By Momodou Justice Darboe
The Gambia is currently embarking on various sectoral reforms aimed at sanitising some institutions of government as well as bringing them into conformity with internationally acceptable standards.
This disclosure was made on Monday by the minister of justice in a press conference at the conference hall of the Attorney General’s Chambers and Ministry of Justice in Banjul.
According to Justice Minister Abubacarr Tambadou, legislative reforms will be the preoccupation of the justice ministry in 2019 with focus in the areas of criminal justice system, media, electoral laws, security, legislations against corruption among other reforms.
Monday press conference followed hot on the heels of the presentation of the Gambia Government’s combined human rights report to the African Commission in Egypt last week.
Dilating on security sector reform, the Justice minister said:” As you all know, the aim of the security sector reform is to get a security service in The Gambia that reflects the current geographic, political, social and economic realities of our country and which responds to its needs as a modern democratic state. Difficult decisions will have to be made but that comes with responsibility. The ECOMIG forces that are assisting in stabilising our country following the political impasse will not be here forever. And so, we need to quickly and adequately prepare ourselves for a post-ECOMIG Gambia in the provision of protection and safety for all Gambians, irrespective of tribe or ethnic origin.”
Touching on the Faraba Banta killings of three civilians by uniformed men, Justice Minister Tambadou explained: “We have reviewed the Faraba Banta commission report and concluded, given the entire circumstances surrounding the event, the charge of murder should be substituted for man-slaughter. The PIU officers implicated in the killings will thus be prosecuted on the basis of manslaughter.”
On the ministry of agriculture fertiliser saga, Mr Tambadou informed the press that: “We have conveyed our opinion to the Gambia Police Force on February 26, 2019 recommending charges be preferred against three individuals and the police should conduct the prosecution of the case.”
On electoral reforms, the minister acknowledged the ongoing efforts of the Constitutional Review Commission to sanitise the country’s electoral laws but added that his ministry will, notwithstanding, help in ensuring a level playing field for all.
On prisons, he posited that a comprehensive review of the 1954 Prisons Act was underway and that modernisation efforts of the criminal justice system was also underway.
Turning to the obnoxious media laws in the country, Justice Tambadou revealed that the ministry of Justice has been working in tandem with the ministry of information and Article 19 for a comprehensive review of the media law regime in the country.
” This involves the promulgation of a Media Service Act that will consolidate and modernise a variety of currently desperate and often obsolete media-related laws that have no place in the modern society,” he added.
