Karpowership, the Turkish strategic partner of The Gambia and Nawec since 2018, donated food items to three orphanages in a ceremony held at their office in the former Dream Park on Friday. This annual donation initiative is specifically targeted towards specific groups.
The company is recognized as being socially development-oriented, initiating each new year with donations and charity, especially to orphanages in most countries where they operate. They describe this as a gesture to complement efforts in supporting children and youth.
Emre Durmusoglo, Karpower Africa Director, assures that these donations will be a continuous gesture in supporting orphanages in The Gambia. “This year, we have started the donation with three orphanages, providing food items worth Ten thousand dollars ($10,000), including rice, oil, and sugar,” he lamented.
Mr. Emre says they support orphanages in The Gambia and nine other African countries where they operate, understanding their responsibilities towards the social development and well-being of these countries. “We will continue to support orphanages every year, and you will also see me this year making donations towards health and student support in The Gambia,” he assures.
Tolga Bermek, the Turkish Ambassador to The Gambia, commended the actions of Karpowership, describing them as genuine friends of The Gambia. “Actions speak louder than words. As an ambassador in The Gambia, I have always witnessed the good deeds of Karpowership. They are not only acting as a commercial company but also as a friend of the country with their social responsibility projects,” he says. The Ambassador extends his gratitude for the kind donation and generosity in providing food items to the orphanages.
On behalf of the beneficiaries, Ustasdh Gassama of Madrasatul Afang Lang Cisse in Sukuta thanked Karpowership for the donations and stressed the timeliness and need for such items. “These food items are donated at the right time, and we want to thank Karpowership for their generous help to these orphanages.”
Ustasdh Gassama says helping orphanages is highly commendable in Islam, as these individuals lack parents to take care of their needs. “To prevent orphanages from hunger, to shelter and clothe them is a gesture that cannot be overemphasized; just feeding people is significant. As the prophet says, feeding people is one of the best deeds in Islam,” he adds.
The items were handed over by Mr. Emre Durmusoglo, Karpower Africa Director, Tolga Bermek, Turkish Ambassador to The Gambia, and Karpower Group in The Gambia to The Baby Shelter in Bakoteh, Madrasatul Tafsir Quran in Foni, and Madrasatul Afang Lang Cisse in Sukuta. The items include 150 bags of rice, 100 bags of sugar, and 56 10-liter gallons of vegetable oil. These items will be shared among the three orphanages to support the crisis of food at their centers.
After the disappointing defeat against Senegal on Monday, the Scorpions of The Gambia returned to training with the hope of redeeming themselves ahead of a crucial match against Guinea as the team’s key goal influencer, Ablie Jallow, is back in contention for selection, which could be a significant boost to their chances of winning.
The tricky attacking midfielder, who has been involved in almost all the goals scored by the team in the last Africa Cup of Nations and qualifiers to Ivory Coast, missed the game against champions Senegal due to the accumulation of yellow cards together with Ebrima Colley.
As the Scorpions return to the drawing board after the defeat against Senegal to prepare for Guinea, Ablie Jallow and Ebrima Colley are back in contention for a place in the team.
Speaking to The Fatu Network after the recovery session, head coach Tom Sainfeit expressed hope ahead of the match, citing that the return of key goal influencer Ablie Jallow will significantly boost the team together with Ebrima Colley.
“We played 6 AFCON matches, we lost two, and these were games Ablie Jallow did not play. Ablie was always involved in the goals in the last years,” Tom told TFN.
He added the mood in the camp is high, and they are hopeful that the players will turn things around on Friday.
“We are ready to bounce back. The mood is good, and the players are ready. Ablie Jallow and Ebrima have returned for the selection, so we are ready for Friday to do everything to get back to a good position to qualify,” the Belgian said.
Goalkeeper Baboucarr Gaye, who conceded three goals in the first game, said the Gambia is in the competition to stay and not just to qualify. He outlined that the players would play their hearts out on Friday against Guinea.
“We are here to stay. We are not here just to qualify. We have a superb quality team and good players, so we are ready to give a hundred percent on the field,” he told TFN.
A win against Guinea will boost Gambia’s chances of qualifying for the second round, despite losing to Senegal 3-0.
The Gambia national team head coach Tom Saintfiet has spoken to journalists where he outlined several factors that led to their defeat against Senegal.
Bellinzona, Switzerland–Modou Ngum, a torture victim, testified before a Swiss court in the crimes against humanity trial of former Interior Minister Ousman Sonko. Ngum broke down as he told the court he was protesting electoral reforms on April 14, 2016, when he was arrested by Gambian police and tortured by National Intelligence Agency (NIA) officials.
In April 2016, a rare protest broke out in Gambia while the country’s former President and 22-year dictator, Yahya Jammeh, was traveling. The protest was led by a member of the opposition UDP—Ebrima Solo Sandeng—who was beaten to death in state custody. The event set off a series of protests and the arrest of over 30 party members, including party leader Ousainu Darboe.
On the first day of protests, Sandeng was arrested with at least 13 people—including Ngum, and taken to NIA, where they were brutally tortured, leading to Sandeng’s death. At least five other people involved in the protests have died since 2017. Their relatives attributed their deaths to the torture they endured at the NIA.
Ngum took the Swiss court into the NIA complex, describing the abhorrent conditions, and emotional and physical torture meted against him and others.
“They stripped me naked and took me to a room at the NIA,” Ngum, who was 29 years old at the time, said. Ngum told the court that Tamba Masireh, an NIA official found responsible by the High Court in Banjul for the torture of detainees, said they were going to kill him.
“The Junglers came. They beat me until I could not hear myself crying. They later threw me on the grass in an open courtyard. That was where I regained consciousness,” Ngum said. Ngum said he was electrocuted on his genitals. The protesters were sentenced to a 3-year jail term, but Ngum and several others could not appear in court for two weeks due to injuries caused by torture.
“They did not want the court to see me in that condition. That was why I was allowed to see a doctor,” he said. “They told us not to wear our clothes with which we were tortured. They bought us new clothes,” he said.
Madi Ceesay, a lawmaker whose son Ebrima Ceesay was tortured and died shortly after, and Fatoumata Sandeng, the daughter of Solo Sandeng, who died in state custody, sat in tears in the courtroom. Fatoumatta Jawara and Fatoumatta Camara, two torture victims expected to testify before the court, buried their heads in their hands and wiped their tears.
Sonko’s ‘responsibility’
Sonko served as police chief under ex-President Jammeh from 2005 to 2006. In the latter part of 2006, he was appointed minister of interior, a position he held from November 2006 to February 2012 and from May 2012 to September 2016.
Arrested in January 2017, the Swiss Attorney General’s office, along with 10 plaintiffs from Gambia, is accusing Sonko of torture, murder, false imprisonment, rape, and deprivation of liberty, allegedly perpetrated against Gambians during Jammeh’s rule.
The Swiss prosecutors are trying to prove Sonko’s responsibility for torture through his participation in various investigation panels as inspector general or for ordering or abetting abuse as interior minister.
Ngum placed Sonko on the panel that oversaw his torture at the NIA and at the paramilitary barracks, where they were processed before being taken to the NIA.
“The police were under the command of Ousman Sonko, and he was present on the panel. And Sonko was there when I was asking for water to drink. It was refused,” said Ngum. He also accused Sonko and the jailed former head of the NIA, Yankuba Badgie, of ordering his transfer from police custody to the NIA, where he and others were tortured. Sonko denies all wrongdoing.
(Badgie and four former members of the NIA implicated in the torture of the protesters and the killing of Sandeng were sentenced to death by a High Court in Banjul in July 2022.)
This was a collaboration with New Narratives as part of the West Africa Justice Reporting Project.
Former President Donald Trump of the United States has secured a landslide victory in the Iowa Republican Caucuses Monday night. Mr Trump’s victory has cemented his front-runner status as the Republican nominee for the November 5, 2024, US presidential elections.
Mr Trump, despite his peccadilloes and legal troubles, his chances for returning to the White House, are very good. President Joe Biden’s age is a major impediment to his chances of securing a second term. Biden’s nonchalant approach in securing the US southern border made him vulnerable to Trump’s ferocious attacks and the issue is resonating with voters. Trump is a skilled demagogue and he’ll drive the illegal immigration issue to the front and center of the Fall campaign.
Biden made strategic blunders overseas: the war between Russia and Ukraine was a strategic failure and miscalculation despite Putin’s errs. The ongoing Israel-Hamas war is a colossal failure by the Biden administration. Biden traveled to Tel Aviv within days of the commencement of hostilities and hugged Netanyahu in glaring daylight. This linked Biden to the genocidal military campaign Israel wages against Palestinians in Gaza. As a result, President Biden loses a key voting bloc with the US electorates.
All in all, given the above proviso and happenings, barring force majeure, Donald Trump will beat incumbent President Biden in the November US Presidential poll.
The National Assembly member for Upper Fulladou West, Hon. Bakary Kora, recently donated four solar panels to the residents of Sare Sofie in the Central River region. This donation follows the village’s commitment to contribute and install solar streetlights, all aimed at improving security in the village.
In his capacity, Bakary Kora, NAM for Upper Fulladou, commended the unity of the people of Sare Sofie, noting that the government can’t do it all. He was motivated to contribute his share towards the development of the village, emphasizing the significance of solar streetlights in addressing insecurity within the village.
“These solar lights will address insecurity within the community, especially during the rainy season when nights are predominantly dark. I wish to applaud the initiative of the young people of Sare Sofie and everyone behind this project,” said Bakary Kora.
The Alkalo of the village, Sirreh Sey, praised the youth of the village, both those living within the country and in the diaspora, emphasizing that uniting for progressive development is crucial for any village.
“I want to thank the youth of the village for this initiative. This is what we wish and desire as elders of the village, so I urge all of you to keep up the good work, both those who contributed and those who did not,” he lamented.
The Secretary-General of the Village Development Committee, Alassan Sey, speaking on behalf of the youth development, mentioned that the lights will significantly enhance security within the village.
“If you stand at the other end of the village now, you will see everything, and that is a significant boost for security,” Sey remarked.
Other speakers included the Chairperson of the Village Development Committee, Nfamara Jerreh Keita, who praised the youth of the village, stressing that it has further fostered unity among the children of the village.
The street solar lights are valued at over a hundred thousand dalasis and were contributed by the young people of the village living in the diaspora and the country.
In the opening match of the Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast, the Lions of Taranga, also known as the Senegal national football team, secured a convincing 3-0 victory against their neighboring opponents, the Gambia national football team, also known as the Scorpions. This marks the Scorpions’ second participation in the tournament.
The game kicked off with an early lead for the Senegalese, as their star player Sadio Mane set up Pape Gueye for the opener in the fourth minute.
Lamine Camara, the Senegalese and Metz attacking midfielder, scored twice as the defending champions began the Africa Cup of Nations with a comfortable 3-0 win over Gambia on Monday afternoon.
With his versatile playing style and notable presence in midfield, Camara showcased his skills in ball recovery, precise passing, and offensive flair.
Camara’s second goal, which occurred in the 86th minute, is considered one of the best goals of the tournament so far. He unleashed a powerful shot from around 20 yards, accurately placing it in the top right corner of the net. This outstanding goal left the Gambian team with little hope of making a comeback after being set up by Iliman Ndiaye.
Gambia’s chances of a comeback were further diminished when Ebou Adams received a red card for catching Camara at the back of his heel just before halftime. This incident marked the first red card of the tournament.
Camara’s first goal came early in the second half as he made a well-timed run into the penalty area and slotted the ball low into the far post.
With this victory, Senegal currently tops Group C with 3 points and 3 goals. On the other hand, Gambia sits at the bottom of the group with no points after conceding 3 goals to Senegal. The Scorpions will face Guinea Conakry, a team they defeated by one goal in the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations held in Cameroon.
Later in the group stage, the Scorpions will face the five-time African champions Cameroon, who defeated Gambia in the 33rd Edition of the tournament in Cameroon during the 2022 AFCON quarterfinals.
Bellinzona, Switzerland–two Gambian prison officers — Lamin Sanneh and Abdou Jammeh — testified to torture, and poor food and hygiene conditions at Gambia’s central prison — Mile 2 — in the crimes against humanity trial of Gambia’s former Interior Minister Ousman Sonko in the Swiss city of Bellinzona.
Sonko served as police chief under ex-President Yahya Jammeh from 2005 to 2006. In the latter part of 2006, he was appointed minister of interior, a position he held from November 2006 to February 2012 and from May 2012 to September 2016.
Arrested in January 2017, the Swiss Attorney General’s office, along with 10 plaintiffs from Gambia, is accusing Sonko of torture, murder, false imprisonment, rape, and deprivation of liberty, allegedly perpetrated against Gambians during the 22-year rule of Gambia’s former dictator Jammeh.
The Swiss prosecutors are trying to prove Sonko’s responsibility for torture through his participation in various investigation panels as inspector general or for ordering or abetting abuse as interior minister.
Previous testimonies before the court alleged that Sonko served on the investigation panel following the 2006 foiled coup, which oversaw the torture and interrogation of witnesses by Junglers – a paramilitary hit squad operating under the orders of Jammeh.
Today, the trial’s fifth witness, Lamin Sanneh, a prison officer, told the 3-member panel of judges that in 2012 torture was widespread in Mile 2, the country’s central prison Jammeh popularly called his “five-star” hotel.
“Most of the time, the Junglers come there and take inmates to the [National Intelligence Agency], and when they return them, you know that these inmates have gone through something,” said Sanneh. “Some inmates are tortured while they are being taken away. I experienced that also. It is very terrible,” he said.
Ousman’s knowledge of abuse
Sanneh was the personal bodyguard of David Colley, the longtime former director of Gambia’s Prison Services, the institution overseeing Gambian prisons, including Mile 2.
Sonko denied wrongdoing and argued that he neither exercised administrative nor operational oversight over the prisons. Sonko said that the Security Wing of Mile 2 — a barely 2-meter square cell with a face-size window tucked near the roof, was often under the control of the military.
“David Colley has operational and administrative responsibility over prison services and all the prisons in the Gambia. As such, he does not need instructions from me,” said Sonko in the Monday hearings before the Swiss court. However, Sanneh testified that Sonko and Colley enjoyed a close working relationship and that he had full knowledge of events in the prisons, including Mile 2.
“Whatever happens at the prison, the director [David Colley] will feed [Sonko],” with information, said Sanneh.
“I know the Director will not do anything without the notice of the Minister. Anything going on in the prison, he has to inform him.” Abdou Jammeh, another prison officer who was arrested in 2016 and held without charge for 9 months, shared a similar testimony.
Murder of Baba Jobe
Among the series of allegations Sonko is battling in Switzerland is his alleged involvement in the 2012 murder of Baba Jobe, the former majority leader of Jammeh’s APRC party.
Jobe was sentenced to a nine–year jail term in 2004 on charges of economic crimes. Barely a year before he was due to be released, Junglers allegedly walked into his room and suffocated him with a pillow, Omar Jallow, a Jungler, testified before the Truth Commission in 2019.
That day, Sanneh said he was asked to guard Colley, who was in the hospital then. Colley informed him that military officials were coming for Jobe, and when they came, he should grant them access, he told the court.
In 2018, David Colley told Swiss prosecutors that he got a call from Sonko to grant Jungler Nuha Badgie access to Jobe. Sonko contested Colley’s claim and denied any involvement in the planning and execution of Jobe.
The trial is expected to last until January 30, but the verdict will likely be announced in March. If found guilty, Sonko could face up to 20 years in prison.
This was a collaboration with New Narratives as part of the West Africa Justice Reporting Project.
The head coach of the Gambia national team, Tom Sainfeit, has said that his team has great respect for Senegal, but they are not intimidated by them as the two nations prepare to face each other in Yamouskoro on Monday for the first time in the senior men’s Africa Cup of Nations.
During the press conference, Tom spoke alongside team captain Omar Colley, mentioning that the group The Gambia has been placed in is notoriously difficult, often referred to as the ‘group of death’. However, he stated that the Scorpions are ready to compete, despite being the lowest-ranked team in the group.
“We are in the group of death, but we are to compete. Everyone wants a good result against Senegal. We want to win tomorrow. We respect Senegal, but we are not afraid of them,” he said.
He added that the easiest game in the group for The Gambia will be against Senegal because everyone knows what’s at stake against Senegal tomorrow.
Omar Colley, the captain of the team, said a similar sentiment, noting that the players are ready to play.
“Senegal is a defending champion. We are here to play, and we are not afraid of them. The Gambia didn’t win against Senegal for a long time, but for us, we ready to defend the color of the country,” he said.
He added that the Gambia made it to the competition the hard way and that they were not in the competition just to play.
“We have qualified in the hard way, so we are not here just to play football. We are here to compete and ready to win matches. So, we are ever motivated to play tomorrow and ready to fight,” he said.
This is my optics on the economy as the New Year commences in earnest. I’m not privy to empirical data available to officials in charge of running the economy and will rely on the general market activities. In developing economies like The Gambia, macroeconomic data, or statistics do not provide accurate depiction of the socioeconomic conditions of the ambient social environment.
The fundamentals of the Gambian economy are weak: inflation and unemployment are beyond measure and out of control. The GDP/DEBT ratio is over 100 percent which placed enormous burden on debt financing and deprived funding in vital arrears of national development priorities. Economic activities of any country even as small as ours are complicated and complex predicated on endogenous and exogenous factors. These issues are anchored in and facilitated by monetary and fiscal policies for redress.
I may sound pedantic and out of my mind to state that Economic Recovery Program (ERP) of the eighties by the Jawara administration was a dismal failure and its effect lingers 3 decades later. As a result of these terrible decisions, the Dalasi was devalued and was set floating in the international currency exchange market. This proved to be a poor policy decision in the long-term. The volatility in the currency exchange market in recent times represents the greatest threat to the economy by far.
Barrow administration is signaling fiscal policy to make up for the revenue shortfall by augmenting tax rates. This may not be the right cause of action and could exacerbate the already hard living conditions of the Gambian population.
Essentially, what I’ll suggest without knowing internal happenings of economic decision makers is to think a new and usher in economic paradigm that seeks to improve the socioeconomic conditions of the population mired in abject poverty. Every effort by the Barrow administration must be devoted to employment creation in 2024, and not policies directed by the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, who have nefarious agenda for Africa. The volatility in the currency market was caused by the misguided policies of the IMF in the eighties in the name of “structural reforms”. The carnage it caused to African economies lingers to this day!
The captain of the Senegal national team, Kalilu Koulibaly, has stated that they will approach the Senegambia battle against the Gambia national team in Yamouskoro as if it were a final. He emphasized that his Teranga Lion teammates are prepared for the clash with the Scorpions tomorrow.
Speaking at the press conference ahead of the clash between the two neighboring countries, the captain of the reigning champions outlined his side’s readiness to begin the defense of their title with a victory against the Gambia. He informed reporters that Senegal would treat the game as a final.
“We are playing this game as a final. We are ready for the battle and ready to defeat our cousins [Gambia],” he told the press.
The Gambia and Senegal share not only borders but also many commonalities. This game holds a special significance for both countries compared to matches against other nations.
Senegal aims to start their journey to win the competition back-to-back, and Koulibaly expressed their desire to achieve this with a victory over the Scorpions tomorrow.
The Gambia has only defeated Senegal once in its history, back in 1962. The two sides have never met in the senior Africa Cup of Nations.
Yankuba Minteh, a highly-rated Gambian left-footed right-winger, has said the Scorpions are prepared to give their all in the first-ever Senegambian derby against their neighbors and the reigning African champions, Senegal, in the senior men’s Africa Cup of Nations on Monday.
Despite the superiority of the Teranga Lions, Minteh said the team isn’t listening to comparisons and that they are ready to show their true intentions on the pitch.
“Football is eleven V [versus] eleven. [There] is only one thing that is between the teams, which is the ball, and you all fight for that one. I heard people saying outside that The Gambia is going to lose against Senegal 5-0, 4-0 — we are not listening to them.
“All we have to do is that we have to fight on the pitch, show them we can do it,” Minteh said speaking to the GFF media.
Considering the various things at stake in this game, Minteh, who is among the youngsters expected to light up the competition, vowed that the players will strive to make The Gambia proud on the pitch while acknowledging the tough nature of the game.
“We will try our best to make them [Gambians] happy because it is not easy. It is a big game also, but we [are] going to die for them and we [are] going to die for the whole nation. We are not only here for ourselves, but [for] the whole country. We will try our best to give all that we have,” Minteh stated.
The Scorpions will take on the Teranga Lions of Senegal tomorrow at 2 p.m. GMT.
It will be the first time the two neighboring nations face each other in the Africa Cup of Nations. The last time the two sides played was in a World Cup qualifier in 2008, which ended in a one-all draw.
Bellinzona, Switzerland–Demba Dem, the fourth plaintiff in the crimes against humanity trial of Gambia’s former interior minister, Ousman Sonko, testified on Friday and told the court that Sonko allegedly sat on an investigative panel that oversaw his interrogation and torture. The trial against Sonko began this week in the Swiss city of Bellinzona.
Dem was a Gambian lawmaker for ex-President Yahya Jammeh’s Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction (APRC) party in 2006 when he was arrested by security officials over his alleged involvement in a foiled plot to overthrow Jammeh. (Dem has always maintained his innocence and denied being involved in the attempted coup.)
In the aftermath of the attempted coup, close to 70 Gambians—military officers and civilians, including Dem—were arrested and subjected to horrific torture at the complex of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), on the outskirts of Banjul.
“The suspects were all tortured at the NIA. Evidence was fabricated and used against them to convict them of treason,” Gambia’s Truth Commission found. Those tortured also included journalists Madi Ceesay and Musa Saidykhan, both of whom are expected to testify against Sonko in the coming days.
Dem is the third plaintiff before the Swiss court to testify on events related to the 2006 attempted coup. Sonko faces allegations that he participated in the panel that oversaw the interrogations and torture of detainees, charges he denied. If found guilty, Sonko could face up to 20 years in prison.
The court resumes hearings on Monday.
This was a collaboration with New Narratives as part of the West Africa Justice Reporting Project.
Privileges granted by our creator, such as health, wealth, and power, are a significant focus in this era of social media platforms.
Many individuals fail to comprehend that these are not rewards for select individuals but rather tests from Allah to humanity sometimes.
The belief that wealth is a result of hard work varies among individuals.
This topic opens up a discussion as both perspectives have valid justifications to offer.
Nevertheless, what is clear is that health, wealth, and power should not be considered as exclusive rewards but rather as blessings that don’t accompany us to the afterlife.
Despite people’s envy, admiration, and embrace of the fortunate and healthy, illness, accidents, and calamities don’t discriminate.
During the period from 20:00 to 20:30 in August 2023, I received a frightening phone call from my mother in our humble village.
Amidst the call, I could hear people yelling and screaming.
A feeling of shock overwhelmed me.
My mother informed me, “There has been a serious accident here, and your brother is involved.”
Completely unaware of what had occurred, I immediately contacted my eldest brother to share the devastating news.
At that time, I already had two brothers undertaking the perilous journey of the back way, which filled me with constant dread.
This fatal accident exacerbated my depression, yet I remained steadfast, understanding that I could do nothing but hold onto faith.
Phone calls flooded in from family members from all corners, and although at times I wanted to ignore them, the burden of responsibility prevented me.
The accident affected my brother and a person who resided in our home, someone who was affectionate and caring but tragically didn’t survive.
May his soul rest in peace.
That night felt like the longest of my entire life.
Despite not owning a car or having sufficient funds to hire one, I desperately wanted to travel to Bansang, where the injured individuals were taken.
Devastated and full of sadness, I sat on my bed contemplating my options.
Moments later, another call informed me that an ambulance carrying my brother was en route to Banjul for a referral.
The first night I spent in the hospital would forever remain etched in my memory.
Upon arriving at Ndemban Hospital to visit my dearly beloved brother, who had been involved in a severe motorcycle accident, I was stunned to find him lying silently amidst the grimy tiles, covered in scrapes and cuts.
I immediately knelt and inquired about his well-being.
As I glanced around, I observed other patients also lying on the unsanitary floor, their prospects for survival appearing bleak.
My heart raced, melting with emotion.
It made me realize that there’s more to life than the daily routine of work and waking up each day.
At the hospital, each passing hour brought another person with a severe illness or accident.
Turning my gaze in various directions, I witnessed dark clouds looming in the sky, patients filling the ground, and separated body parts stained with blood.
My experience at Ndemban Hospital was terrifying.
Spending three weeks there proved to be an eye-opening experience for me as a young individual.
If one is feeling excessively proud, arrogant, or pompous, it is necessary to regularly visit a hospital or cemetery for a mental evaluation.
Physically healthy individuals could be admitted with severe fractures and life-threatening injuries.
It was nights marked by restlessness, fear, anxiety, sadness, depression, nervousness, and immeasurable losses.
I witnessed once-healthy individuals lying on their beds with no hope.
While I was at the hospital, I learned new methods and was impressed by the camaraderie among patients as they supported one another.
There were moments of relief.
People ought to adopt humility, embrace love, and cherish humanity.
The individual whom you underestimate today could end up saving your life tomorrow.
In one way or another, we all depend on each other.
To my family members, I express my gratitude for always being there for me.
The year 2023 was undoubtedly a year of challenges for everyone, and I pray that Allah makes it easier for everyone in 2024.
The President of the Republic, Adama Barrow, has urged young people to strive for success within the available opportunities in the country, describing it as “Tekk fii.”
He made this statement during the grand opening of the JanJanbureh bicentenary commemoration. The President said the use of perilous journeys to Europe was unnecessary.
“The use of boarded boats to cross the rough waters of the Atlantic for a better life abroad is most unnecessary. Like the Western settlers two hundred years ago, let us stay in our homeland and exploit the numerous opportunities available to build better homes, uplift our lives, and support our families,” the President appealed.
Irregular migration of Africans to Europe has recently disturbed the international community, threatening global security, stability, and peace. This issue has become a hot topic in today’s world, representing a dangerous and frightening journey. The backway syndrome in Gambia is believed to be motivated or driven by a number of factors, mainly economic, political, and socio-cultural, leading to the loss of lives and resources.
Against this backdrop, the President highlighted that his government is aware of the roles Gambia’s heritage and culture can play in job creation and the economic well-being of the youth. Thus, his government will promote the heritage and artistic sector to create gainful employment for young people.
“Through support from UNESCO, the Ministry of Tourism and Culture has developed regulations for the National Endowment for Arts and Culture. This instrument will attract funding through grants for artistic and cultural projects. The island of JanJanbureh will also continue to receive the attention of the Gambia Tourism Board so that all the interesting heritage sites and cultural products will be fully upgraded and valorized to generate jobs through heritage and tourism, foster national unity, and project a positive image of the people,” Barrow outlined.
I avail myself of this unique opportunity and congratulate you on the award you received overseas for preserving peace and the amicable coexistence of all in the Gambian society, without exception. I fervently pray for the non-interruption of amity in our beloved Gambia.
President Barrow, I write to dramatize the appalling conditions of Banjul-Barra ferry services and the dangers the issue poses to society. The warning signs for an accident with terrible consequences are written on the wall in broad strokes and, if action is not taken in haste by your government, a cataclysmic disaster will occur. It’s superfluous to mention that in recent days, according to press reports, Gambian Scorpions boycotted scheduled practice performances over unpaid remunerations in preparation for the AFCON tournament in the Ivory Coast. The government intervened with supersonic speed, acquiesced to the demands of the footballers, and successfully ferried and landed them in Yamoussoukro within days.
Mr President, this was terrific, and virtuoso performance epitomized leadership at its best.
President Barrow, I prod you to use your good offices, the conscience and spirit exhibited on the odyssey of the Scorpions to Yamoussoukro, and be directed to the urgent calls at Banjul-Barra ferry services, for redress. TIME TO ACT IS NOW!
I’M PREPARED TO TAP INTO MY INTERNATIONAL CONTACT GROUPS PRO BONO FOR NATIONAL SERVICE.
Bellinzona, Switzerland—On Thursday, Fatou Ceesay, a rape victim and plaintiff, took the stand in the ongoing crimes against humanity trial against Gambia’s former interior minister Ousman Sonko in the Swiss city of Bellinzona.
Sonko was the police chief under ex-president Yahya Jammeh from 2005 to 2006. In the latter part of 2006, he was appointed minister of interior, a position he held from November 2006 to February 2012 and from May 2012 to September 2016.
The Swiss Attorney General’s office, along with 10 plaintiffs from Gambia, is accusing Sonko of torture, murder, false imprisonment, rape, and deprivation of liberty, allegedly perpetrated against Gambians during the 22-year rule of Gambia’s former dictator Jammeh.
*Ceesay, who requested not to use her real name, was accused of being involved in a foiled coup led by the army chief of defense staff Col. Ndure Cham. In the aftermath of the coup, several people—military officers and civilians—were rounded up, including Ceesay, who was a civilian.
A panel was established and composed of various heads of security institutions. Sonko allegedly sat on it, Ceesay testified. Several investigations, including one by the country’s Truth Commission, established that such panels are confession exercises accompanied by the beating of Junglers, a paramilitary hit squad operating on the orders of Jammeh.
“They took me to a room. They removed my glasses, put a plastic bag over my head, and started beating me in all directions. That went on for a long time. They do this until you can’t breathe,” said Ceesay. After the beating, she was allegedly raped by one of the Junglers.
“One of them came in and turned off the light,” she said. “The whole room was dark. I thought I was going to be beaten again. I saw a Jungler with a mask. He jumped on me, opened my legs, and started molesting me. He raped me,” said Ceesay.
Emotional scars of the incident
Ceesay had no means of identifying the person who raped her, and she is not accusing Sonko personally. According to Ceesay, Sonko, who at the time of her arrest was the police chief, formed part of the panel that supervised her torture and maltreatment. (Binta Jamba, the first plaintiff to take the stand against Sonko on Wednesday, is accusing Sonko personally of raping her.).
Ceesay, who broke down several times, told the court the rape left a lasting physical and emotional scar. “I could not bear to come close to a man. I had to end the relationship with a man I was about to marry,” Ceesay said. “Until now, I can’t sleep with the lights off. I am afraid of the dark,” she said.
Ceesay was the second plaintiff to testify in connection to the torture that occurred in the aftermath of the 2006 coup. The first to take the stand was Lt Col Bunja Darboe. “Jammeh’s government was a dictatorship. There were a lot of human rights violations. Jammeh had a lot of enablers. Ousman Sonko was one of them,” Darboe told the court on Thursday. The trial continues tomorrow with the testimony of Demba Dem, a torture victim.
Sonko has contested all allegations against him.
This was a collaboration with New Narratives as part of the West Africa Justice Reporting Project.
Victims and their lawyers outside the Swiss Federal Court trying Ousman Sonko
By Mustapha K. Darboe with New Narratives
BANJUL, Gambia – In the 22-year rule of Gambia’s former dictator Yahya Jammeh, protests were rare. The few who attempted them were brutally crushed by the military. In one of the earliest examples, at least 14 students were killed at a demonstration in April 2000.
So, sixteen years later in April 2016 when Ebrima Solo Sandeng, a political activist affiliated to the main opposition UDP party, bravely led a handful of people demanding electoral reforms to a roundabout on the outskirts of the capital, news spread quickly. Gambians waited nervously for the government’s response.
“Everyone knew there would be consequences,” said Isatou Ceesay, 40, one of the five daughters of Nogoi Njie, one of the protesters. “This was the time of Yahya Jammeh.”
The response came quickly. Police rounded the protestors up and detained them. For forty-eight hours there was no word on their fate. Finally, the UDP announced that Sandeng had been killed. In detention, Njie later told Gambia’s Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission, she and the other protestors were severely beaten.
Jammeh was in Turkey at the time but his trusted security chiefs — Sulayman Badgie, commander of the state guards, Ousman Sonko, interior minister, and Yankuba Sonko, police chief, were in charge.
Njie could barely understand English but, she told the Truth Commission, the words she heard Sonko say in what was their first encounter were “take them to the place”. “The place” was allegedly Jammeh’s infamous confession extraction center that housed devices for torture including an electrocution machine referred to by torturers as the “talk true” machine. Whoever goes there, speaks “their truth”, according to many witnesses to the Commission.
Victims will finally see justice done this week in a court 5,000 kilometers away in Switzerland where Sonko is being tried for crimes against humanity. The Gambia has yet to hold most accused perpetrators from Jammeh’s regime to account. In the meantime, Swiss authorities are trying Sonko there where he sought asylum in 2016.
The trial is taking place under the legal principle of “universal jurisdiction” which holds that crimes committed against all of humanity know no boundaries and can be tried anywhere regardless of where they were committed. Sonko has denied the charges against him.
Nine victims will act as plaintiffs in the case brought by the Swiss Attorney General with evidence provided by the Truth Commission and Swiss justice activists TRIAL International. Njie was to be the tenth plaintiff, but she died in September at age 53, just four months before she was to testify against Sonko. Her family says she died because of the injuries inflicted on her at Sonko’s orders. Njie traveled to Turkey for treatment for heart problems and spent her final year confined to a wheelchair because of pain in her hip and knees. The trial has now taken on special importance for Njie’s family.
“We hope that our mother will get justice in Switzerland,” said her daughter Isatou. “She was beaten, kicked and maimed. She suffered until she died.”
The family of murdered protest leader Sandeng will testify. Sandeng’s son, 26-year-old Muhammed, is the board chair of the Victim Center, a rights-based advocacy organization established by victims of Jammeh to push for justice for crimes committed during his 22-year rule.
“The trial of Sonko is a step in the right direction,” said Muhammed. “This is setting us on a path to bridging all perpetrators to justice, especially those perpetrators who bear the greatest responsibility. It also goes to show that wherever one may be, you cannot run away from the long arm of justice. This is a strong indication that the world over, people are ready to embrace justice and accountability.”
It is not just Gambians hoping for justice in this case. Among the crimes attributed to Sonko is the 2005 killings of about 44 Ghanaians, 9 Nigerians, 2 Togolese, and nationals of Côte d’Ivoire and Senegal along with a subsequent effort to cover them up. West African governments have also demanded accountability in this case.
Witnesses told the TRRC that Sonko, under Jammeh’s orders, instructed officers to ferry the migrants, who were suspected of being mercenaries, to naval headquarters in Banjul. There they were allegedly violently beaten. Several officers said that it was clear the men and two women were migrants and not mercenaries. The bodies of eight migrants were found brutalized the next morning near “Ghana Town,” a settlement of Ghanaian descendants just outside Banjul. Former Junglers testified that another 40-45 were taken across the border to Senegal where they were executed.
The “Panel”
While protests were rare under Jammeh’s rule, news of attempted coups – real or imagined – were frequent. Each time alleged coup plotters were rounded up, in some cases along with family members. Evidence given to the Truth Commission revealed that post-coup interrogations were done by a panel on which sat various security chiefs. The panel allegedly gave orders to the torturers known as “the Junglers”, an alleged hit squad based at the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) and operating on the orders of Jammeh.
The Commission heard that Ousman Sonko was among the security chiefs. The panel, according to Bunja Darboe, a serving soldier who will testify against Sonko in Switzerland, was notorious for torturing suspects.
“You are saying that Ousman Sonko used these guys (Junglers) to torture the detainees?” asked Essa Faal, the Commission’s lead counsel.
“Yes,” replied Darboe.
“…This was their modus operandi? This is how they did things?” asked Faal.
“Exactly, because they dictate who is to come before the panel and whatever is supposed to happen to anybody, they were always aware of it they were always aware of what was happening,” said Darboe.
“Torture and fabrication of evidence became a system Yahya Jammeh employed using NIA operatives,” said the Commission in its findings. “The fabricated evidence or forced confessions were used to prosecute perceived opponents of Yahya Jammeh to send them to his infamous five-star hotel, Mile II Central Prison, using the justice sector institutions to give it a cloak of legality.”
In September 2016, the unexpected happened. Sonko silently left the country after falling out with Jammeh. The reasons are unknown. At this time, Njie had spent two months in the notorious McCarthy prison. She and the other protestors were freed in December after Jammeh lost elections to Adama Barrow.
Sonko sought asylum in Switzerland but was quickly arrested and placed in pre-trial detention in January 2017 awaiting this week’s trial. Jammeh fled to Equatorial Guinea where he has since lived in self-imposed exile.
Sonko is now the second person to face crimes against humanity charges under universal jurisdiction laws in Switzerland. The first, Alieu Kosiah, a Liberian war-time rebel commander, was convicted in 2022 and is serving a twenty-year sentence.
Sonko trial raises pressure on Gambian government
After Jammeh’s defeat, the new government established the Truth Commission to examine his alleged crimes. The Commission found at least 600 people were involved in human rights violations and crimes during the 22-year rule of Jammeh. At least 71 were recommended for prosecution. Four— Jungler Amadou Badjie, Musa Jammeh, Tumbul Tamba, and soldier Almamo Manneh —are now dead.
Since 2017, just eight have faced prosecution for Jammeh-era crimes. Yankuba Touray, former local government minister, and seven former officials of the NIA were found guilty in trials run by the state. None came as a result of the Commission’s recommendations.
Sonko is the second Jammeh official to face prosecution in a European jurisdiction. Bai Lowe was convicted in Germany in November 2023. Michael Sang Correa, another alleged Jungler, is scheduled to be tried for torture in the United States in September 2024.
“The universal jurisdiction is narrowing the space for perpetrators,” said lawyer Fatty. “It also gives hope that slowly but surely the perpetrators cannot escape. That they can run but they cannot hide.”
Still, victims say trials in The Gambia are essential to bring true justice.
“It would seem as though those in the Gambian jurisdiction are literally escaping justice,” said Muhammed Sandeng. “We have a lot of Junglers here who are not prosecuted. People overseas are being prosecuted. It can be interpreted as the Gambia is not ready to ensure justice.”
Sonko faces a series of charges ranging from torture, murder and rape to false imprisonment. Only one of those charges – rape – is alleged to have been committed by him alone. All other charges— including the alleged murders of Baba Jobe, Almamo Manneh, Ebrima Solo Sandeng, and the alleged torture of soldier Bunja Darboe, and the April 2016 protesters — are crimes Sonko allegedly committed with other perpetrators. A number of those people still hold public office.
A Sonko successful prosecution, according to Gambian lawyer Abdoulie Fatty, will have serious legal and political implications in the Gambia.
“As for those who are implicated by the evidence against Sonko, as individuals who may have committed serious human rights abuses and violations themselves, a successful prosecution of Sonko will now remove them from obscurity and place them before the full glare of the media, victims, CSOs and the justice system, as persons of huge interest and they will be compelled and dragged into the investigations,” said Fatty.
“Some of them may have evaded the TRRC but the Special Prosecutor’s Office (SPO) that is due to be set up in The Gambia soon will have the legal power to investigate them and make appropriate prosecutorial decisions about them. So, Sonko’s successful prosecution will have far-reaching positive consequences, in widening the net to catch more perpetrators and those who may have slipped through the cracks and were not subjected to the TRRC inquiry.”
Sonko’s trial will end on January 30. A verdict is expected later this year.
This story was a collaboration with New Narratives as part of the West Africa Justice Reporting Project.
Colonel Boubacar Toure, the new commander of the ECOWAS Force in the Gambia, has reaffirmed his commitment to working with the Gambia Armed Forces to promote peace and stability.
Toure also promised to work with the people of Foni to strengthen peace and stability in the region, which is frequently threatened by conflict between the Senegalese forces and the Separatist Movement in Cassamance.
“We will work with the people of Foni to foster a mutual understanding that will strengthen peace. Whatever affects Gambia will affect Senegal.
“When there is conflict in Cassamance the people of Foni will be affected and we want to ensure peace for all,” he added.
Colonel Toure emphasized that the ECOWAS mission, under his leadership, will collaborate closely with all security stakeholders, including the Gambia Defense and Security Forces.
He stated that the mission would not undertake any actions without involving them, as the Gambia is part of ECOWAS and should be seen as their own.
Colonel Toure expressed the desire to establish a strong relationship with the Gambian security forces to achieve common goals together.
Furthermore, he highlighted the importance of coordination between the Ecomig and Gambian security forces.
“We will engage the Gambia Armed Forces and all other security agencies in the Gambia on any activity we will carry out,” he reiterated.
He emphasized the mission’s commitment to transparency and accountability.
“We will work with you the journalists to ensure the public is well informed about our activities. We cannot succeed in our mission without you the journalists so be rest assured we will continue working with you because you are key partners,” he said.
Colonel Toure also acknowledged the concerns raised in the Foni region due to the presence of ECOMIG forces and assured reporters that the Senegalese troops would work closely with the local population to foster understanding and a better working relationship.
Miatta Lily French, the ECOWAS country representative in The Gambia, praised Colonel Aly Kane for his significant achievements in fostering peace and security. She also urged the new commander to build upon these accomplishments.
Colonel Aly Kane stated that his mission was to establish a good relationship between Ecomig forces and the Gambian security forces to ensure the safety of the president and the security of the environment.
He mentioned that joint operations with the Gambian security forces were conducted, along with initiatives such as seismic programs to raise awareness among civilians about the mission and provide free medical assistance.
Additionally, the Senegalese government provided $20,000 to renovate Bwiam Hospital and supply medical equipment as part of their direct support to the community.
Colonel Aly Kane assured that the Senegalese forces took necessary measures to avoid conflicts with the Gambian Army and invited all security forces in the country to collaborate on their activities.
Colonel Ousmane Aly Kane commended his successor Colonel Boubacar Toure for his dedication to continuing the strong relationship between Ecomig troops and the Gambian security forces.
