It is now several weeks since Pres. Barrow received 57 vehicles from an unknown person or entity yet refused to declare the gifts to either his office or the National Assembly as required by Section 222 sub-section 12 of the Constitution. Instead Pres. Barrow merely further donated these vehicles to members of the National Assembly. The National Assembly itself has also failed to find out the source and reason for the donation of these vehicles to Mr. Barrow. This is indeed a tragic incident that poses a clear and present danger to our democracy for which both the Executive and the Legislature have failed the people of the Gambia.

Political patronage is a cancer and the mother of all political corruption, human rights violations and abuse of power in a democracy. Political patronage is when individuals, businesses and other entities shower gifts and praises on elected political leaders or public officers in anticipation of favours. Without that political office, these individuals or businesses and entities would not have given any gift to these elected or appointed public officials simply because they do not hold any political position or public office through which they could give any favour.

The purpose of political patronage is to cause an elected official or public officer to therefore grant or give government contracts, appointments, money or other favours to these individuals in exchange. Hence political patronage is a means through which political leaders and public officers are corrupted. Political patronage allows for abuse of office and human rights to take place with impunity. It obstructs the delivery of justice, stifles accountability and denies equal opportunities to all.

We recall during the first republic how Jawara was a major recipient of political patronage, as chiefs, alkalolu and their communities would donate cattle, sheep and farm produce to him during his country tours. We have seen the same practice being used by Yaya Jammeh all throughout his misrule. In both cases, Jawara and Jammeh became larger than life individuals who showered appointments and contracts and other favours to individuals, businesses, communities and other entities. Songs and public places were named after these leaders and their families. In the final analysis, the capacity of the people to demand transparency and accountability was weak because of patronage.

The end result of this patronage was that both leaders were able to perpetuate themselves in power longer than reasonable while plunging the country into untold poverty and underdevelopment. The way and manner both the Jawara government and the Jammeh regime were removed attest to the fact that political patronage was indeed the basis of their prolonged and misguided leadership.

Hence when we come this far, all Gambians must be hugely concerned that Pres. Barrow has started with the practice of political patronage that is dangerous to the health and stability of the Gambia. Within days of assuming office, Pres. Barrow went to Senegal only to receive gifts of houses from a Senegalese businessman. This was also not declared at all. Now that he has received 57 vehicles from another source, citizens must be concerned that the president has taken a path that potentially leads to corruption, abuse and self-perpetuation in power.

For that matter, I wish to demand that the National Assembly and all citizens rise up to demand a complete and immediate stop to political patronage. Pres. Barrow must be compelled to declare the source of these vehicles and to refrain from receiving gifts from any quarter. The Gambia Constitution is totally against the receiving of gifts purposely because the constitution wishes to protect the government and public officers from being corrupted hence abuse power and violate human rights.

If Pres. Barrow continues to receive these gifts it therefore means he will begin to succumb to the wishes and desires of the donors. By submitting himself to those desires it will only cause him to circumvent laid down government regulations, rules and the law regarding government contracts, appointments and delivery of social services. It means he will begin to use public resources to pay off political patrons. It means he will begin to make promises to communities and entities on the basis of their gifts and patronage. This attitude will only serve to derail this country for the worse.

Raise your voice against political patronage in all its forms. Demand that Pres. Barrow declare the source of the vehicles. If he fails to do so, let us demand the parliament to open a public hearing to summon the president to declare the source of the vehicles. Let us protect our republic by defending its constitution and sacred values and standards of good governance. Failure to do so will come to haunt us sooner or later. We have enough experiences in our history to tell us that we must stand against political patronage.

Mr. Barrow must realize that we elected him not only to replace Yaya Jammeh, a despot of unimaginable proportions, but more importantly for him to lead this country to effective system change. This requires that he abandon old and backward practices and attitudes of former leaders. Rather we expect him to set high standards and uphold sacred values in building a new society based on democratic culture. We expect him to demonstrate transparency and accountability in all of his decisions and actions in line with the rule of law. This is the system change we envisage.

God Bless The Gambia

Madi Jobarteh

By Fatou Sowe

Momodou Lamin Sonko, Country Coordinator for MA Kharafi and Sons was on Monday asked the Janneh Commission to clarify the controversial acquisition of Kairaba Beach Hotel by former President Jammeh and to also react to the contradictory evidence of Amadou Samba and Lang Conteh about the same hotel.

According to him, the testimony of Lang Conteh in relations to the said hotel and that the Management of Kairaba hotel was handed over to Mr. Samba is correct. He added that Samba’s sister, Lawyer Mary Samba represented MA Kharafi during the sales transactions and she was paid $10, 000 as legal fees.

Sonko further testified that they agreed for the new lease documents to bear the name of MA Kharafi but was quick to add that he is not sure whether they were given the new tittle deed but at the time of the sales, the hotel owed Standard Chartered Bank the sum of $2.6 million.

On endorsement of the sales agreement by Lawyer Edward Gomez, the witness said he never met Mr. Gomez during the course of their transaction on the hotel and therefore does not know how it came about. He revealed that Amadou Samba represented the former president on the purchase of Kairaba hotel and he signed on his behalf. The witness further made reference to a letter written by Mary Samba in connection to her legal fees which was admitted into evidence as exhibit.

On whether or not Capital gain tax was paid, the witness revealed that he spoke to former President Jammeh about it but he responded to him that Amadou Samba will handle it.

However, Commission Counsel Amie Bensouda asked the witness to inform MA Kharafi and Sons to produce all relevant documents relating to Kairaba and also inform them about the outstanding sum of $2,000,000 owed to Central Bank of the Gambia by the Hotel.

Correspondence between Mary Samba Solicitor for Kairaba Beach Hotel and MA Kharafi and Sons, Standard Chartered Bank among others all in relations to the sales of the Hotel were admitted as exhibits. At that point, the witness observed that the sales agreement tendered before the Commission and the one in the possession of MA Kharafi were at variants.

At the 49th Janneh Commission Hearing of 15th of November, 2017, Mr. Amadou Samba mentioned my name, Salieu Taal, as one of the Solicitors used by the former President in property transactions.

For the record and for the purpose of clarity, in the course of my career spanning from 2001 to date, I have never been engaged or retained by the former President in my legal capacity or any capacity whatsoever.

By Fatou Sowe

Amadou Samba a business tycoon in the Gambia and a friend to the former Gambian leader Yahya Jammeh has said that he does not owe his success to ex president Jammeh as perceived by many members of the public.

Samba made this remark during his testimony before the commission of inquiry on Thursday, November 16 after he was asked to react to the general perception that he owes his success as a businessman to Jammeh and owing to their friendship he (Samba) was untouchable.

He stated that he was successful prior to Jammeh’s regime as he incorporated his first company in 1986 when Jammeh was going to school. He further claimed that he brought a lot of investors into the country and that the amount of money he has paid into taxes is in billions, talk less of the employments he created.

On the question that his is untouchable, Samba narrated that his own sister was once detained at the NIA for days by Jammeh so if he was untouchable that wouldn’t have happened. He also claimed that his friendship with Jammeh was not based on the spirit of mutual friendship because Jammeh had always worked against his (Samba’s) business interest several times.

He said there was an instance when Jammeh compelled him to reduce the price per bag of cement, adding that Jammeh also ordered him to allow his airline crew members to occupy his property at Cape Point and he dares not ask for rent and this is among other cases.

He informed the commission that that he is a lawyer by profession and that he decided to quit the legal profession when he had temptation for money.

Samba recounted that his decision to quit the legal practice for business was as a result of a bribe that was attempted at him by a rich businessman who was involved in a case he was handling as a state counsel at the attorney general’s chambers.

It is seven days today since Pres. Barrow relieved Mai Ahmad Fatty from his portfolio of Minister of Interior and assigned the Minister of Justice Tambedou to oversee that ministry. It is necessary to point out that the president must appoint a new minister for Interior so that the Minister of Justice is stopped from overseeing the Ministry of Interior. By the functions of the Minister of Justice as the Attorney General, he cannot be assigned to oversee another ministry if we go by the letter and spirit of the Constitution.

Section 72 sub-section 2 states that the Attorney General is the principal legal adviser to the Gambia Government. The Gambia Government comprises the Executive Cabinet headed by the President together with the Vice President and Ministers. Hence the Attorney General is their adviser. In light of this, one cannot therefore ask the adviser to take the position of the executioner of the advice that the adviser is supposed to give.

An attorney general is a quality assurance tool to ensure that the decisions and actions by the Executive are in line with the Constitution and the rule of law. In other words, each and every minster as well as the president is expected to seek the advice of the Attorney General for any decision or action they take in the course of their functions.

Hence if we make the Attorney General to oversee a ministry it means therefore we are effectively asking the Attorney General to advise himself in the executions of the functions of the Minister of Interior. This will weaken the act and process of decision-making and dilute the quality assurance function of the Minister of Justice.

I therefore think that Barrow must not have asked the Minister of Justice to oversee any ministry. Rather he should have assigned another minister to oversee Interior Ministry or allow the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior to step in as overseer of the ministry. The best decision in the first place would have been to appoint a new Minister altogether, immediately. It is already one week and there is still no Minister of Interior.

The continuing overseeing of the Ministry of Interior by the Attorney General is therefore a risk for the Government because it means the Justice Minister will have to take decisions in the context of the Interior Ministry when he, the Minister of Justice is in fact supposed to be the one to provide advice to the Minister of Interior.

This scenario therefore effectively undermines the role of the Minister of Justice as well as weakens decision-making. The Minister of Justice should be the first call and the last port for every minister to seek legal guidance. But where the Justice Minister himself decides in the place of another minister, it therefore makes the Minister of Justice both a decision maker and an adviser to another ministry. This is risky for the country.

I therefore urge Pres. Barrow to immediately normalize the situation in over to avert a potential crisis by appointing a new Minster for Interior or re-assign the ministry to any other minister but not to the Minister of Justice. When in doubt ministers are expected to get legal guidance from the Justice Minister hence the Justice Minster cannot oversee another ministry.

God Bless The Gambia

BY: Ousainou Mbenga

Despite the adoption of the word “Occupy” likening their action to “Occupy Wall Street” in the USA, I still maintain my unwavering support and utmost admiration for these young comrades for having the audacity to make DEMANDS of the regime for the basic need of water and electricity. This service to provide water and electricity is not free as it has been alleged to be free in Kanilai during Jammeh’s reign of terror.

The Gambian people pay for the services, therefore NAWEC is obligated to provide these services. An ant-hill issue was unnecessarily elevated to the height of Mount Kilimanjaro by the “guardians of the beyond reproach Barrow regime”. This issue could have been resolved amicably without resorting to personal threats and bogus allegations of possible violence. Where is the evidence of the “impending violence” and the people who were to hatch this violence? This “secret society” approach of the current administration only heightens speculations. During this long period of water shortages and power outages, the vast majority of our suffering people complained endlessly with no relief in sight. A protest of any kind against NAWEC’S negligence is justifiable.

All the reactionary attacks against these young comrades seem to have emboldened them to defy the revocation of the permit to protest and assembled at Westfield in a peaceful and disciplined manner. The only potential violence that could have happened on Sunday, November 12, 2018, would have come from the Police Intervention Unit (PIU) all dressed in their “uniforms of brutality” attempting to provoke an incident, but the young comrades accomplished their mission and refused to give them the pleasure to repeat the savagery of April 10 and 11 2000, when 14 students were killed, many wounded and maimed for life. The fundamental concern about this matter should have been the conduct of the PIU or the recycled left over thugs that Jammeh sent to spill and drank the blood of the students in 2000. They have a history of violence and brutality not the “Occupy Westfield”.

It is a common practice among neocolonial African regimes never to admit to their political blunders with its very serious social consequences. And, when the masses express their outrage through protest and demonstrations, the “ruling class” is quick to blame “outside agitators” as if the masses, including students are not capable of organizing a peaceful protest. The PPP and AFPRC-APRC regimes both engaged in the “outside agitators” blame game and now the “tactical coalition” government, only eleven months on the “saddles of power” is outdoing its predecessors in the blame game.

It has become an undisputed truth that these young comrades have brains of their own and didn’t need Ous Mbenga, DUGA, others “grown-ups” and “senior citizens”, allegedly, to plan this protest. It is these like-minded “character assassins” that called the students on April 10 and 11, 2000 thugs, rude and without home training.” Some went to the extent of saying they deserved that treatment. The African police, army and “security service” know only how to brutalize the population.

What these “character assassins” fail to realize is that the Gambian masses (students included) are gaining political maturity and will not be intimidated by the meaningless and empty “threats to national security”. In fact, the IGP poses the greatest “national security threat” to the so called “new Gambia”. What are you afraid of? The people who “lifted you on to the saddles of power”? If a mere protest against one of your incompetent institutions rattled you this much to resort to bogus allegations of violence, to deny the issuance of a permit, then you better reprimand your Inspector General of Police (IGP), PIU and all the security forces involved in this unnecessary tension with these young comrades. The intent of this administration is clear. You want to smother the culture of protest, the only last resort the people have to get your attention.

A new day has dawned!  With all due respect, those who witnessed the murders of April 10 and 11, 2000, and didn’t protest the brutality, like many others, are stuck in the past 52 years of politics as usual. Politics as usual is rot. It is the main reason for how things degenerated to the level we currently find ourselves. Our social conditions have gotten worse with neocolonialism (colonialism in black faces).

You must be willing to embrace REVOLUTION, revolutionary politics at best. Revolution is good, it’s the best thing a slave has against the slave master. The best thing the oppressed have against oppression. Revolution is the only solution to our wretched social conditions. Don’t let anyone scare you about revolution, the forces that control our livelihood through AID, FUNDING and GRANTS know the benefits of revolution. Liberation without social transformation (eradication of poverty and impoverishment) is meaningless. This is the best period to rescue our beloved Gambia from another 52 years of the “cart before the horse” governing. The masses of our people want a radical transformation of our wretched conditions of living. You took a revolutionary step contrary to all the attacks against you. So, don’t step backwards!

ALL POWER TO THE PEOPLE! AFRICAN POWER TO THE AFRICAN MASSES!

WE WILL WIN!

Twelve soldiers of The Gambia Armed Forces (GAF) who were alleged to be part of a ‘WhatsApp group Conspiracy’ were arraigned before a general court martial at the Yundum Military Barracks.

The alleged soldiers who are escorted with handcuffs under heavily armed security guards are Captain Yaya Jammeh, Captain Abdoulie Jarju, Lieutenant Yahya Jammeh, Sergeant Babucarr Jammeh, Sergeant Malick Bojang, Corporal Sulayman Sanyang, Corporal Lamin Gibba, Corporal Ebrima Jallow, Lance Corporal Samboujang Bojang, Lance Corporal Abba Badjie, Private Mbemba Camara and Private Alieu Sanneh.

They were arraigned before a panel of ten juries who are sworn in to take the case including a Judge Advocate, Sainabou Wadda Ceesay. Colonel Salifu Bojang is the President of the Panel and Lieutenant Colonel Seedy Joof, Major Abdoulie Manneh, Major Lamin K Sanyang and Major Basiru Sarr are all part of the panel.

The hall was almost full to capacity with security personnel and families of the accused persons.

The accused soldiers are facing nine counts including treason, concealment of treason and mutiny among others.

When the case was mentioned Friday morning, November 17,  the Lead State Counsel M. B Abubacarr who was assisted by A. Yusuf appeared for the state while the following officers Lieutenant Alieu Sanneh, Captain Bubacarr Bah, Captain Ansumana Sanyang, Captain Suwaibou Jammeh, Captain Momodou Demba and Captain Abdoulie Conteh among others appeared for the accused persons.

Before applying for an adjournment the state counsel urged the court to remand the accused soldiers to the state central prisons due to inadequate facilities at the military detention centers. Captain Suwaibou Jammeh made an objection saying the accused persons might not access their counsels and families at Mile II Prisons. He also made an objection to remove one of the assisting prosecutor who was part of the board of investigators in the case.

“We have not been serve with the sim card registered details and WhatsApp chat audios,” Captain Suwaibou Jammeh said.

The Lead State Prosecutor Abubakar said the evidences and witness statements would be provided to defense as the case proceeds. He also submitted that section 98 of the Armed Forces Act does not affect the assisting prosecutor. He urged the court to overrule the objection.

Meanwhile, the court has overruled the objection made by the defense to remand the accused soldiers to the state central prisons. It ordered the accused soldiers to be remanded at the central prisons. It further ordered the state to provide evidences and witness statements to the defense.

Subsequently, the case was adjourned to November 27. The accused soldiers were escorted to a awaiting military coaster van which rushed them to the state central prisons. Family members of the accused could be seen crying when the military coaster was leaving Yundum Barracks.

Birmingham City University has donated more than 350 books to a new research institute in The Gambia which is hoping to advance education and academic research in the African country.

The Institute for Academic Research is situated in the urban centre of Serekunda and has been set up by Birmingham City University postgraduate student and Visiting Lecturer Lamin Daffeh to support students and academics at the University of The Gambia.

The contribution from Birmingham City University’s School of Law will provide law students, bar students, lawyers and legal researchers in The Gambia with invaluable knowledge to help further their careers and academic output.

Elsewhere, the Institute holds academic books in the fields of agriculture, economics and medicine, for example, as well as materials relating to English language skills, research methods and statistical analysis. The Institute hopes to grow this collection through further acquisitions and donations going forward.

Independent

Created by the Alliance For International Development, Education and Research (AIDER), the Institute opened on 6 October 2017 and is the first independent research institute established in The Gambia.

Lamin Daffeh, a PhD candidate and Visiting Lecturer in International Business and Human Rights Law, Birmingham City University, said:

“This generous gift from my alma mater will make significant contributions towards education and research practice in The Gambia, and we are all truly grateful of this considerable gesture.

“Whether someone is a student wanting to pass their exam, write an excellent essay, conduct substantial research or just simply wants to be ahead of the game within their area of expertise, the Institute for Academic Research will play a significant role in supporting learners, researchers and other professionals in The Gambia to access substantial and current academic resources, computers and a reliable internet service for academic research purposes.

“The Institute encourages students and professionals to undertake extensive research in their areas of interest, to broaden their knowledge and understanding of their chosen subjects.”

Alumnus

Lamin graduated from Birmingham with a master’s degree in International Human Rights Law in 2014 and is now studying for his PhD at the institution, with his research addressing the cultural and political barriers preventing people in Ghana from accessing education.

Jon Yorke, Professor of Human Rights and Director of the Centre for Human Rights, School of Law, Birmingham City University, said:

“When we heard that Lamin was planning to open the Institute of Academic Research we wanted to help in whatever way we could and I immediately offered our surplus collection of legal literature. We hope this donation marks the start of a fruitful academic partnership with The Gambia.

Lamin’s charity work outside academia is truly outstanding and it is very admirable that one of our fellow colleagues and students is having such a positive impact on the right to education in The Gambia.

Education

Born and raised in Kwinella in The Gambia, Lamin himself had to walk 10 miles a day for school. Recognising the importance of education from a young age, he moved to Worcester in 1999 where he studied towards a BSc in Crime and Criminolgy.

As a result of a trip to The Gambia in 2006 with his wife, Rebecca, Lamin set up the Fresh Start Foundation (FSF), which works to alleviate poverty and make access to education achievable to vulnerable children and young people in his native country.

Initially supporting one school in The Gambia, following an iconic appearance by Lamin on Channel 4’s ‘Deal or No Deal’ to raise awareness of the Foundation, the charity has gone on to support thousands of school children in The Gambia across 11 schools. With his charity a success, Lamin is now turning his attention to higher education and lifelong learning with the Institute for Academic Research.

Location

The Institute for Academic Research is situated near the Brusubi “Turn Table” Tranquil, in The Gambia.

Future cooperative plans with Birmingham City University include potential student exchanges and co-taught postgraduate and professional development courses.

Jamal Drammeh

For a simple mind, there are no practical difficulties in discerning what is right from wrong. We import the difficulties by our prejudices. These foolish imports interferes with the optimism of nature, thwarts our natural magnetism, and creates intellectual obstructions that has no place in us.

In every constitution, there always remains to be residuals it could not resolve. The most inundated legal minds cannot craft laws or constitution that would be immune to exploitation in some way by the very law makers that are supposed to uphold them. If writing new laws and constitutional reforms should be the solution to our every problem, then we will keep doing it forever. What is the point of perpetually amending laws, if the law makers are bent on betraying the spirit and intent of the laws? Spirit or intent cannot be wholly legislated so will forever remain elusive to our written laws, but the law of consciousness abide.

So let us draw some lessons from nature. Water only rises to the level of its source. The source of government being the society — can only be elevated to moral heights of the society. It is the qualities of the society that is magnified in government. We the people; are the essential measure of right, of truth, of love, of beauty….. And yes, of our laws and constitutions!

We are wiser than we project in our discourse, and we know each other very well! Truth and reality never escapes our apperception. No amount of written laws and constitutional stipulations can change reality. We should become thinking people; not clinging to the idle notes of the Jeffersons and Madisons, or our contemporary legislators — as if their uttered syllables or texts are divine doctrines that God Himself brought to humanity.

Let us stop this domestication of the foreign and the worship of the old — and bring forth the vitality of the best in our culture and virtue, now. We also live with God, right now; and can look inward and produce works and write laws just as great in this twilight of our democracy to rekindle the spirit of our common dreams and aspirations.

The best constitution — used at a negative degree will still oppress the masses. We must not be the fanatical guards of the laws and constitution, but rather be guides for them; the redeemers. The lawyers are trained to defend the text — unless it suits a client to distort them. So let the lawyers and politicians cling to their trifles; twist their lips even to indignation to redefine every letter of the alphabet.

A simple mind is royal; royalty makes habitual its own estimates of laws and affairs of men. We the people, must make habitual our own estimate of what is right and just, then demand it!

Laws of the land must be respected. But the slavish overestimate of the laws and constitution will always make us vulnerable to be oppressed or be victimized. So we should also avail ourselves the option for direct action in the course of justice and liberty through civil disobedience. Justice, we can perceive, and not in the whimsical but in eternal sense. We also know truth like we are aware that we are alive.

Civil disobedience: If history taught us any profound lessons about changing a government or system; is the irresistible power and the influence of civil disobedience. From every generation, the message of this solemn thunder is duly renewed and passed down to the next.

The reverberations of this immensity, has always transcended time and space with unfathomable results. From Hendry David Thoreau, to Leo Tolstoy, to Mahatma Ghandi, to Martin Luther and so many others before, after and in between — we’ve seen its doctrine preached and demonstrated to accomplish the “impossible”.

This cathartic virtue has done more in shaping history than any laws man has ever made. It will serve the course of the nation much nobler than any laws or constitution if the government loses its moral compass.

Democracy has too many slippery slopes; it is treacherous like the skating ring. And “when skiing on thin ice, your safety is in the speed.” So no; don’t appeal for silence and patience of the dissenters — but you can ask for decorous in their rage. We must be responsive and act quickly to counteract the excesses of any government. Patience and silence are no remedies for the expediency of government.

People have to rise up, demand and personify the change they want to see. Transparent persons are rare in politics; so it is futile to wait for politicians to act in ways that would curb their own power or change the power dynamics that’s disadvantageous to themselves. But no government is strong enough to resist a sustained pressure or popular uprising for a just course if enough people demand it. Sustained pressure always works in politics; civil disobedience — the most effective tool.

Separation of powers: For society to save herself from her own misgivings — creates the government. Government in its own turn to save itself from its own misgivings — divides itself into three branches, in a democracy. The aim is to put checks and balances on one another, and to prevent any one of the branches from usurping its authority. Success in more manure democracies, depends largely on this self-regulating and self-correcting mechanism of the separation of powers. In new democracies, these are formalities, mainly.

Nevertheless, the public holds the informal but solemn oversight authority over these three branches of governments. Government and its institutions should be rightly supported for doing its job, but a slavish respect for government that seeks to place it beyond reproach is the recipe for the destruction of a democracy.

Like man, government offers itself to be judged — though involuntarily. We need only watch and let it unfold itself and reveal its follies — if it has any. In politics and government; every day is a Judgment Day, so we must judge and act upon it responsibly but with promptitude.

We don’t need to be perplexed by the textual protestations of the laws or constitutional super navigation of the politicians or by the legal experts. Let us do and say simply what appeals to our nature and it’s morally right or just.

No citizen is too wise or too foolish to not participate in a constructive discourse of a nation. To remain silent while you watch a nation charter a dangerous territory or head for failure — is no mark of wisdom. Oracles speak! What you have done…. Will define you. Not what you gained, but what you’ve done for your fellows in truth — is your true worth.

Good as laws can be; conscience is better. Nothing can maintain peace and bring prosperity but ourselves. Only through the triumph of principle and the citizenry holding government accountable can we ensure the liberty and the dignity of every member of the society. The masses remain to be the ultimate ‘exchequer’ of our ‘practical’ laws and constitution. That is my central argument.

My last appeal to you, my reader; is to not settle any claims by my protestations, or put disproportionate value to these opinions. I’m only an experimenter, communicating my observations and hypothesis. Using an imperfect instrument called language — to describe a profound combinations of nuances of “The machine called government vs. people and their conscience”.

Simply think — is my appeal.

A former Military Police Sergeant, Modou Lamin Bah alias ‘ML Bah’ has said that he knows where the former President Yahya Jammeh’s personal bodyguard Almamo Manneh was assassinated and buried.

“I know where Almamo Manneh and Corporal Dumbuya were killed and buried, I am the only one who knew where they were buried,” former Sergeant ML Bah said.

He added: “I really want to help the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparation Commission with many evidences. Their bodies need to be exhume and investigations should be conducted before giving them proper muslim burial.”

Bah also spoke about the assassination of Deyda Hydara, a veteran journalist and co-founder of the Point Newspaper, saying he knows members of Jammeh’s hit squad assigned by the former president.

“I can be a very useful witness to this new administration,’’ he said.

The former Military Police Officer told the Fatu Network that he was part of the Special Force Commandos at State House in 2005. He allegedly refused to join the hit squad because he felt it was wrong professionally to assassinate innocent people. He was allegedly transferred to Yundum Barracks for refusing to join the hit squad.

‘‘I was transferred to Yundum Barracks, where I served as Station Officer at the Military Police until my fall-out with the regime,” he asserted.

ML Bah said he was wrongfully dismissed from the army, was arrested and detained at Yundum Barracks for 6 months without any trial in 2008. He alleged that the directive came from the high command. He complained about the unconstitutionality of his dismissal without a due process.

“I have a right to fair hearing but I was sent out just like that,” he asserted.

‘‘I’m not an ordinary soldier, I’m a non-commissioned officer so I cannot be dismissed like that. If you have to dismiss me there are procedures to follow,’’ he added.

Bah explained that he was taken to the Police headquarters in Banjul, where he spent 4 days before he was arraigned at a lower court and charged with conspiracy and robbery.

‘’The charges were a surprise to me. I was remanded in mile prison for 4 years 6 months. I was brought back to the court, where I was acquitted and discharged,’’ he explained.

After his acquittal, he added that he went to a legal counsel to write to the army for his reinstatement but he received a threatening letter to be rearrested and taken to military court martial. He fled into exile to Senegal, where he spent 3 years until after the change of government. He said he met President Barrow in Senegal after his swearing-in and he told them to come back and work for the country.

Meanwhile, after his return from exile most of his colleagues were reinstated except him. Whenever, he visited the headquarters they would tell him that they are not ready. He expressed his frustrations. He complained about his plight, family and school going children.

Information reaching this medium has it that the government sponsored students at the Gambia College has overwhelmingly dropped compared to the past years leaving many without much option but to start paying as private students.

The President of The Gambia College Student Union, Bakary Kujabi has said that the number of private students have overwhelmingly increased especially in the school of education compared to the previous years.

“The number of government sponsored students though have significantly dropped compared to the previous years,” Bakary Kujabi said.

“The list of private students have overwhelmingly increase in the school of education,” he added.

The Gambia College Student Union President explained the challenges facing private students who are paying tuition fees of D7, 000 per annum plus transport and assignments among others. He said many of the students at the College are from the provinces. He urged the government to support them because it may need their services later.

“If the government fails to invest in the students when they graduate they may choose to work for private entity,” Kujabi asserted. “That is their sole right,” he added.

When asked about the reason for the increase of private students he said they heard the government could not sponsor large number of students.

“Some students have even decided to back down,” he said.

The composition of schools in the college are Schools of Education, Agriculture, Public and Environmental Health and Nursing and Midwifery. Many of these students were government paid students with the exception of the School of Agriculture which has 95 percent private students.

The Gambia College Principal, Abubacarr Jallow was contacted but declined to comment on the matter.

It is believed that the situation was triggered by the sit down strike of college lecturers for salary increment. The college lecturers shortly before registration of new intakes embarked on a sit down strike. The general complained is said to have centered around poor salaries.

Some analysts say the problem has to do with policies. Unless the policies are changed it will continued to affect the human resource particularly in the area of quality education at public schools.

Meanwhile, Minister of Information Demba Ali Jawo has said in his monthly press briefing that the government does not have the ability to sponsored many students.

Former Interior Minister, Mai Ahmad Fatty has denied receiving any bribes from Semelex, a group that provides identification and authentication using biometric information.

Here is Mai’s message posted on his Facebook page Tuesday evening.

The allegations are concocted and contain no fiber of truth. The alleged meeting and settings were all lies, with no foundation and I challenge them to prove me wrong.

It is an orchestrated smear campaign of columny designed to ruin my reputation. I am ready and willing to subject myself to the most expansive, thorough, independent investigation ever in the history of The Gambia on this matter.

I am confident that I am innocent.

Final note: my family and I need our privacy. We take refuge in Allah as our strength and are grateful for all the support and love. Thank you for your understanding.

By Fatou Sowe

Lawyers CE Mene and EE Chime, defense counsel for Yankuba Badjie the former director general of the national intelligence agency, have yet again failed to appear in the Solo Sendeng murder trial before Justice Kumba Sillah Camara of the high court in Banjul.

These two lawyers representing Badjie have been absent in court and according to the judge without excuse. When the matter was called the presiding judge realized that the said lawyers were absent, which prompted her to ask Badjie the whereabouts of his lawyers. Badjie responded that he does not know why his lawyers were not in court. The judge further queried that the said lawyers will not hold the court to ransom.

As a result, lawyer Antouman Gaye the lead prosecutor then expressed that both lawyers had appeared in different courts for their respective cases in the morning. So, he said they should not be allowed to contemptuously hold the court to ransom.

Gaye then applied for the 1st accused person (Badjie) to be served with the documents earlier served on each of the defense team. He further urged the court to invoke its power in this circumstance, as the said lawyers are officers of the court.

The defense lawyer I Jallow for the 3rd accused ( Saikou Omar Jeng) was likewise not in court. The presiding judge in her ruling stated that the said lawyers are absent in court without any excuse and that will not hinder the progress of the case because they have decided to abandon their clients in a heap of a criminal matter.

She ordered for all the documents due for service to be served on the 1st accused (Badjie) himself in court and such shall be deemed as sufficient service. She further ordered that both Yankuba Badjie and Saikou Omar Jeng have up to Monday to regulate the status of their legal representation.

At that juncture the case was adjourned to November 20, 2017.

By Alieu Ceesay

Lamin Sanneh, manager at The Gambia Football Federation (GFF) Hotel located at the FIFA Funded Goal Project in Yundum has explained the reason for denying lawmakers access to the hotel.

Reports say there was a stand off on Monday between the staff posted there and members of the National Assembly Select Committee on Sports.

The lawmakers, according to information gathered, were led to the place by GFF Secretary General Abass Bah and Technical Director Ebrima Manneh. Both Manneh and Bah have not been frequent at the Football House, as they have been forced to stay home. Their contracts with GFF end at the end of December.

The NAMs who were said to be on an inspection visit had a standoff with the staff on duty who denied them access because they have no approval. They were denied access and went home.

In an interview, Manager Lamin Sanneh said he was not officially informed about the visit of the committee prior, therefore could not allow them access.

Sanneh said he was out of the jurisdiction at the time of the visit, adding there were guests in the rooms and thus could not allow inspectors.

The select committee is said to have visited the place without informing the GFF Executive, which has been ‘suspended’ by the National Sports Council pending an investigation into its financial dealings.

However, the GFF says it is not recognizing the suspension and has continue with their work.

“The Select Committee said they are not speaking to a suspended executive,” a source familiar with the story said.

On Dec 1st 2016, Gambians voted against tyranny, dictatorship and wanton disregard for our fundamental rights as citizens. As a people, we voted for a #NewGambia that will protect its citizens and uphold our inalienable fundamental human rights.

On 31st October 2017, a group of young Gambians under the banner #OccupyWestfield applied for a permit to hold a peaceful assembly at Westfield. The Inspector General of Police after screening the organisers of #OccupyWestfield rejected the application.

#GambiaHasDecided engaged the Inspector General of Police on Monday, 6th of November, after we learnt that #OccupyWestfield’s application for a permit to assemble at Westfield was denied. Our objective was to convince the Inspector General of Police to reconsider his decision and convince his office that a peaceful assembly can take place without any breach of the peace. We reminded the Inspector General of Police that Freedom to Assemble peacefully is a fundamental human right guaranteed by section 25 of our constitution, which takes precedence over the Public Order Act. We further acknowledged their duty to safeguard the peace of the nation, which in our view is not in conflict with the right to assemble. The Police assured us that they would revisit their decision after a subsequent meeting scheduled on the following Wednesday with the #OccupyWestfield organisers.

#OccupyWestfield was subsequently granted a permit on Friday, 10th of November to hold a peaceful assembly between the DHL and NAWEC feeder road after the organisers were screened by the Police. On Saturday afternoon, we were subsequently informed by the organisers of #OccupyWestfield that their permit was revoked on national security grounds. The Inspector General of Police also issued a strongly worded release prohibiting any assembly at Westfield.

On Sunday, 12th of November #OccupyWestfield in exercise of their constitutional rights, peacefully assembled at Kairaba Avenue, off Westfield to issue a public statement without the use of a Public Announcement System. #OccupyWestfield deliberately kept the crowd small and only informed a few stakeholders including the press to attend the press briefing. This was done to avoid any confrontation between the security forces and a potential big crowd in the absence of police protection. The gathering of #OccupyWestfield was peaceful and controlled without any incident of a breach of peace.

It is unfortunate that the Police Intervention Unit was dispatched fully armed to disperse the peaceful assembly of #OccupyWestfield without any incidence of a breach of the peace. The presence of armed PIU was very intimidating and aggressive to the peaceful citizens who conducted themselves responsibly at all times.

#GambiaHasDecided in solidarity joined and stood by #OccupyWestfield in support of their right to assemble peacefully.

#GambiaHasDecided is of the view that the revocation of the permit for a peaceful assembly is a violation of the fundamental rights of #OccupyWestfield guaranteed by section 25 of our constitution.

#GambiaHasDecided stands in solidarity with #OccupyWestfield in support of their right to Assemble peacefully without fear of intimidation and arrest.

#GambiaHasDecided condemns the deployment of armed Police Intervention Unit (PIU) to disperse an assembly of citizens peacefully exercising their constitutional right to do so.

#GambiaHasDecided appeals to the Government of the Gambia to promptly repeal the repressive Public Order Act which has no place in #NewGambia

#GambiaHasDecided for respect of our inalienable fundamental human rights

#GambiaHasDecided for peace and stability of our dear nation

For the Gambia Our homeland, we remain ever true.

#GambiaHasDecided

Gambian business tycoon, Amadou Samba has said that his longtime associate the former President Yahya Jammeh was an ‘inconsistent friend’ as he managed to survive the past 22 years under his regime.

The former state counsel cum businessman made these revelations at the commission of inquiry probing into the financial activities of the former President Yahya Jammeh and his close associates at the Djembe Beach Hotel, Kololi.

When asked by Commissioner Bai Mass Saine whether he was a close associate of the former president he answered in the negative.

“He was an inconsistent friend,” Amadou Samba told Commissioners.

The business tycoon refuted the allegations of being a business associate of the former president saying their relationship was based on friendship which he describe as ‘inconsistent’. He explained how he managed to survive the former President’s 22 year regime. He added that he was not his business associate and had never interfered with his power politics.

“That was how I survived his regime,” Mr Samba asserted.

“If you were his business associate he will take everything and send you to jail,” he added.

Samba described his relations with the former president as one that was only based on social relationship.

The business tycoon said he was already successful in business before he met the former president, saying he started cement importation since 1986. He explained several businesses he had including fishing with Moroccan partners saying they had 5 fishing trollers trolling the waters of Gambia, Senegal and Guinea Bissau exporting the catches to Las Palmas.

The lawyer turned businessman repeatedly complained about the speculations people are making about his past relations with the former president which he said is not fair because the former president used to take advantage of him which has cost him a lot.

“He will make unnecessary demands by asking me to borrowed him money which he will not return,” he said.

Mr Samba refuted the allegations of managing the former president’s businesses but instead was managing him to save his own life from danger.

“I never had any business relation with the former president or worked with him,” he interjected.

The business tycoon told the commission that the former president after he fell out with the late Baba Jobe wanted him to continue with the importation of rice, cooking oil and onions among others. He said the president told him that the Governor of Central Bank would facilitate things. He added that after the meeting with the former president, he went straight to the office of the then Governor, Clarke Bayo telling him to count him out.

“People always make allegations against me saying I have $900 Million of the former president,” he interjected.

Samba refuted this allegation saying it is unfounded for he had never shared accounts or transfer money to any of the former president’s accounts.

“It is my enemies who want to assassinate my character,” Amadou Samba told the commission.

He added: “That is money laundering.”

The former state counsel cum businessman confirmed to the commission that the former president was the one who purchased the Kairaba Beach Hotel, denying his involvement in the transaction. He refuted the testimony made by Momodou Lamin Sonko of M.A Kharaffi and Sons. He denied playing any part in the sale of Kairaba Beach Hotel to M.A Kharaffi and Sons. He said he never met Mr Sonko to discuss the sale of the said hotel.

“It has never happened,” he told the commission.

Samba said he is surprised how Sonko could put him in the picture when it was Lawyer Edu Gomez who signed the document.

“People always want to use my name,” he said.

The business tycoon revealed that the hotel was purchased through late Baba Jobe who appointed him as symbolic chairman of the hotel. He said the hotel was run by Baba Jobe and Robert Aswande.

Samba tendered bundles of documents including assignments, transfer shares from Baba Jobe and Lang Conteh to Millennium Industrial and General Trading Company, a company owned by the former president among others were admitted and marked as exhibits.

Mr Samba confirmed his membership of the former president’s political party and his financial support to the party.

When asked by Commission Counsel Amie Bensouda about the D3 Million transferred to his account from the Kanilai Festival tribute to Michael Jackson, he said it was used to purchase CFA for former president.

Meanwhile, former Solicitor General Pa Harry Jammeh and former GNPC Managing Director Momodou Badjie both appeared at the commission.