Jammeh to answer charges of Crimes Against Humanity

Genocidal dictator to join Charles Taylor soon!

As both the Ghanaian and Gambian governments seem to employ the use of tardiness in their quest to solve the Jammeh Genocide, humanitarians around the world have taken it upon themselves to see to it that the case is not buried. Thanks to the good work of Freedom Newspaper and our partners in the Ghanaian media, preparations have already kicked off in filing a case of Crimes Against Humanity against President Yahya Jammeh at the International Criminal Court. One of our very effective partners in Ghana, Joy FM, interviewed Nana Oye Lithur, the Africa Co-coordinator of the The Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI), on it's Super Morning Show, on Tuesday October 9, 2007, to shed light on the decision to indict the Gambian leader before the international court. Meanwhile, Observers have described the latest twist of events in the Jammeh Genocide as a prelude to his imminent end reminiscent of how his Liberian equal, former dictator Charles Taylor fell from power.

A top legal luminary who spoke to the Freedom Newspaper remarked" Under the circumstances, it would be unsafe for President Jammeh to travel outside this country. He might risked being arrested and handed to the International Court. The Gambia is a signatory to the UN Charter, which empowered the court to try suspects linked to crime against humanity. This case would serve as a deterent to dicatators using national security to kill and maim innocent citizens. This court can order for his arrest and subsequent prosecution."

Authorities in Ghana were said to have gathered a lot of incriminating evidence against the administration of President Yahya Jammeh, which linked them to killing of the nationals in July of 2005.

A senior police chief in The Gambia, writing under the pen name Saikouba Jadama recently broke the ranks and testified openly about how Gambia's President Yahya Jammeh ordered for the killing of these Ghanaian. According to Jamada who works with the Serious Crime Unit, the Ghanaian sailors were mistaken as "rebels" poised on disrupting military takeover celebration" in Banjul. 

Police findings into the incident identified the killers as Major Musa Jammeh, alias Maliamungu or Chemical Ali, Lieutenant Kawsu Camara, alias Bombardeh, the late Captain Tumbul Tamba and some state guard soldiers. The Ghanaians were murdered in cold blood and dumped in near by bushes around Burufut. 

Officer Jadama in his dispatch to the Freedom Newspaper said he was prepared to testify against the Government of President Yahya Jammeh if called upon by the ICC Court. Editors of the US based Freedom Newspaper have also earlier reaffirmed their commitment to testify against the Jammeh leadership if called upon by any competent court. The Editors say they gathered their stories from competent sources in the heart of the Jammeh Government.

While Jammeh is gradually losing grip of the country, more human rights violation cases are being filed against his government. First, was the Ghana Based Media Foundation for West Africa. They sued Jammeh for violating the human rights of journalist Chief Ebrima Manneh. Jammeh has since threatened to arrest Professor Karikari if he ever steps his foot in Banjul. He did not stop at that. He also openly treated the ECOWAS Court with contempt by failing to show up in court. He threatens to sack or arrest his Foreign Minister Chrispin Grey Johnson if he entertains conversation regarding the said case-be it from the ECOWAS court or the plaintiffs.

A certain partner of ours in Ghana sent us a publication of the interview in myjoyonline.com, the website of Joy FM. His email reads thus:

Just read this: http://www.myjoyonline.com/news/200710/9358.asp 

If you remember the Ghana gov't promised to finalise their investigation by end of
september. that might have led to this interview by joyonline intended to put the
pressure on the gov't of ghana to make public its findings.

Thanks

Salam Mahama

Readers intereted in hearing from the horses mouth can click on the link above and listen to the audio comments of the CHRI Africa coordinator. We wish to inform readers of Freedom Newspapers that the case of the killing of Ghanaians is a pertinent case that we and our Ghanain colleagues will follow to the very end. We will keep you posted on developments on Jammeh's indictment at the ICC. Stay tuned!

Gambian killings – case to go to International Court

Posted on: 9-Oct-2007 Previous Page

President Yahya Jammeh - The Gambian President.   Email   Print View Comments (24)            Audio Attachment Listen to Nana Oye Lithur on the plans to take The Gambian leader to court. The Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI) has indicated its preparedness to take the matter of the cold blooded murder of 44 Ghanaians in The Gambia to the International Criminal Court. Speaking on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show, on Tuesday October 9, 2007, Nana Oye Lithur, the Africa Co-coordinator of the CHRI, said following the unwillingness of The Gambian authorities to respond to the charges and aid investigations into the matter of the murder of 44 unarmed Ghanaians and other human rights issues in The Gambia, the next step would be to go to the International Court to seek justice and bring Yahya Jammeh to book. The 44 Ghanaians were alleged to have been arrested while on their way to Europe by sea through The Gambia. They were said to have been accused of attempting to overthrow the Yahya Jammeh regime. According to reports, they were executed in cold blood on the orders of the Gambia Head of State, Yahya Jammeh, two years ago. There was only one survivor, Martin Kyere, 27, who has been telling the chilling story to the rest of the world. Since the incident became public, The Gambian authorities have not co-operated with Ghanaian authorities to investigate the issue. According to Nana Oye Lithur, investigations so far conducted by Ghanaian authorities on the matter, were done outside The Gambia. Citing the unwillingness of the Jammeh government to co-operate as hinderance to seeking justice, she said, the CHRI will be compelled to go to the International Criminal Court.