Kerewan Area Council Chairman Addresses Recent Comments by Tombong Saidy, UDP Administrative Secretary for Media and Communication

Photo: Chairman Tunkura.

Photo: UDP's Tombong Saidy.

By Ousman A. Marong

In a statement today, the Chairman of Kerewan Area Council (KAC), responded to recent comments made by Tombong Saidy, the UDP Administrative Secretary for Media and Communication. The remarks, which have stirred political discussions, centre around local governance and the role of the UDP in shaping community affairs. The Chairman's response seeks to clarify the Council's stance and address concerns raised by Saidy, sparking further debate in the region.

According to Chairman Tunkara, his office learned with dismay allegations from the United Democratic Party (UDP), Administrative Secretary for Media and Communication, Mr Tombong Saidy, claims Abou his UDP party's deeply alarmed by the reckless and self-serving expenditures of the NPP-controlled Kerewan Area Council (KAC), me (Chairman Papa Tunkara).

To set the records straight, Since I assumed office in 2023 under the National Peoples Party (NPP), ticket I found KAC, has been confronted with unprecedented challenges as we strive to improve service delivery to our communities and bring about much-needed development to the people of the North Bank Region due to the fact that we inherited a Council with virtually nothing in its coffers, as a result of the bad leadership and mismanagement of my predecessor (former UDP Chairman and his Council).

“My council have undertaken and completed three unfinished market construction projects we found abandoned by my predecessor. These markets include Munyagen and Sara Kunda, which are currently functional and used by the communities. The Ngayen Sajal Market was not properly constructed by the former Contractor, which I had rebuilt and is now ready to be inaugurated soon. Your party (the UDP) will never talk about squandering public funds under former Chairman Bojang. My council have rehabilitated boreholes in Farafenni Darra Abdou which are now fully operational. My leadership began the implementation of street lighting projects across the Region beginning from Kerewan, where we installed eighty pieces of street lights in February of this year. We were able to sponsor a group of young people from the North Bank Region to participate in the recently concluded NAYCONF hosted by the Kanifing Municipal Council (KMC), with an amount of D600,000.00, which contributed towards their outstanding performance, winning six (6) trophies in the competition. Your claim about the Kerewan Area Council (KAC) squandering millions of dalasis unnecessarily on luxury vehicles while failing to fund a single community project is economical with the truth,” stated Chairman Tunkura.

Chairman Tunkara further stated that his Council did not spend a staggering D7.6 million on two high-end vehicles for the Chairman and CEO but rather entered into a pre-financing agreement with Supersonicz Micro-Finance to procure the two official vehicles one for the Office of the Chairman and the other for the CEO.

He continued: “This is to be repaid in a monthly instalment payment for one year. Note that these vehicles do not belong to the Chairman or the CEO. It belongs to the Council aimed at helping us in our day-to-day activities. KAC, under my leadership, has approval from the GPPA to procure two waste trucks for Barra and Farafenni, and we are at the final stage to have these trucks delivered to the beneficiary communities. For your information, the Kerewan Area Council, under my leadership, has inherited a somewhat bankrupt from my predecessor, former UDP Chairman, a council I have now turned into a solvent if not one of the most solvent Councils in the Country,” sobbed Chairman Papa Tukura, of the Kerewan Area Council.

 

Ghanaian Ecomig Soldiers Support Medina Sering Mass Hospital in Niumi with Generous Donation

Photo: (Members of Ghana Company 8)

 

By Ousman A. Marong

With a commitment to fostering healthier communities, Ghana Company 8 has donated vital resources to Media Sering Mass Hospital, reinforcing its dedication to supporting public health and well-being in the region.

The donated items include of mattresses, IE fluids, plaster's water bottles, etc.

The presentation ceremony was on Wednesday, 16 April 2025, held at the Medina Sering Mass District Hospital in Niumi.

Ecomig Ghana not only stopped in the hospital but took turns extending their generous hands to the Medina Sering Mass Senior Secondary School (MSMS) and donated to the school with exercise books, pens, markers, chalk, books, etc.

Speaking during the presentation ceremony was Captain Christle Odame, of the Barra based camp, who highlighted the contingent's foresightedness in donating essential medical items to the Medina Sering Mass District Hospital.

Captain Odame continued: “Our donation is not limited to Barra/Essau and its satellite villages. We will make sure our donation reaches the communities that need it most.”

On his part, Amadou Saidy, Community Health Nurse (CHN) at Medina Sering Mass District Hospital, thanked the Ghanaian Ecomig Forces for their foresight in donating to the hospital.

He described the donation as timely, saying the hospital's labor Ward is currently without mattresses.

“Right now, if you check the labor, Ward is without a mattress, likewise drugs. These donated items are magnificent to us,” he concluded.

 

 

 

 

 

TDRGP Wraps Up Refresher Course on Grievance Mechanism, Sharing Key Insights

Photo: (Participants of the TDRGP)

By Ousman A. Marong

 

The Tourism Diversification and Resilience in the Gambia Project (TDRGP), under the Ministry of Tourism and Culture, on Tuesday, 15 April 2025, Wraps Up a Grievance Mechanism Refresher training, Sharing 5 Key Insights for Effective Implementation.

The two-day training received over one hundred (100) participants from the communities of Juffureh and Albreda, stemming from an insightful session which was witnessed by the two Alkaloes of the above-mentioned villages (Juffereh & Albreda).

Participants were trained to seek redressed on key Grievance Mechanism (GM), on the TDRGP, and how it can be effectively used to resolve concerns and enhance accountability.

The 2-day training was centred on how to strengthen trust, address misconceptions, and ensure that all community members understand how to use the grievance mechanism proactively.

During the two-day training participants raised questions on whether or not the modernization of the island would be or not.

Salimatou Taal, Social Risk Management Specialist, SRMS, at TDRGP, confirmed to participants that the planned work to modernize Kunta Kinteh Island would be done on or before July 2027, and it's going to be in grand style.

It could be recalled that the World Bank has provided the Gambia with a $68 million grant to revive its tourism sector, aiming to diversify and make it more resilient to climate change. This grant also aims to help protect the Atlantic coastline from climate change impacts. Additionally, the World Bank has provided further support for the Gambia's economic growth and improved economic governance, including a $30 million budget support.

Judge Upholds Case Against Defendant, Denies Acquittal Motion

 

Photo: (Denver, Colorado's Courtroom)

 

 By Samba Jawo reporting from the USA

 

Judge Christine Arguello rejected the defendant’s motion for acquittal on Monday, ruling that the evidence presented by U.S. prosecutors was sufficient for the case to proceed.

The defendant, Michael Sang Correa, did not present any witnesses during the court session, and both sides delivered intensive closing arguments. The case is now in the hands of the jury to determine whether Correa is guilty.

In their closing arguments, state prosecutors urged the jury to find Correa guilty on all six charges, citing testimony from victims and expert witnesses, including officials from Homeland Security, who provided evidence that Correa had committed the crimes.

Correa’s defence attorneys countered by arguing that he acted under coercion, duress, and fear, urging the jury to consider these factors during deliberations.

During the Monday proceedings, retired U.S. Homeland Security Agent Barton Garrison concluded his testimony, presenting audio recordings of Correa’s voice in which he allegedly confessed to torturing victims of the 2006 coup attempt, including the late Pierre Mendy.

The defence team moved for an acquittal, asserting that the prosecution had failed to meet the burden of proof beyond a reasonable doubt.

However, Judge Arguello rejected the defence’s motion, ruling that the case would continue.

Agent Garrison was the final witness presented by the prosecution.

The closing arguments also heavily relied on testimonies from victims, including Demba Demb, Alieu Jobe, Tamsir Jassey, Sainey Bayo, Pharing Sanyang, and Yaya Darboe, who shared their experiences during the trial at the U.S. District Court in Denver, Colorado.

A verdict is expected on Tuesday, with the jury now tasked with making its decision.

Story is edited by Ousman A. Marong

HSI Agent Testifies on Tracking Correa's Movements Through Western Union Transfers

 

Photo: (Alleged Jungler Micheal Sang Correa)

By Samba Jawo reporting from the USA

In a gripping testimony that could sway the course of a high-profile investigation, an HSI agent detailed how they meticulously tracked the movements of prominent figure Correa through a series of Western Union transfers. The agent revealed that these financial transactions not only mapped Correa's whereabouts but also unveiled a network of connections that raises serious questions about the extent of his operations. As the case unfolds, the implications of this testimony could redefine the approach to tracking financial crime in the digital age.

Mathew Gifford, a special agent and National Program Manager with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) told jurors how his team tracked Correa’s whereabouts using Western Union transfer records.

During the third day of Correa's trial in Denver, Colorado, Gifford described how the investigation got started. Stationed in Dakar, Senegal, for five years, Gifford visited Banjul, the capital of Gambia, to gather information from Correa’s alleged victims.

“We knew Correa was in the U.S., but we couldn't pinpoint which state he was in," Gifford told the court. It was only when they discovered Correa might have family in Gambia that they turned to Western Union to trace his financial activity. They found that Correa had been sending money to his family using his diplomatic passport details,” narrated.

Testifying in the same trial, Yaya Darboe, described Correa in those days as a disciplined and respectful military officer.

Darboe also explained how he learned of the 2006 coup plot in March of that year, citing frustration with the army and the country's conditions as factors that led him to join the movement.

He (Darboe) also viewed Musa Jammeh, one of the jungler, as brutal, further describing him as a person in charge of the torture sessions carried out by the Junglers at the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) before his death.

In his cross-examination, Jared Westbroek, the attorney for the defendant asked the witness (Darboe) whether he was aware that former President Jammeh used to kill his opponents in the oppositions; Darboe replied in negative—saying he did not know of that.

State prosecutors narrated to the court how the accused and other junglers would transport suspects of the 2006 coup— from state prison to NIA headquarters in Banjul, only to suffocate, beat and torture them.

He further recounts his arrest in 2006 and was taken to the NIA for interrogation, a panel he told he was not involved with the coup, the jungle, such as Correa, didn’t want to hear that—they started torturing him with all kinds of tricks. He remembered that Bora Colley and Malick Jatta, who were the only jungle, didn’t torture him.

This story is edited by Ousman A. Marong

 

Defense Attorney Claims Correa Was Coerced Into Torturing His Victims

 

Photo: Courtroom

By Samba Jawo reporting from the USA

In a striking argument presented in court, the defence attorney for Michael Sang Correa asserted that his client was manipulated and coerced into committing heinous acts of torture against his victims, raising questions about the extent of his culpability in these crimes.

Jared Westbroek, lawyer for the alleged Gambian Jungler, during his Tuesday opening statements at the trial, told jurors that his client was a low-ranking private officer, arguing that he was coerced to torture his victim.

Jared Westbroek argued that Mr Correa was compelled to obey commands from his superiors, and disobeying those instructions would have risked him being tortured or killed—and would not witness a day like (today) in court.

The ex-jungler, 41, is accused of severely torturing soldiers suspected of attempting to overthrow former exile Gambian President Jammeh in 2006.

He was slapped with six counts of torture and one count of conspiracy to commit torture. But count five was dropped during the binging of the trial after a key witness was unable to travel to the U.S. to testify. He is also recorded as the third individual and the first foreign national to be prosecuted in the U.S. for committing torture abroad.

According to the defence counsel, his client has no choice but to refuse orders from his superiors, and in doing so, he would also be suggested to arrest, torture, or kill.

He said it was a well-known adage "comply now and complain later" in the Gambia Army Forces. Counsel Westbroek states that it was a culture nurtured, especially by junior soldiers, and his client was no exception.

According to Correa’s attorney, the continued threats in the unit had him not have a choice about whether to participate in torture—let alone, a decision to make about whether to join a conspiracy.

“Following an order is not the same as agreeing,” Westbroek told jurors.

He added: “It is hard for Americans who live in a “very blessed country” with the freedom to understand Correa’s situation.”

“The defendant is on trial today because of the choices he made,” Marie Zisa, Justice Department attorney also told jurors, while asking them to find Correa, who was sitting with his attorneys, guilty of all six charges.

“The victims have not forgotten his cruelty,” she stated.

She said that one of the alleged victims (a soldier) was stuffed into a bag, suspended high in the air, and then dropped to the ground.

“Some people were tortured before they were questioned by a panel investigating the coup, while others were later subjected to torture, including beatings that could last hours,“ Zisa further said.

The prosecution's first witness is Prof. Maggie Dwyer, an expert in African Studies & International Development at the University of Edinburgh. Her expertise lies in comparative analysis across West Africa, including The Gambia.

Professor Dwyer's testimony established the historical and geographical context of the case and addressed the porous nature of the region's borders and coups in the Sahel region.

By Samba Jawo reporting from the USA

In a striking argument presented in court, the defence attorney for Michael Sang Correa asserted that his client was manipulated and coerced into committing heinous acts of torture against his victims, raising questions about the extent of his culpability in these crimes.

Jared Westbroek, lawyer for the alleged Gambian Jungler, during his Tuesday opening statements at the trial, told jurors that his client was a low-ranking private officer, arguing that he was coerced to torture his victim.

Jared Westbroek argued that Mr Correa was compelled to obey commands from his superiors, and disobeying those instructions would have risked him being tortured or killed—and would not witness a day like (today) in court.

The ex-jungler, 41, is accused of severely torturing soldiers suspected of attempting to overthrow former exile Gambian President Jammeh in 2006.

He was slapped with six counts of torture and one count of conspiracy to commit torture. But count five was dropped during the binging of the trial after a key witness was unable to travel to the U.S. to testify. He is also recorded as the third individual and the first foreign national to be prosecuted in the U.S. for committing torture abroad.

According to the defence counsel, his client has no choice but to refuse orders from his superiors, and in doing so, he would also be suggested to arrest, torture, or kill.

He said it was a well-known adage "comply now and complain later" in the Gambia Army Forces. Counsel Westbroek states that it was a culture nurtured, especially by junior soldiers, and his client was no exception.

According to Correa’s attorney, the continued threats in the unit had him not have a choice about whether to participate in torture—let alone, a decision to make about whether to join a conspiracy.

“Following an order is not the same as agreeing,” Westbroek told jurors.

He added: “It is hard for Americans who live in a “very blessed country” with the freedom to understand Correa’s situation.”

“The defendant is on trial today because of the choices he made,” Marie Zisa, Justice Department attorney also told jurors, while asking them to find Correa, who was sitting with his attorneys, guilty of all six charges.

“The victims have not forgotten his cruelty,” she stated.

She said that one of the alleged victims (a soldier) was stuffed into a bag, suspended high in the air, and then dropped to the ground.

“Some people were tortured before they were questioned by a panel investigating the coup, while others were later subjected to torture, including beatings that could last hours,“ Zisa further said.

The prosecution's first witness is Prof. Maggie Dwyer, an expert in African Studies & International Development at the University of Edinburgh. Her expertise lies in comparative analysis across West Africa, including The Gambia.

Professor Dwyer's testimony established the historical and geographical context of the case and addressed the porous nature of the region's borders and coups in the Sahel region.

Story edited by Ousman A. Marong.

Correa Cleared Of Count 5 As State Prosecutor Dismisses Charges

Photo: Alleged Jungler Correa.

By Samba Jawo reporting from the USA

 

Michael Sang Correa, an alleged Jungler of former President Yahya Jammeh's notorious dead squad also known as the 'Black Scorpions' a separate body of the Gambia Army Force (GAF), in a significant legal development has been cleared of one charge against him as the state prosecutor dismissed Count 5 in a high-profile case, marking a pivotal moment in the ongoing judicial proceedings surrounding his alleged involvement of torture.

Assistant US State Prosecutor Melissa Hindman on Monday applied for the dismissal of count 5 against Michael Sang Correa due to witness Bunja Darbeo's travelling to the United States to testify.

According to her application, the witness is a serving member of the Gambia Army Force, GAF, and he is currently on deployment.

 

The defence team did object to this application, and federal judge Christine M. Arguello dismissed the count in total.

 

Count 5 stated that the defendant, Michael Sang Correa together with others both known and unknown to the grand jury did, while specifically intending to inflict severe physical pain and suffering (other than pain or suffering incidental to lawful sanctions) commit and attempt to commit torture, while acting under colour of law, by committing and causing and aiding and abetting others to commit acts against another person known to the grand jury (referred to herein as Victim 4) within their custody and physical control, and further, the defendant, Michael Sang Correa, together with others both known and unknown to the grand jury, did knowingly and intentionally aid, abet, counsel, command,  induce, and procure each other's participation in the commission of the said offence.

 

 This story is been edited by Ousman A. Marong.

 

Federal Judge Set To Hear Cause Against Correa Today In The USA

Photo: Micheal Sang Correa (Photo credit Facebook).

 

By Samba Jawo reporting from the USA 

In a pivotal legal showdown, a federal judge in the United States of America, USA, is scheduled to hear a high-profile case involving Michael Sang Correa, an alleged member of a former Gambia dictator, notorious dead squad today, potentially shaping the political landscape and legal precedents in the United States (USA). 

This case, which has drawn international attention, could influence ongoing discussions about political asylum, corruption, and accountability on a global scale. Correa, 41, an alleged 'Jungler' whose members have confessed to committing torture and other serious human rights abuses following a failed coup d’état in 2006, tortured suspected coup members and extracted forced confessions. 

Survivors of this torture testified at Gambia’s Truth, Reconciliation, and Reparations Commission (TRRC) that Correa personally tortured them or was present while other 'Junglers' engaged in torture. Justice Christine M. Arguello is a Federal Judge on the United States District Court for the District of Colorado. Judge Arguello has decided that on Monday, 7 April 2025, she will conduct jury selection in the ceremonial courtroom (2d floor). 

There will be space for the public inside the courtroom for those who want to attend. Michael Correa, 41, is an alleged member of the notorious death squad whose members have confessed to committing torture and other serious human rights abuses. Following a failed coup d’état in 2006, the 'Junglers' tortured suspected coup members and extracted forced confessions. Survivors of this torture testified at Gambia’s Truth, Reconciliation, and Reparations Commission (TRRC) that Correa personally tortured them or was present while other 'Junglers' engaged in the torture. 

The proceedings will be held in Judge Arguello's courtroom on the 6th floor, (Courtroom A602), and there will be opening statements. The first Gambian government witness is expected to give testimony. In 2006, The Gambia’s National Intelligence Agency’s report on interrogations following the attempted coup also implicated Correa in torture. Former 'Junglers' told the Truth-Seeking Commission that Correa not only tortured individuals suspected of planning the coup but also participated in numerous other extrajudicial killings, including the killing of journalists Dayda Hydara and Chief Ebrima Manneh in 2012 and the murder of Gambian-Americans Alhagie Mamut Ceesay and Ebou Jobe in 2013. 

On September 17, 2019, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security arrested Correa in Denver, Colorado, for overstaying his visa. Following news of his detention, a coalition of human rights organizations and Correa’s victims, including CJA, the African Network Against Extrajudicial Killings and Enforced Disappearances, the Gambia Center for Victims of Human Rights Violations, the Guernica Centre for International Justice, Human Rights Watch, the Solo Sandeng Foundation, and TRIAL International called on the United States to investigate the credible allegations of grave international crimes committed by Correa in Gambia. On February 18, 2020, U.S. Senators Patrick Leahy and Richard Durbin also urged the government to investigate Correa and, if warranted, to prosecute him in the United States. 

This story was reported by Samba Jawo from the USA and was edited by Ousman A. Marong.

Failed Negotiations: Edrisa Nyan's Family Locked in Dispute Over Exhumed Grave

 

Photo: Pc Of MK Mosque

By Ousman A. Marong

Amidst deepening family tensions, the recent exhumation of Edrisa Nyan's grave has sparked a bitter dispute among relatives, following failed negotiations between the exhumers, family members of the late Edrisa Nyan and representatives from the Gambia Supreme Islamic Council (GSIC), led by its North Bank Regional Chairman Mr Ebrima Jallow that sought to resolve their conflicting views on his final resting place. As emotions run high, the family grapples with not only grief but also the complexities of tradition and legalities surrounding burial practices.

All negotiations failed as the family of the deceased stood their ground in succumbing to any agreement except that they wanted to see the remains of their father back to his previous grave.

In attendance were the representatives of the chief of the region, a CID officer, representatives of the Gambia Supreme Islamic Council (GSIC), the Imam of the village and family members of the deceased.

Upon failed negotiations between the exhumers and the family of the late village head, the representatives from the GSIC asked the victims to exercise patience and gave them an ultimatum of 3 - days to rethink the issue, and if they remained defiant, then the matter would resort to court.

Here is what the law says about digging graves

In the Gambia, the act of unlawfully digging up a grave and transferring human remains without authorization is addressed under section 205 of the Criminal Code  Act No. 25 of 1993. This section criminalizes trespassing on burial sites and showing disrespect to human corpses. Specifically, it states that anyone who, with the intent to hurt the feelings of others or insult their religion, trespasses on a burial place or offers indignity to a human corpse commits an offence.

Upon conviction, the individual is liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three years, a fine or both.

Additionally, Section 312 of the same code provides a general punishment for willfully and unlawfully destroying or damaging property. While it does not explicitly mention graves, this section could potentially apply, prescribing a penalty of imprisonment for up to two years for such offences.

Ghancoy 8's Generous Gift Fuels Ngonjon Mosque's Community Spirit

Photo: Members of Ghancoy 8 together with the Ngonjon Mosque Commitee 

By Ousman A. Marong

In a heartwarming display of generosity, the Ghanaian Ecomig Forces (Ghancoy 8), stationed in Barra in the North Bank Region (NBR), has made a substantial contribution to the Ngonjon Mosque, igniting a renewed sense of unity and purpose within the community. This generous gift not only supports the mosque's ongoing initiatives but also strengthens bonds among residents, showcasing the power of collective goodwill in uplifting local spirits.

The donated items include bags of rice, oil, praying mats, portable drinking water bottles, canteens of tamarins, etc, to list a few.

The presentation ceremony was over the weekend held at Ngonjon village in the lower Niumi District of the North Bank Region (NBR).

Speaking on behalf of the contingent commander was Captain Christle Monday Odame of the Barra base camp, who outlined the contingent's good rapport with the people of the North Bank Region.

She said: "We had a good rapport with the people of the North Bank Region, so, at every point in time, their consent is in our hearts. While they were fasting we thought it wise that once they were done we would be able to give them some items to relieve them of their fast, so they enjoy not only with the civilians but the community as well and that's why our contingent commander, as well as the civic team, thought it wise to come and do this donation. We will try as much as possible to reach the four (4), corners of the North Bank Region (NBA). We may not be able to reach all of them within our timeframe. Yesterday, we went to Banjul to commission the Banjul ferry terminal's mosque, and hopefully, our contribution, support and donations should reach everywhere 'In Shaa Allah," she concluded.

On his part, the Imam Ratib of Ngonjon village, Mamadou Sowe, prayed for the continuous blessings of the Ghanaian Economic Forces in the Gambia, particularly the ones stationed in Barra. He said the donation was timely while describing it as big.

"The gesture may be seen as small to you (the Ghancoy 8 group), but it is a big thing to us," he asserted.

On How The ECOWAS Forces Came Into The Gambia

The ECOWAS military intervention was installed in the Gambia amidst its constitutional crisis. Several member states' military intervenes in the country militarily at the request of President Adama Barrow to restore democracy in the country without resistance from pro-Jammeh forces.

Former President Jammeh leaves the country as forces approach Banjul, and Barrow arrives as President days later.

According to report 2,500 ECOWAS troops remain in The Gambia.