Mai Fatty Calls For Fairness in Alleged Police Brutality

Photo: Mai Ahmad Fatty (Photo Credit Culled From Facebook)

By Ousman A. Marong
The Leader of the Gambia Moral Congress (GMC) party, Mai Ahmad Fatty has called on the government of President Adama Barrow to thoroughly investigate the alleged police brutality involving the Commissioner of the Police at Anti-Crime Unit (ACU), Gorgi Mboob.

“I am begging Gambians, particularly those on the social media to be patient and to wait for the conclusion of the investigation. Let’s wait till the National Human Rights (NHR) issued its results and recommendation and from there we can directly face those in question so as to implement their recommendation,” said GMC leader.

According to the GMC leader, the government should wait for the completion of the investigation before concluding on who should resign or be sacked.

He made these deliberations during a press briefing held in his party’s secretariat in Pipeline, Kairaba Avenue.

“I am begging the panels of the investigators to expedite its proceedings because the citizenry is no more with the patience. The Citizenry is no more patient because there were many police misconducts. They are with grief and anger and can’t more contain the endless misconducts within the law enforcement services,” he remarked.

He challenged the investigators to speed up with their investigation in order to lower further tensions from the citizens.

“If I want to preempt on the investigation and at the same time want to prejudice the ongoing investigative that would be irresponsible of me. I want the Gambian people to focus on what is going wrong and not what is happening,” he said.

Fatty added that what is going wrong from one or two individuals cannot use it as a means to demonize and the entire institution.

“I have seen a lot of calls saying: ‘Scrap the Anti-Crime Unit.’ That is very dangerous because you have a problem with the messenger that doesn’t mean you should eliminate the message. In this case, Gorgi Mboob is said to be a bad messenger but the message that is been carried is a very good message. We must not reject the message because we don’t like the messenger. That is the issue, he noted.

The former Interior Minister said one may not like how Gorgi Mboob operates as social media has indicated but that is not to say ACU should not do its work.

He continues that it is this country that has not risen up in order to be fair to its law enforcement institutions.

He stated that it is the only Gambia where most police officers only one pair of boots, adding that most of them have one uniform for years.

Describing how officers go with a single pair of uniform, the outspoken political leader said: “You see them in the hot sun and even their collars get torn. They are sweating because of the hot sun and they smell because of the sweat,” he concluded.

Education Minister Louds Former LK School Headmaster

Photo: Ms Cole and Ms. Herriette. (Photo Credit Kebba Ansu Manneh)

By Ousman A Marong

Gambia’s Education Minister, Claudiana Cole, has lauded former Headmaster of Latrikunda Sabiji Upper Basic School (LSUBS), Alhagi Landing Boto Jatta alias L.B.J for his strong stance in the country’s educational sector.

“As I sat here I was thinking what would have happened to all these wonderful gentlemen here, if Master Jatta never had the vision of establishing a school in this Latrikunda Community. This is what I kept thinking otherwise all these potentials would have been lost. Lost in a sense, perhaps the nearest school would have been far from the community where parents wouldn’t even have bothered to enroll their children in those far schools. Perhaps, the children themselves would not have been inclined to want to go to school because of the distance,” said Minister Cole.

According to the country’s education Minister without Master Jatta initiating the school students in Latrikunda Sabiji would have to trek every-day to-and-fro to go to school.

She made these remarks during the inauguration ceremony of the laying of the foundation stone of the new 25 Classroom blocks in Latrikunda Sabiji School.

The MRC Holland Foundation Gambia is supporting the project with 25 Classroom blocks, 25 new Toilets, Renovation of 36 Classroom blocks for the L/K Sabiji Lower, Upper and Annex Basic School.

Photo: Ms. Cole and the students of L/B Sabji School.

The Multi-million dalasi project is geared towards supporting the school to renovate its entire blocks. It would feature a new building for the Senior Secondary school in order to complement the Government.

Ms. Herriette Brummer Sonko, a representative of MRC Holland Foundation Gambia, challenged the government to focus more on the rural areas arguing that over seven thousand (7000) students going to L/K Lower and Upper Basic School are from rural areas.

“I would have loved to provide them all schools in the villages so that they can stay there with their parents and not necessarily taken to the urban areas to stay with their aunts and far relatives creating an urban blockage in the system,” said Herriette Brummer Sonko.

She said whenever she steps her foot in the urban areas and visited their schools she always feels stressed and concern.

“I wouldn’t even know where to start because the task is mighty. In a lot of cases if you look at the schools you wonder where is the community because you see crimes, problems, filter places which are not looked after, etc. You wonder how is it possible that students come to this school to have their lessons,” she quired.

Saidou Jallow, The principal of Latrikunda Sabiji School hailed MRC Holland Foundation Gambia Project in their benevolent support to the school.

“This is the happiest moment of my life. We have been struggling to deliver quality education to the children that are under our responsibility. This school has one of the biggest catchment areas in this region. As I speak now we have over seven thousand students within this campus,” he stated.

He said the overcrowding of students in L/K School would soon be a thing of the past if the new classroom buildings are completed.

Photo:Patrick Lorch Otieno Lumumba

PLO Of Africa To Chair JIFORM's  Summit On Migration 

Professor of Law and international speaker, Patrick Loch Otieno Lumumba has been named as the Chairman of an international migration summit to be staged between October 15 and 17, 2020 by the Journalists' International Forum For Migration (JIFORM).

Confirming his participation, the pan-Africanist and the Director of Kenyan Law School in his official response said: “I confirm my availability and willingness to serve as PLO of Africa”.

The summit that attracts participants and speakers across the globe would also have in attendance the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Immigration Service, Muhammad Babandede; MFR who has been slated to officially unveiled the event, German migration advocate Johanna Mac; Mr. Gbenga Omotoso, the Honourable Commissioner of Information, Lagos State, Nigeria; Harvard trained migration expert, Eric Chinje and United State based international migration lawyer, Samuel Adewusi.

The 3-day event themed 'Migration Governance and Media Strategy for Development During Pandemic', will be virtually held on zoom.

Juliet Makwama, the Secretary-General for JIFORM, in a statement issued in Lusaka, Zambia on Saturday said the media body comprising over 200 journalists across the continents were targeting the summit to produce a glossary of terminologies for migration reportage.

She pointed out: “Since 2018, we have been leading advocacy against irregular migration, human trafficking and crises leading to the internal displacement of citizens in nations, despite the pandemic; we are determined to reshape migration reportage to further enhance media capacity.

“In 2019, our first conference was held in Abuja, Nigeria, this year, as a result of Covid-19 spread we have to channel the event through technology space.”

She added that the event would also have robust debates and participation of CNN, BBC, VOA, and German media with the use of English and French as languages of communication.

Agencies expected at the conference are International Organisation for Migration (IOM), Tony Elemelu Foundation, SEEFAR, National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking In Persons (NAPTIP), Nigeria and others from Europe, Asia, India, and the United Kingdom.

SBG Presents Essential Items To Prison Authorities

Photo: SBG Proppriator with Prison authorities (Photo Credit  Flex Dan)

By Ousman A Marong

Smart Business Group (SBG), a local business enterprise in The Gambia has today, presented various essential items to The Gambia Prison Services (GPS) to stop the spread of COVID-19 pandemic in the prison.

The presented items include large quantities of veronica buckets, 50 liquid soaps, 60 bags of laundering soaps, 5 thermometer guns, 15 washing buckets, 1800 face masks, etc.

In a brief presentation ceremony held at the Gambia Prison Services (GPS) Headquarters, the public relation officer of GPS superintendent Modou lamin Ceesay, expressed concern about the vulnerable that suffers from the pandemic the most because they cannot afford the key essentials to protect themselves.

“It is for this reason that SBG thought it wise to present these essentials items to the GPS to assist in protecting inmates and wardens,” PRO Ceesay said.

Superintendent Ceesay said COVID-19 has provided the opportunity to observe key hygiene rules, adding that they are doing all it takes to see that the prison is COVID-19 free.

Mr. Omar Njie, The proprietor of Smart Business Group (SBG) said it is a pleasure to give back to the prison services at the trying times of COVID-19 pandemic.

Photo: Essential items (Photo Credit Yusuf Tylor aka Flex Dan)

“On behalf of my company (the Smart Business Group) I am proud to present sanitary items needed to assist our brothers and sisters in prison, especially the prisoners who are very vulnerable. The office of the vice president in consultation with the COVID-19 committee in The Gambia has made the wearing of face masks mandatory in public places. Therefore as concern citizens, we want to contribute our quota in the fight against the spread of COVID-19 in our country,” said Omar Njie.

The SBG Proprietor said the reason behind the distribution is to encourage others to come forward to help the prisoners. He also called on the government to come to the aid of the prisoners.

“We have all seen what has happened when we watched the TRRC. The conditions in which the prisoners are living is really bad as we are in very trying times right now. The prison should not look like a place for criminals. It should be a correctional center that transforms people to become useful in society,” he concluded.

Saikou Kawsu Gassama, Director of Administrations at the Gambia Prison Services hailed SBG for their timely intervention to the GPS during this trying time of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We are very glad to receive these gifts because they are very timely. These gifts have come at a time when the whole county is bracing for the lightning of the emergency regulations,” he concluded.

Gambia Must Speed-up investigation into the Killing, Of Journalist Chief Ebrima Manneh

Photo: IGP Jobe (photo Credit Culled from Facebook)

By Ousman A. Marong

It is exactly Four-teen (14) years since the abduction of Gambian journalist Ebrima Manneh widely known as Chief Manneh.

Manneh, an investigative journalist working for The Daily Observer but was abducted on July 7, 2006 by unidentified security officers, while in his office.

Police had arrested six persons on suspicion of involvement in the killing one month later, but later released all of them due to a lack of evidence.

Since the new government came three years ago, we are still waiting for answers. We want to know who arrested and detained him, who killed him and where was he laid to rest?

Photo: The Late Chief Ebrima Manneh.

The slow pace of an investigation from the side of The Gambia government is discouraging.

It has been 14-years now since Ebrima Manneh was abducted by Jammeh’s hit-men who are still at large. We need justice now!

Witness Says He Did His ‘Jungler’ Training In Kanilai

By Ousman A Marong

                                   

WO2 Lamin Sillah, a serving member of The Gambia Armed Forces (GAF) who doubles as a one-time ‘jungler’ under the AFPRC/APRC government has told the Truth, Commission that he did his ‘jungler’ training in Kanilai, the birthplace of former Gambian President Yahya Jammeh.

“I did my jungler training in Kanilai with people like Omar Jallow alias ‘Oya’, Dembo Jatta, Ismaila Jammeh, Malick Jatta alias ‘Alfidie’ Kawsu Camara alias ‘Bombardier. I did bodyguard training too and I went to Thieze in Dakar where I did my ‘day-go’ exercise training,” said WO2 Lamin Sillah.

Sillah 50, has mentioned Outsiders, Sweepers, Mobile vehicles, Plainclothes, and Presidential bodyguards, Command vehicle and Principal Presidential vehicle to be those responsible in the protection of former President Jammeh’s Convoy.

“Lamin, please speak so that people could hear you,” Lead Counsel Essa M. Faal told the witness.

“Counsel, it is not easy to sit on this seat that’s why,” replied the witness.

“It would only be hot when you are not speaking up the truth. You can make it easy for yourself too,” Lead Counsel fired back.

The witness said upon completing the ‘jungler’ training he went for a bodyguard and counter-terrorism training that took almost a month.

“Upon completion of our bodyguard and counter-terrorism training, we reported back to the State House. We were given a two (2) day off after we reported back to State House. We were never trained to kill and I have never killed a being in my entire life. Our jungler and counter-terrorism training was centered on how to better manage the VIP and the patrol team,” he remarked.

He informed the Commission that Lieutenant OB Baldeh, was the convoy commander at the time of the accident when an Arab man was smashed to death. He further alleged that the late Almamo Manneh had shot a Nigerian taxi driver to death.

“Almamo Manneh’s shooting of the Nigerian man was willful. It was Baboucarr Jatta who later orders the Military Police (MP’s) to go and collect the dead body. Almamo was that fearless soldier and everybody feared him. He was someone who will threaten soldiers at gun-point. He used to threaten soldiers that if anyone tries to arrest him will defecate bullets. He was all the time with his pistol,” said WO2 Lamin Sillah.

The former presidential convoy driver has admitted hitting a Mercedes Benz along the ‘Bertil Harding Highway on their return from Kanilai.

“After hitting him he died instantly inside the vehicle. The sweepers order the convoy to leave the road and he did not. He then passed the military sweepers and that was the time I hit him and he died instantly,” he concluded.

Sittings continue on Monday.