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‘General Saul Badjie Was Overseeing Police Intervention Unit’ -Police Spokesperson

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‘General Saul Badjie Was Overseeing Police Intervention Unit’ -Police Spokesperson

 

 

By Lamin Sanyang

 

General Saul Badjie, former Commander of the Republican National Guard and close aide to former President Yahya Jammeh was also overseeing the Police Intervention Unit when Solo Sandeng and other protesters were arrested at Westfield.

Sources within the police blamed the Police Intervention Unit PIU known as ‘Paramilitary’ for the arrest of Solo Sandeng, the late UDP Youth Executive who was arrested and tortured to death in the custody of the then notorious National Intelligence Agency NIA.

“Why should they prosecute the NIA and not the police who arrested Solo Sandeng? There is no law that says the police should handover the offenders to the NIA,” a police source said.

According to this source the police have four primary functions: protection of lives and properties, maintenance of law and order, apprehension and prosecution of offenders and finally prevention and detection of crimes.

“The law says if somebody dies in custody a coroner inquiry must be established to ascertain the cause of death,” the source pointed out.

He added: “Exhuming bodies should be recommended by the coroner and any further trial must be recommended by the coroner.”

The police source argued that the due process of the law was not observed in this case.

Speaking to Inspector Foday Conta, Police Spokesperson, he confirmed to this medium that the arrest of Solo Sandeng and other Westfield protesters  was carried out by the Police Intervention Unit under the command of General Saul Badjie, former Commander of republican national guard.

“General Saul Badjie was overseeing the Police Intervention Unit at that time,” Inspector Foday Conta disclosed.

Inspector Conta revealed that the former State Guard Commander and close aide of former President Yahya Jammeh who was also overseeing the Police Intervention Unit at the time gave the order to arrest the Westfield protesters. He could not acknowledged whether a coroner inquiry was established in the case of Solo Sandeng but said there should be one before exhuming the body. He said they are expecting pathologists who should be in the country to start working on the case.

The Police Spokesperson confirmed the ongoing investigation on the disappearance of citizens during the former regime but could not verified the reports whether the new Director General of NIA was coping with the police investigators. Sources inside the National Intelligence Agency said the Director General of NIA has still not provided the full list of those allegedly disappeared under the custody of the agency. He promised to find out from the authorities concern.

Meanwhile, the trial of former Director General of NIA and eight others on the murder of Solo Sandeng will resume on Tuesday, March 28, 2017.

Single Mum Allegedly Charged With ‘Insulting President Barrow’ To Open Her Defense Tomorrow

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Single Mum Allegedly Charged With ‘Insulting President Barrow’ To Open Her Defense Tomorrow

 

By Lamin Sanyang

 

Ms Fatou Badjie, a single mother of Jabang Village who was accused of insulting President Adama Barrow is expected to enter her defense tomorrow, Tuesday, March 28, at The Brikama Magistrate Court.

Ms Badjie was arrested and detained on February 19 by the police after she and one Ms Awa Jadama, co-accused currently at large allegedly insulted President Adama Barrow. She was charged with prohibition of conduct conducive to breach of peace but has pleaded not guilty. She was granted bail with a Gambian surety who must swear to an affidavit of means ruling that her absence in court without advancing any reason could lead to the arrest of her surety.

The police prosecutors have called on three witnesses to testified before closing their case for the accused person (Fatou) to open her defense. Thereafter, Magistrate A. R Bah has called on the accused to open her defense but her lawyer, Ibrahim Jallow, applied for an adjournment to prepare for the defense. The application was granted when the police prosecutor St. Fadera did not made any objection.

Meanwhile, the case was adjourned to Tuesday, 28 March, for the accused to open her defense.

Truth and Irreconcilables – Part II

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Truth and Irreconcilables – Part II

 

 

Recent pronouncements from President Barrow and the Coalition leaders should be
encouraging to people seeking justice and accountability for the April 10 and 11, 2000
Massacre. Although the new government’s foray in the parliament was disappointing to
me – because I expected them to introduce a motion to strip the former president off his
immunity to stand trial for the Massacre – the government’s ideas about commissions of
inquiries are beginning to take shape. Apparently, the government does not view these
commissions as forums where all the crimes of the Jammeh regime can be resolved
once and for all. Rather, the government seeks to use these commissions to gather
evidence that could be used in future prosecutions. In other words, the commissions
are a means to an end; and not the end themselves.

 
The reason we even have to highlight this subtle difference is because the former
regime sought to use the coroner’s inquest and commission of inquiry that looked into
the April 10 and 11, 2000 Massacre as a ploy to escape criminal liability, by pretending
that those bodies had the last word in the matter. We must not allow the reports from
the coroner’s inquest and commission of inquiry to be the final word in this saga. As I
said before, these reports are a good starting point for any future prosecution. But
because both reports avoided pinning blame on the right culprits and making
recommendations for their prosecutions, the reports’ credibility is questionable.

 
At the very least, we need to know those who are responsible for this heinous crime,
prosecute them appropriately, and redress the victims. That way, no government official
will ever think that they can partake in the cold-blooded murder of innocent children with
impunity.

 
According to President Barrow, the commissions the government plans to set up are
merely for evidence-gathering. I reiterate that the April 10 and 11 Massacre need not go
before another commission. The government already has all it needs to prosecute the
perpetrators of this crime. A perusal of the aforementioned reports should give the
government a roadmap to the relevant witnesses. All it has to do now is to come up
with a legal strategy to successfully prosecute the most culpable person, in my opinion:
former President Jammeh. I am confident that Mr. Abubacarr Tambedou, with his
experience prosecuting human rights abuses, can get the job done.

 
If it takes cutting deals with less culpable actors, so be it. Jammeh must pay. Having
said that, we must remember that Jammeh still enjoys immunity from prosecution by
virtue of the Constitution. If Jammeh were to descend onto us in the Gambia today, the
authorities must make sure that they have all the necessary legal weapons in their
arsenal to deal with him. Otherwise, they will be scrambling, or worse, they will allow
Jammeh to live in the country unscathed and ready to destabilize the government.

 
That is why, from even a purely security posture, this government needs to ensure that
once Jammeh sets foot in the country, he is arrested. As we pointed out, the April 10
and 11, 2000 Massacre is the most heinous among Jammeh’s many crimes. Not only
was this a callous crime against the most vulnerable in our society, it is also clear that
Jammeh’s role in the matter is indefensible. I also believe that not even his stalwarts in
the legislature want to be seen as people who condone mass murder. Therefore, this
crime should form the basis for any strategy to hold Jammeh accountable for his actions
while he was president.

 
As a preliminary matter, the government should introduce a motion in the parliament,
showing that it is in the public interest to remove Jammeh’s immunity so he can stand
trial for this crime. It should not be difficult to make that case. This matter has been
discussed exhaustively in the media and the Jammeh government never attempted to
deny their culpability. Once this motion is passed by a two-thirds majority in parliament,
the government will then be in a position to arrest Jammeh if he sets foot in the country
and bring him before a court of law. The parliamentary resolution will also give the
government the leeway to charge Jammeh, and when the right opportunity presents
itself, call for his extradition or try him in absentia. In my humble opinion, this is the only
way Jammeh can be held accountable for this most heinous crime in the history of the
country.

 
Taking this matter to another commission of inquiry will be a gross waste of time and
resources. Additionally, it is also not clear from my reading of the Constitution if
Jammeh can be brought into a commission against his will. Therefore, if Jammeh does
not appear before a commission, admit his crimes, repent, and seek forgiveness from
his victims, then that defeats the whole purpose of forming a commission to resolve
once and for all the crimes committed on April 10 and 11, 2000.

 
One can understand the Jammeh government, which was interested in
self-preservation, obfuscating on this matter. With the Barrow government, this is their
best opportunity to hold Jammeh accountable and also send a strong message to our
children that we value their lives and their contribution to society. Successfully
prosecuting Jammeh for this crime also conveys to the whole world that we are a
civilized society that will never tolerate the cold-blooded murder of innocent and
defenseless children.

 
Muhamad Sosseh, Esq.
Washington, DC

Barrow rallies Coalition partners on tour

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Barrow rallies Coalition partners on tour

 

 

By Lamin Cham, Standard Newspaper

 

President Barrow has managed to sail through the uncertainty that surrounded his position at the start of his campaign tour of the country. With his family of Coalition partners split into partisan pieces, many wondered what his message will be to the electorate who are faced with candidates from two or more members of the coalition parties. But the President seems to have worked out a way. He told rallies in Badibou and elsewhere that where there are more than one candidate from the parties in the Coalition, his supporters should vote for the one they think is the best for the constituency. “All what you should avoid is voting for the opposition be they independent, APRC, or GDC,” Barrow told his supporters.

”I think he has been a shrewd operator in this saga. He has shown great statesmanship. He wants to maintain his partners together. Only that the split on party lines does not help his job to keep them united for along time. Under the circumstances this is the only way he can treat this matter,” said Nuha Ceesay, a coalition supporter.

Meanwhile as President Barrow continues his tour, the various parties in his Coalition are also busy touring and campaigning for their party-owned candidates. The opposition APRC, GDC and a host of independent candidates too are on the campaign trail. “I cannot wait for the results of this most interesting election. What a mix bag of individuals and characters the next assembly could be,” Ceesay said.

SIX AMBASSADORS-AT-LARGE APPOINTED

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SIX AMBASSADORS-AT-LARGE APPOINTED

 

 

President Adama Barrow has appointed six Gambians to serve as ambassadors-at-large, a Foreign Affairs Ministry official confirmed yesterday to The Standard.

They are Moses Jallow, Fatou Ceesay, Saul Frazer, Banta Njie, Momodou Jagana and Alkali Conteh.
According to Saikou Ceesay, Communications officer at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the six will serve as representatives of the President and are expected to engage in economic diplomacy among other things, so as to attract investment and development programs or projects to the Gambia.

‘I am going to win Jeshwang seat’ – GDC’s MC Cham

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‘I am going to win Jeshwang seat’ – GDC’s MC Cham

Gambia Democratic Congress (GDC) candidate for Jeshwang Constituency in the upcoming National Assembly elections has expressed confident that he will win the race.

MC Cham, the party’s youth mobiliser who has been very vocal especially during the former regime is contesting for the constituency parliamentary seat for the second time; the previous was in 2012 against APRC NAM Haddy Nyang-Jagne who won.

This year, MC Cham who is the favourite among all the candidates is been challenged by UDP’s Alhagie Drammeh, PPP’s Mam Jeng, GPDP’S Lamin Saho and Independent candidates Sheriff Sarr and Mustapha Kah.

Speaking to this medium at their party head office along Kairaba Avenue on Monday, Cham said he has the backing and support of the young, women and elderly people in the constituency. He said he will surely win the race as he has the support needed to be victorious.

“I have been fighting for the people of Jeshwang since the Jammeh era when most of these candidates where no were or even afraid to talk. I was the only person who once stood on Independent ticket and challenged the APRC candidate at the time. Again, I live in the area and know the problem of the constituency very well and I am ready to solve it if I am elected. I am sure, I will be victorious” he confidently said.

He said his agenda and programmes for the people are more convincing and no doubt that the GDC will be victorious. “Victory belongs to GDC”  he said.

On April 6th, Gambians head to the polls to elect new Parliamentarians, four months after the Presidential elections in which long time ruler Yahya Jammeh was defeated, conceded and later made a U-turn which almost plunged the country into a military confrontation but averted as he lately agreed and left for exile in Equatorial Guinea.

Meanwhile, MC Cham used the opportunity to call on the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) to intervene quickly and stop the aspiring party candidates who are campaigning and using the name of President Barrow and the coalition. He said despite the statement issued by the IEC earlier, some candidates are still using the name of the president and the coalition to convince the electorates.

“May be they are afraid with of the GDC that is why they are using the name of the coalition and President Barrow to convince electorates to vote for them. But it is not fair because we don’t have any coalition candidate but party candidates. So, every candidate should campaign using their own agenda and not using the name of the coalition or President Barrow” Cham complained.

Meanwhile, campaigns are ongoing in all corners of the country ahead of the Parliamentary elections.

APRC Crimes: Denying A Citizen A Home

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APRC Crimes: Denying A Citizen A Home

 

 

By Madi Jobarteh

 

Is there a greater crime than to threaten the life of a citizen to the point that such a citizen has no choice but to run away from his or her home? Have you ever considered how painful it is to be unable to return to your home for fear of your life? Imagine how many Gambians had to leave their children, wives, husbands and parents behind just because of one man and his regime. In their absence, many lost their loved ones yet they could not bid them farewell as required by our culture and religion. For the past 22 years, there were thousands of Gambians who have been forced to flee their country and denied to come back home because Yaya Jammeh would have them arrested, tortured or killed. Yet we were supposed to be a democratic society with laws that protect fundamental human rights and freedoms?

 
Indeed it is even difficult to figure out what has been the greatest crime Yaya Jammeh and APRC inflicted on Gambians. Is it the summary killings of tens of soldiers on November 11 falsely accused of a coup attempt? Is it the murder of numerous individuals such as Koro Ceesay, Deyda Hydara, Daba Marenah, Enor Kolley or Elo Jallow just to cover up the abuse and corruption of the APRC Tyranny and further entrench Yaya Jammeh in power? Is it the massacre of 15 unarmed children and a Red Cross volunteer just for exercising their constitutional right? Is it the enforced disappearances of Kanyiba Kanyi, Mamut Ceesay or Ebou Jobe and many others? Or is it the murder of Solo Sandeng, Solo Koroma and Lang Marong among many others? Or is it the uncountable incidents of torture of citizens and the rape of our women and girls in these past 22 years? What about the summary dismissals, incarcerations and looting of public wealth? What is Yaya Jammeh’s greatest crime?

 
It is established in law that no person should be stateless. Section 8 of our Constitution established the citizenship of each and every Gambia. Section 25 subsection 2 gives the right to every Gambian citizen to move freely within the Gambia and to choose to reside in any part of the Gambia. Subsection 3 went further to state that every Gambia has a right to leave and return to the Gambia. Above all, Section 1 subsection 2 of the Constitution established that the sovereignty of the Gambia resides in each and every citizen of the Gambia. Hence no Gambia must ever be forced to flee or be refused to come back to the Gambia because that is an inalienable right.

 
Yet in the past 22 years, we have seen how one single citizen called Yaya Jammeh made thousands of Gambians homeless and stateless by either forcing them to run away or not allowed to return to their country of birth. And then we had these APRC parliamentarians fail to stand with their fellow citizens to defend and protect our citizenship. They watched and stood with Yaya Jammeh as Gambia’s sons and daughters were separated from their children, fathers, mothers, wives and husbands just because of one man! APRC NAMs defended Yaya Jammeh to even deny dead Gambian bodies to be returned to their motherland to at least get a peaceful resting place at home. What could be more immoral than to deny a person a home even in death?

 
Not only had Yaya Jammeh directly sent Gambian sons and daughters out of their homes and never to return, but he also indirectly banished thousands more of our youth to their death in the wilderness. Due to his brutal misrule and gross mismanagement of our economy, Yaya Jammeh forced a life of homelessness on our youth who could find no opportunities at home. Consequently thousands of young souls could not but flee across the Sahara and the Mediterranean in search of better lives only to perish in foreign lands. Yet there are Gambians today such as Yankuba Colley who claim that Yaya Jammeh deserves respect.

 
Had Yankuba Colley’s son starved to death in the Sahara Desert? Did Yankuba Colley’s daughter drown in the Mediterranean? Was Yankuba Colley’s brother ever forced to flee and never to return to the Gambia? Was Yankuba Colley’s sister ever been raped by the Junglers? Was Yankuba Colley’s father been beaten up as Yaya Jammeh’s thugs beat up Imam Baba Leigh or Imam Hydara or Imam Bakawsu? Yet Yankuba Colley and his ilk could stand in front of Gambians to tell them to respect Yaya Jammeh and support APRC.

 
If indeed Yaya Jammeh and APRC were right, why would Yaya Jammeh reluctantly leave the Gambia to go into exile? If any Gambian holds that the APRC was right, why do we have a death squad called the Junglers? If APRC was right, why were Gambians tortured and summarily executed consistently since 1994 by the NIA and the Junglers? Why should anyone respect Yaya Jammeh when his government killed unarmed and defenseless children of the nation? Could such a leader and his government deserve respect anywhere in the world? Could APRC supporters ask themselves whether it was right for Yaya Jammeh to butcher 50 West Africans to death after already arresting them alive? Which decent Gambian would respect a leader who steals public money and personalizes public properties throughout the whole country?

 
The fact that Gambia’s sons and daughters are coming home in droves today after years of exile is a clear testimony that Yaya Jammeh was brutal and criminal who deserves no iota of respect. When there is respect for human rights and adherence to the rule of law, which citizen would therefore flee his or her country even if you are accused of a crime? The fact that citizens had to flee and never to return was a clear testimony that there was a regime in place that never respected human rights and its own constitution. It tells the fact that Yaya Jammeh was a violator who ruled the country with violence in impunity. That culture of impunity was imposed on us and perpetuated by Yaya Jammeh because APRC NAMs betrayed Gambians at her most painful moment.

 
A home is a birthright. Yet Yaya Jammeh and APRC denied Gambians their birthright. Who therefore would stand for or vote for APRC?

 

God Bless The Gambia.

GOOD MORNING PRESIDENT BARROW

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GOOD MORNING PRESIDENT BARROW

 

Thank you Mr President for not only listening but acting on popular demand to remain impartial during your nationwide tour as it coincides with the NAM political campaign. I have always maintained the best among leaders is he who alerts and avails himself to his people’s needs. It is not disreputable to be alleged of malpractices but been found wanton of blatant maladroitness is detestable and bad leadership. I am not holding brief for you but it is emboldening to see you align yourself with popular demand.

 
The task of rebuilding a broken, impoverish and bleeding nation is daunting and titanic yet your government must deliver despite being saddled with Goliardic challenges. The political impasse coupled with few missed opportunities and procedural legal blunders had also made delivery of visual progress difficult. Thus, some tested what your government can point at as a manifestation of its achievement since assuming office. If such sceptics are scouting for physical development such as bridges, roads and an airport for Jarra, their bad, such aren’t available. Notwithstanding, successes had been and will continue to be registered. One which quickly springs to mind is a leadership which listens and takes on board its people’s demands. This is followed by the much sought electoral reform which slashed the draconian fees curtailing candidates’ ability to vie for political representation. Additionally, most of the cabinet and other department heads appointments were acclaimed as fitting. However, care and due diligence must be taken to cement these accomplishments with the appointing of a Vice President, introduction of a two-term limit for the presidency, setting of commissions of inquiries to look into truth and reconciliation, asserts of Yaya Jammeh, independent audit of state accounts including all line ministries, thorough reformation of the security services and drawing a sustainable government blueprint which will not only mend broken hearts but rejuvenates the economy, entrenches democracy and usher in sustainable development.

 
Like Jammeh was admonished, you must also appreciate a state is not administered like a corner shop and/or family affairs. Therefore, to snub popular demand to appoint a Vice President, albeit many are accentuating that there is no constitutional time frame stipulation for its appointment, insinuates an underworld selfish motive. Conversely, Abdou Jallow depicted his annoyance by mirroring the concern of many Gambians: “A government that doesn’t respond to the needs and wishes of its people is soon bound to degenerate into a dictatorship. Meanwhile, the seat of the Vice President is still deliberately left vacant whilst the appointment of political hacks as ambassadors-At-Large proliferate every facet of this coalition government. Our fight wasn’t about disposing a kleptocratic regime only to have it replaced with a leadership that is deaf, dumb and blind to our realities. History is keenly watching and nobody can take Gambians for granted again”.

 
The UDP has recently being subjected under plethora of attempts to throw it under the bus as a result of its surrogates’ malign tribal and profane politicking. Despite many believing such uncultured views are not representative of the party, it has disfigured its image in many quarters. Yanks Darboe’s admittance on Gainako Radio that UDP needs to appoint a spokesperson who will be speaking on behalf of the party has reassured many that the party actually isn’t synonymous to its surrogates and self-anointed spokespersons crude images. For some also to suggest it is not only the UDP that is guilty as charge and go further to fault others is not helpful. What UDP should concern itself is righting the wrongs committed by its surrogates and carrying out rigorous public relation campaign to revamp its tainted image. Yes, it is the biggest party but that alone doesn’t ascertain victory. The electorates’ trust and confidence must be rekindled to translate the numbers into votes for the party.

 
I am not a legal luminary but I don’t have to live in Dakar either to know Macky Sall is the President of Senegal. For instance if “a gentleman’s agreement” contravenes laws of a land, should the agreement or contract supersede the law? Similarly, if the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) which gave birth to the Coalition 2016 stipulates when its Independent leader wins the presidential election s/he will only serve a 3 years term and the Gambian constitution mandates a 5 years term, should President Barrow honour his MOU agreement and disregard the constitution’s stipulation? Ok for the sake of argument, Barrow agrees to resign after three years there won’t be any presidential election unless the constitution is rectify to create a provision for a fresh presidential election as the constitution abundantly states in such an event the Speaker of the National Assembly assumes the presidential post for the rest of the remaining term. In sum s/he becomes president to the remaining two (2) years of the five (5) years term. Since Pata PJ and I agreed I have lost my marbles, can someone please help me with the logic of President Barrow resigning after 3 years just to allow the Speaker to complete his remaining 2 years as president? Furthermore, will the National Assembly which is not a baby of the MOU be also dissolve as our constitution requires a NAM election 3 months after the presidential? Just asking.

 

Sulayman Jeng
Birmingham, UK

Electoral Commission Chief urges journalists to be professional in reporting

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Electoral Commission Chief urges journalists to be professional in reporting

 

By Kaddijatou Jawo, Point Newspaper

 

Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) Chairman Alieu Mamor Njai has urged journalists reporting on elections to carry out their work with professionalism and in a responsible manner.

He made this remark on Saturday at the Training-of-Trainers for the National Assembly Elections slated for 6 April. The training session is under way at the Paradise Suites Hotel in Kololi.

Chairman Njai said media reports on the elections should be conducted in a professional and responsible manner by giving factual, accurate, truthful, thorough, balanced and full accounts.

“Such election reports by the media should be done with absolute honesty,” he added.

“Let me take this opportunity to inform this august gathering that the International Observation Groups notably among them, the European Union, have started arriving in the country, some on long-term observation and others on short term.”

He said the Coalition of Civil Society Organizations on elections has also been accredited with a number of other civil society organizations and youth groups, as well as beneficiaries of the Election Project being managed by the UNDP.

The CSO Coalition is also monitoring the campaigns across the length and breadth of the country, to enable them write a comprehensive report on the National Assembly election, Njai added.

The IEC chairman thanked the assistant returning officers for accepting the challenge once again.

“You have always been performing exceptionally well during electoral activities, and I enjoin you to once again take this training workshop very seriously, for the success of the forthcoming elections hinges greatly on your dedication and performance.”

Njai appealed to Gambians and all friends of The Gambia resident in the country to keep the peace, and desist from actions that may be in contravention of the laws of The Gambia. He advised whoever is strongly aggrieved to let the process of law take its due course.

He, therefore, urged all stakeholders, including political party leaders and candidates, to leave no stone unturn in sensitizing the voting public, on all aspects of the electoral process that should lead to an orderly and peaceful election day.

“Voters should be encouraged to turn out in great numbers early on polling day so that the poll could start promptly at 8 o’clock in the morning and end at 5 o’ clock in the afternoon as planned,” the electoral commission chief advised the electorate.

 

IN SOLIDARITY WITH MUNTAGA AND THE INNOCENT ONES IN THE GNPC CASE

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IN SOLIDARITY WITH MUNTAGA AND THE INNOCENT ONES IN THE GNPC CASE

 

 

Justice it is said should not only be done but it must manifestly and undoubtedly be seen to be done. When the issue about the non-involvement of Muntaga Sallah was published, it was taken personal by others. When a statement or a concern is raised, it must be viewed objectively. We must look at issues from a holistic perspective devoid of any prejudice. This will help us to develop. It will make us thrive and progress as a Nation.

It was not the assertion of the author in that article that there was no loss occasioned by the Gambia government, rather, it was about the non-involvement of an innocent soul. There was indeed loss but that should not be a guarantee to falsely prosecute the innocents. In fact as I read through, I realized the author gave instances of the excessive payments and even suggested a way forward for the new government to recover the lost monies. We cannot drop charges against everybody but those who are innocent should not be maliciously prosecuted. No reasonable prosecutorial department in a civilized society would venture into an exercise of prosecuting innocent individuals. Such moves will prone the prosecuting bodies to the tort action of malicious prosecution. I think we have enough legal liability bills to think about risking the government to further liabilities.

People who have been wrongly charged should be set free. There continuous trial is occasioning unnecessary legal expenses to the State. Think of the resources being put into such a futile and concocted trial. Those resources can fit into better and well meaningful areas of our development agendas. It must be appreciated that people have surrendered their title deeds as guarantees for the conditions of grant of bail to the accused persons. Those properties are currently charged and cannot be so used by their owners for economic ventures which will enhance the economic development of this great nation. It hurts to be wrongfully dismissed, arrested, falsely charged and disgraced. I used this because the executive directives sanctioning the arrest of people come in the wordings, “arrest, detain, charge and prosecute Mr. X” during the days of Yaya Jammeh. You will come to realize that even if the authorities have no scintilla of evidence against an individual, they will do as per Jammeh’s executive directives command. This was the Gambia we lived in. This was the Gambia many people fall victims of. This is not the Gambia we wished to live. We need to review the case at hand and free all the innocent souls.

We should not be carried away by the amounts involve in some of the charges. What we should be concern about as conscious citizens is whether those charges are devoid of prejudice. Muntaga is innocent and continuing with the case against him will be the height of injustice. Lets get to work and set the innocent souls free. We need the expertise of most of these people. With their current status they cannot be involved. How long do we deny ourselves of their contribution? Yes, they are not the only ones who can help in the development of this country but hey! they have the institutional memory already.

The facts surrounding the truth about the GNPC case is at the public domain. A bill of indictment is filed together with all the necessary documents, the evidence to be relied upon and all the witnesses to the case. So any concern citizen can have this. Information relating to cases once in court cannot be censored. Trials of this nature are done in open court for the general public to access it. That’s what we call justice.

It’s now time we act cautiously with our international contract agreements. We need to have them insured so that we have something or somewhere to lean on in situations like this. Indemnity clauses cannot be left out. They are very fundamental.

Ba Tambedou, the new justice minister, you are a very upright person. You have a sense of justice running all over you. You claimed not to be used by anyone to falsely prosecute. The case of Muntaga is before you and others in the GNPC case. All those involved are very resourceful to the Gambia. We need them. Let the case be reviewed for the innocents to go home and reduce the potential legal liability bill of the government. You have the powers under section 85(1)(c) of the Constitution to instruct your DPP to discontinue any criminal proceedings, safe for private criminal proceedings which must have the consent of the private prosecutor, against any person before judgment is delivered. Assert your powers in the interest of justice. We cannot be failed twice. We have been failed under Jammeh and I know you wouldn’t allow us fail under Barrow. Your professionalism has stood the test of time both in and outside the country.

 

 

President Barrow’s Tour Is The Right Thing To Do

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President Barrow’s Tour Is The Right Thing To Do

 

 

By Maxs

 

I want to express my profound support to see our president for embarking on a “thank you tour” just before the incoming National Assembly election. This is a step in the right direction. In many advanced democracies, we have seen political leaders embark on”thank you tours” to connect with the electorates who have supported and given them opportunities to lead their constituencies or countries. Example , recently President Trump embarked on a “thank you tour” to connect with American voters about his desire to achieve his campaign goals, aspirations and to urge his supporters to continue giving their support on various political agendas.

 

This is the normal democratic culture and it gives leaders the ability to once again recognize that they are being send by the people to serve their collective interest. Participatory democracy involves citizenry to be in constant touch with their leaders. Part of this democratic tradition is not only to see leaders embark on nation wide tour to express their gratitude to voters but also to engage them politically about issues of common interest.

President Barrow’s country wide tour will give him opportunity to listen to the electorates and to express his commitment to elections campaign goals . As a democratic leader , it will also give him the real sense of how voters feel about him and his government. This tour will afford him the opportunity to enhance his leadership skills and to get to know what really matters to Gambian people in various constituencies. In essence, the tour is a personal assessment tour about how he is doing for the country as well as assessment of what voters need across the country.

President Barrow will visit various places where he will meet with community leaders and discuss various development projects the coalition government envisions for the country. I believe that president Barrow is doing the right thing because he is the one who should thank the Gambian people instead of people coming to statehouse to show solidarity and support. Leadership is all about fighting for the aspirations and collective interests of the people.

President Barrow can also use this tour to unify the country and strengthen the coalition political support base throughout the country . Getting out of the bubbles , and interact with ordinary people will give Mr President the opportunity to realize that power belongs to the people and will educate him that he is not above the people. He will empathize and feel the pain of ordinary Gambians as he meet them in their various communities.

Politically, president Barrow will be good asset for coalition tactical alliance candidates. Gambians must understand that the coalition is not a political party. It was formed with the supreme objective of removing a despicable tyrant and to replace the previous dictatorial system with rule of law and democratic values. Now it is time to allow democracy to prevail in our country. President Barrow has every rights to support any political candidate who might support the coalition agenda and its leadership. This is what democracy is all about .

The oppositions may say this tour is a political tour designed for UDP political advancement but they failed to remind themselves that UDP is essentially the most important pillar of the coalition. Even if the claim of the oppositions is true, it is part of democratic dispensation to meet with electorates especially before National election to showcase the agendas of the administration.

 

Campaigning for any political candidate is in essence telling the voters that Mr president does not have absolute power to do everything on his own . People’s representatives are the ones who would also hold him accountable to ensure that he do the right thing for the Gambian people. This is democratic practice we need to instill in our new democracy. This will also empower citizens that they have the power to replace any leader if their collective interest are not realized. In American politics , we have seen former president Obama campaigned for democratic candidates who supported him to victory. Such is the beauty of participatory democracy.

Those who accused President Barrow of supporting UDP candidates must realize that we need UDP tactical alliance National Assembly members. In fact President Barrow will visit and advocate for coalition parties candidates whether those candidates are members of UDP or not . Coalition tactical alliance candidates need president Barrow’s help to ensure their victory. Mr Barrow needs to use his political capital so that we can have majority coalition National Assembly members who will help to push the constitutional reforms and economic development projects . This is the way forward.

Writer Demands Better Working Conditions

Fatu Camara
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Writer Demands Better Working Conditions

 

Dear Editor,

 

I want to draw your attention to the flight of poor civil servants with poor salaries deemed lowest in the world. Civil Servants cannot afford house for their entire career as civil servants.

 
The Social security and Housing Finance Corporation is a disgrace and have betrayed the purpose for which they were established for. The lands they issue are beyond the reach of Gambian civil servants.

 

The government should endeavour to made the necessary changes to give the civil servants the opportunity to afford land for their families before retirement. The SSHC has failed the Gambians miserably.

 
Many people are leaving the civil service to join the parastatals and the private sector for better renumeration and batter conditions of work like medical health care for their families and other incentives

 

.
For the government to get the desired outputs it yearns for it has to motivate and evaluate the salaries and incentives of civil servants with those from the private sector and parastatals there will always be frustration and low morale for government employees.

 

Your paper is widely read in the Gambia and beyond please help and publish this piece.

POLICE FIND CORPSE BURIED WITHOUT POSTMORTEN

Fatu Camara
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POLICE FIND CORPSE BURIED WITHOUT POSTMORTEN

 

 

By Mustapha Jallow

 

Tujereng Police officers, on Friday, 17 March 2017, found the corpse of a woman in a virgin land at Tujereng, near Jah Oil. According to family members, the corpse was found along the route she uses when going to the river to buy fish.

One of the relatives, Ebrima Jarju, and a resident of Brusubi, yesterday, told Foroyaa that Sohna Bojang was found dead but they are yet to know the reason behind her sudden dead.

He explained that on that fateful day, her husband, Omar Badjie, had gone to work when the police notified the Alkalo that the corpse of a woman was found and anyone who had not seen his wife or mother can go to Tujereng Police Station.

According to Jarju, the son of the deceased, Ebrima Badjie, told their family members that his mother did not return home since she went out to buy fish and he then called his father to inform him. He added that the father asked his son to go to Tujereng station and enquire.

“Upon arrival at the station, he was shown a picture which he could not identify as his mother and he and the police alongside with his father went to the Mortuary at Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital in Banjul where they were shown the deceased and then the boy recognised that it was his mother,” he disclosed.

However, he said on Sunday, 19 March, her corpse was given to them for burial but no post postmortem documents were given to them as to what had resulted to her death.

He further said their family members visited the said place where the body, her shoes, shirt and beads were found. He concluded by calling on the authorities to conduct a thorough investigation to ascertain the cause of death of their loved one. “We do not know how, why and what happened to her and is the doctors who should give a report on whether she was sick or not,” he stressed.

Spokesperson of the Gambia Police Force (GPF), Inspector Foday Conta, was contacted to shed light on the incident but he said he was not aware of it but promised to find out and get back to this reporter.

PRESIDENT BARROW’S TOUR

Fatu Camara
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PRESIDENT BARROW’S TOUR

 

By Foroya Newspaper

 

The announcement that President Barrow is to undertake a provincial tour has met with divergent views. Many associate the tour with the current electoral campaign for seats in the national Assembly. Some opposition party leaders have expressed concern that the tour is ill timed.

It is important to explain what could or could not be done during the tour if the president chooses to undertake it.

First and foremost every action of the president should be guided by the provisions of the Constitution and other laws of the country. The only section that could be relied on for comment is section 222 paragraph 15 which states:

“The President shall undertake a nation-wide tour at least twice a year in order to familiarise himself or herself with current conditions and the effects of government policies.”

If we rely on this section he is duty bound not to go beyond familiarising himself with the current situation of the people and the impact of the actions the government has taken so far to address public concerns.

In that regard he is likely to be faulted by the opposition if he gives any signal that tends to impact on the current electoral campaign.

He is likely to utilise government transports and to be accompanied by public servants. It is a requirement of the law that public facilities should not be utlised to engage in campaign.

It is expected that the principal legal adviser for the government who is the Attorney General and Minister of Justice will advise the President on what he should or should not do to be in compliance with the constitution and other laws.

WHICH STAKEHOLDERS ARE MEMBERS OF COALITION 2016?

Fatu Camara
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WHICH STAKEHOLDERS ARE MEMBERS OF COALITION 2016?

 

By Foroya Newspaper

 

WHICH STAKEHOLDERS ARE MEMBERS OF COALITION 2016?

Coalition 2016 which supported the current President as an Independent presidential canididate in the 1 December 2016 presidential election comprises, in alphabetical order, GMC, GPDP, NCP, NRP, PDOIS, PPP, UDP, an independent presidential aspirant, two independent National Assembly members and two civil society representatives. Hence whenever Coalition 2016 is mentioned one should have in mind the names of all the stakeholders.

People should not continue to suspect that any of the stakeholders is not a member of Coalition 2016. It is wrong to give the impression that any party or group of parties are more inclined to be closer to Coalition 2016.

If any of the candidates of the stakeholders claims to be Coalition candidates others have equal entitlements to make the same claim. The fact of the matter is that the tactical alliance failed. Hence each stakeholder is now entitled to put up a candidate anywhere.

NOTICE OF EMERGENCY GENERAL MEETING

Fatu Camara
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NOTICE OF EMERGENCY GENERAL MEETING

 

 

To:      The Members of the Gambia Bar Association

 

NOTICE OF EMERGENCY GENERAL MEETING

 

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, of an Emergency General Meeting of The Gambia Bar Association to hold on Monday the 27th day of March 2017 at 12pm at a the High Court Complex, Court Room Number 1, Banjul PURSUANT TO:

 

  • Resolution of the Executive that it is necessary to convene an Emergency General meeting to discuss the matters set out in the Agenda herein.

 

AGENDA

 

  1. The purported appointment and/or re-appointment and/or renewal of contracts of the following High Court Judges:

(i)        Edward Ogar

(ii)       Mathias Olesgun Agboola

(iii)      Simeon Abi

(iv)       Martins U. Okoi

 

  1. The pending petition of the Gambia Bar Association to the Judicial Services Commission.
  2. AOB

 

BY ORDER of the Executive

 

Dated this 22nd day of March 2017

 

……………………………

SECRETARY GENERAL

 

GOOD MORNING PRESIDENT BARROW

Fatu Camara
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GOOD MORNING PRESIDENT BARROW

 

Sulayman Jeng
Birmingham, UK

 

Jumma Mubarak Your Excellency and all my audience. My sceptics will crucify me today for faulting my promise to discuss NAWEC. My choice of espouse is most often dictated by the burning issue of the day. Accordingly, I will deliberate on the President’s nationwide tour “to thank Gambians for voting him into office and campaigning for the coalition candidates” and Hon Ba Tambedou’s press conference. Although I am very critical of President Barrow, my intent is to see him succeed and leave a legacy that every Gambian will be proud to merchandise. As a result, I will not mutate him into a mediocre leader by mystifying him and/or excusing his shortcomings. The argument many of his sympathisers advance is his government is in its embryonic stage and the system he inherited from a repressive monster is rotten. Remorsefully, that is his fortune besides that is what he is elected to fix.

 
President Barrow averring that he will be campaigning for a NAM coalition while consciously alert that it is non-existence as he emphatically reinforced in his interview with France 24 that there is a “Tactical Alliance” which he endorsed is misleading and inappropriate. He further elasticated his alignment with the new found tactical alliance as it enlivens political parties compared to Independent Coalition NAM candidature. The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC), on its part, wasn’t economical with the truth when it unequivocally punctuated “There is no coalition NAM candidates and the President is independent”.

 

It went on to certify its assertion by buttressing “it will be inappropriate and cumbersome for President Barrow to politic for any political party”. What actually baffles me is few weeks ago, the government instructed Governors to abstain from active politics in their official capacities and banned government apparatus such as vehicles to be used to facilitate political inequality only for the President to use state resources as an incumbent to campaign for his coalition team. Isn’t this a clear manifestation of selective justice and marketing of inequality of the equal?

 
How we comport ourselves, choices me make, values we uphold and relate with others constitute how others perceive and posterity notches us. As such, it is prudent for President Barrow to be mindful of how he wish to be remembered after his leadership. You have a precious advantage by virtue of being every Gambian’s passionate Sweetness contrasted with your predecessor. With such germ, whenever you come out to debunk or validate an issue, it will generate targeted desired results. For instance, the issues of tribalism and divisive political canvassing. Fatou Camara of the Fatu Networks noted with caution, “Albeit President is in the midst of his elders, it is mandatory for him to take charge of leadership of the nation”.

 

However, it is essential to add, this does not by no means insinuates he must not solicit and take advice from his elders and close associates. But remaining quiet while his cabinet and the political climate are in disarray protrudes him as an ineffective leader who is micromanaged. This brings me to the next subject of touching base and connecting.

 
The Minister of Justice, Hon Ba Tambedou, public expose that his ministry hasn’t been consulted for the second time in couple of weeks on matters of legal dispensation is very unsettling. Apart from the two instances sinking in drips of legal and procedural blunders, enunciate disconnectedness between President Barrow’s cabinet and coalition partners. One is left to infer the lack of touching base and connecting with one another through effective communication is borne out of total disregard and/or mistrust. Some missed to spot the chaff from the grain hence opined there was no need for Hon Ba Tambedou to wash the cabinet’s dirty linen in public and suggested such matters be resolved in house.

 

Inappropriately, the underlying disadvantage of adhering to such secrecy is when it backfires, the victim becomes the felon. Similarly, given Hon Tambedou’s reputation in the International Community as a seasoned Legal Luminary working for a government boasting of three Legal Luminaries yet prone to legal blunders often picked by a trained sociologist is disquieting. True, the police do not need to alert even the interior minister prior to effecting an arrest where there is commission or reasonable suspicion of a crime.

 

The police can hold a 72 hour charge of a suspect while carrying out investigation and with sufficient evidence, can charge and arraign a suspect before a competent court of law. It is also important to note investigations might not in all cases that are arraigned before a magistrate completed. Most often than not, such arraignments are to solicit more time for holding charge and/or remand the suspect to complete investigations where bailing the suspect will compromise evidence to prosecute. However, there are other instances where the police and intelligent services are required to inform the executive and related ministries before effecting arrest. For example in terror or treasonable cases such as the Osama Bin Laden scenario.

 
Another effective means of touching base and keeping connected with one another is creating ministerial websites and Facebook pages. With such means, each of the ministries can on a daily basis update the populace on their undertakings. The populace, on the other hand, can also engage the ministers by ways of comments, complaints and suggestions. Should ministers use their personal Facebook pages to relate official matters? It is not appropriate for a minister to use a personal page for official engagement with the public. Hon Mai Fatty must be commended for engaging the public on official matters. Now that he has a Press Secretary taking care of media related issues on his behalf, he will concentrate more on carefully assessing the legality of anything he intends to officially undertake. Even President Barrow should also have an official website and Facebook page.

 
Mr President, until Monday, have a very pleasant weekend and a successful nationwide tour.

Justice Ministry to create Special Adviser position on judicial reforms

Fatu Camara
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Justice Ministry to create Special Adviser position on judicial reforms

Gambia’s Ministry of Justice is on the verge of creating the post of a Special Adviser to the Attorney General.

The Special Adviser’s responsibility will be to provide policy advice on the justice sector reforms envisaged by the Ministry, according to Justice Minister Abubakar Tambedou.

Minister Tambedou was speaking on Thursday at the Ministry’s Head Office in Banjul during a Press conference convened to provide information about some of the activities of the Ministry of Justice over the past few weeks.

According to Minister Tambedou, the post will be funded by the British government and applications will soon be invited from suitably qualified Gambians to fill the post.

Criminal cases and Detention Review

He said a Criminal case and detention review panel has already started its work.

“This panel was established by the Ministry of Justice in consultation with the Ministry of Interior, to review and advise the Attorney General regarding the ongoing criminal cases against serving or former public officers, cases linked to a political activity, and the cases of all persons awaiting trial in remand” he said.

According to him, the membership of the panel consists of lawyers from the Ministry of Justice, staff members from the Ministry of the Interior, a representative from The Gambia Police Force and the Gambia Prison Service.

“I have started receiving their recommendations on a rolling basis and I will act based on this” he concluded.

Ousman Sonko’s extradition imminent

Fatu Camara
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Ousman Sonko’s extradition imminent

 

By Bruce Asemota, Point Newspaper

 

A high-level delegation comprising senior government officials from the Gambia Immigration, prisons, police, Foreign Affairs Ministry and the Ministry of the Interior on Sunday 19 March 2017, left for Switzerland and some other European Union countries, our sources confirmed.

The sources revealed that the official journey to Switzerland and European Union countries is aimed at negotiating and facilitating the extradition of some exiled and wanted Gambian officials, in the erstwhile Yahya Jammeh government.

It would be recalled that Ousman Sonko, the former Interior minister in Jammeh’s government, was reportedly arrested and detained by the Swiss authorities since January 2017.

One of the Swiss daily newspapers reportedly disclosed that the Swiss authorities had demanded for evidence linking Ousman Sonko with any criminal activities.

Meanwhile, according to our sources revealed that Ousman Sonko owes the Gambian people explanation in connection with the disappearance of Chief Ebrima Manneh (the Daily Observer reporter), the killing of 32 Ghanaians in Tanji, the burning of Independent Newspaper printing press, alleged mass killing of soldiers, among others.

FOREIGN PATHOLOGISTS ARRIVE FOR SANDENG AUTOPSY

Fatu Camara
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FOREIGN PATHOLOGISTS ARRIVE FOR SANDENG AUTOPSY

 

 

By Baba Sillah, Standard Newspaper

 

Foreign pathologists have arrived in the Gambia for forensic examination on the exhumed corpse of the late Solo Sandeng and possibly others whose death may be under investigation, credible sources told The Standard yesterday.

According to our sources, the pathologists who arrived on Monday are from France.
During the last sitting of the trial of NIA officials charged with the murder of Solo Sandeng, state prosecutors asked for more time to allow foreign experts to arrive to conduct investigations on the copse of the late Sandeng.

It is now believed in many quarters that the experts’ service may be required for similar cases under police or judicial investigations.

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