By: Sarjo Brito
A group of youths who took to the streets on Monday, December 26, 2022, to demand the unconditional release of Momodou Sabally has accused the Attorney General’s Chambers of planning to charge Mr Sabally with treason as a plot to keep him in Mile II, thereby deterring him from campaigning in the forthcoming local government election.
The group who converged opposite the PIU headquarters before being dispersed by the police with teargas said the planned move to charge him with treason is well-calculated to silence him.
“Gambians both here and the diaspora know that his statement is not treasonous. However, since treason is not bailable, regardless of the lack of merit of any such prosecution, Sabally will be remanded in Mile II throughout the trial.
“That is the objective of the government. To put Sabally in prison so that he cannot campaign in the upcoming local government elections. This is a well-calculated move by the politicians, aided and abetted by the criminal justice system to silence Sabally,’’ the group said in a statement.
The group said that the arrest and detention of Momodou Sabally for over 72 hours without a single charge is a clear indication of abuse of powers by the state institutions that have been entrusted to protect the fundamental rights of its people.
“The Police and Attorney General’s Chambers know that they do not have a case against Sabally. However, they intend to restrict his constitutional fundamental rights and freedom, so they filed a bogus ex-parte application to prolong his detention. In Sabally’s case, it is evident that the state institutions given the constitutional mandate to protect and enforce fundamental rights and freedom are the perpetrators, using the law to violate his rights and freedom.’’
Momodou Sabally has been under police custody for six days. His arrest came following a widely circulated video on TikTok where he said the Gambian President Adama Barrow will be uprooted before the forthcoming local government elections.
Some Gambians, including the leader of the United Democratic Party Honourable Ousainou Darboe, have since demanded his release, accusing the judiciary and Gambia Police of conniving to intimidate the UDP ahead of the forthcoming local government elections.
