me nor Mai Fatty ever signed any agreement to deport Gambians from Europe” and expressed natural curiosity over the source of these unfounded allegations. This matter was corroborated by the German envoy that his government never signed any such deal or agreement with any Gambia government officials and that he was in fact, willing to face the media on this unfounded story. Therefore, the Government of The Gambia wishes to make it categorically clear that it has never received money from any European country to facilitate the mass deportation of Gambians as is persistently alleged. These are mere allegations and our European partners can be contacted by journalists and all concerned citizens for further verification.

“In a related development, the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Mamour Jobe, and a cross-section of the Service Chiefs had a very successful meeting at his office with representatives of Concerned Youth Gambia (CYG) who passionately deliberated on the inhumane nature of deportations and the associated social stigma and indulged The Gambia government to immediately intervene. IGP Jobe thanked Messrs. Yerro Jallow, Muktarr Saho and Malang Camara of CYG for their legitimate concerns over the plight of our fellow citizens and informed them of both the Government and Police’s equal interest in the protection and security of all its citizens. IGP Jobe assured the CYG representatives that Government takes the plight of deportees very seriously as evident in the on-going discussions at home and diplomatic negotiations with European partners.

“In the end, the police and CYG were able to reach an understanding, a permit was issued for their planned demonstration to highlight the plight of deportees which finally took place peacefully on Thursday at the West Field Youth Monument.”

By Lamin Njie

Ousainou Darboe has not been sacked as vice president of The Gambia contrary to rumours that he been removed, presidency sources told The Fatu Network on Friday.

Rumours awashed social media on Friday that the 70-year-old has been fired by President Adama Barrow.

Relations between the pair have in the past months been a matter of national focus with many Gambians claiming they were souring. Darboe has served as vice president of The Gambia since June 2018.

“I was at the presidency today and I can assure you that there has been nothing like vice president Ousainou Darboe being removed,” a presidency source told The Fatu Network on Friday.

Meanwhile The Fatu Network contacted the Director of Press and Public Relations Amie Bojang Sissoho over the issue but she did not pick a call.

The government spokesperson Ebrima Sankareh told The Fatu Network he couldn’t say anything as he was only hearing about the issue.

By Lamin Njie

Government spokesperson, Ebrima G Sankareh, has said that hundreds of Gambians were granted asylum in the United States and Europe thanks to his ‘own creative ingenuity’.

Sankareh said he made used of his defunct Gambia-Echo newspaper and have signed over 300 affidavits to help people gain asylum in the US, Israel, Europe and other parts of the world .

He made these remarks during a panel discussion on QTV on Thursday.

Sankareh said: “ Personally… for the past 22 years I have lived in America my home was home away from home for most Gambians. There were lawyers, former Yahya Jammeh ministers, former Yahya Jammeh soldiers and permanent secretaries across the spectrum.I have signed over 300 affidavits supporting Gambians to be granted asylum.

“And of all the people I sought asylum for none was ever denied.None. Likewise in Europe, Israel; all over the world using The Gambia-Echo newspaper and my own creative ingenuity. I am not a lawyer but I understood the immigration system so well I was able to do that.

“It will be hypocritical for me who just last year was signing hundreds of affidavits for Gambians to be granted asylum to come and join this government and want them to be deported. That’s not me. That’s far from the truth.We Gambians and journalists, because English is not our mother tongue, we tend to call everybody a refugee”.