Jammeh Celebrates Illegality

..PRESIDENT YAHYA JAMMEH OPTED TO CELEBRATE AN  ILLEGALITY  IN THE GAMBIA

 AS DETENTION,KILLING WITHOUT TRIAL GOES ON

By Senior Staff Writer Ansumana Jammeh, Banjul.

Banjul:7/20/08-Detention and killing  without trial of persons for periods in the Gambia has continued, contrary to the requirement of section 19 of the constitution of the Gambia, which stipulates that every arrested person who has not been taken to court should be released within 72 hours.

      But president Jammeh who was trained how to kill, torture, intimidate, remains the unfazed against rule of law.

     The detainees listed below have been held by Jammeh administration for months or years without their family members knowing their whereabout.

     Meanwhile, Journalist Chief Ebrima Manneh,  who was arrested by Jammeh's security  agents from his office on 7 July 2006 has not been seen for a long time.Uncontroverted court testimony indicate that he was seen at Fatoto in December 2006 and the main Hospital,RVTH in 2007.The Media Foundation for West Africa sued President Jammeh's government to the ECOWAS Court of Justice for the release of Chief Manneh and the court entered judgment in favour of Chief Manneh ordering the Jammeh government to release him and compensation of $100.000 Dollars.

    Freedom newspaper vividly recalled that president Jammeh signed a protocol in 2005, accepting the jurisdiction of the ECOWAS Court. No statement has ever been issued by Jammeh 's Government relating to Chief manneh's arrest and disappearance nor has the Dictator  ever uttered a word on the matter.

    The Freedom Newspaper's Official sources divulged that Jammeh gave the directives to kill the journalist.

   An employee of the Christian Children Fund(CCF) Mr. Kanyiba Kanyi was picked up from his residence at Bonto Village in the western Region since 18 September 2006.

   A case was filed at the Gambia High Court in 2006 for him to be produced and the court had ordered for his production but he has not been produced by Jammeh and his men. The Jammeh Government deny having him.

   The matter is still lingering before the court and nothing further was said about it. The family members  told  Freedom Newspaper that they are yet to establish his whereabouts since his arrest in 2006.

   Momodou Lamin Nyassi,Buba Sanyang and Ndongo Mboob,all natives of   Bwiam in Foni Kansala District, were arrested by Jammeh's agents in April 2006.Their families informed Freedom that in spite of their effort they could not locate them.

    Mr. Haruna Jammeh and Hasaja Kujabi,both from Foni,were arrested by Jammeh's security agents and held in detention since 2005.

     Alfusainey Jammeh,a prison warden and a native of Kanilai,is also in detention since 2006.

    Alieu Lowe,a resident of Faji Kunda, believed to be a close relative of Colonel Ndure Cham,who was accused of masterminding the 2006 abortive coup plot, is still in detention. The Jammeh Government at one point used him as a prosecution witness but his evidence was later expunged. He is still in detention.

     Mr. Abdoulie Njie,a civilian arrested shortly after the 21 March coup plot is still languishing in jail without charge.

     Sergeant Sam Kambi, of the Gambia Armed Forces is in detention since 2006 at the State central prison without charge.

    Alexandra Gibba,the former spokesperson in the Gambia of the MFDC Movement in Casamance has been in detention since 2006.

    Mr. Kebba Secka,an operative of the National Intelligence Agency(NIA) has been in detention since 14 May 2007,at Mile II prison.

    Ebou Jarju,a former steward at the State house,was arrested from his   home in the presence of his family by persons who came with a white Pick up on 20 March 2008.

    The  former Crime Management Coordinator of the Gambia Police Force,Burama Dibba,and the former Head of Serious Crime Unit of the Gambia Police Force, Superintendent Ebrima Kunji Jammeh,were both arrested on 30 March 2008 and are still being detained at Mile II Prison.

     Mr. Bakary Gassama,the Former Financial Director of the National Intelligence Agency was also arrested in mid May this year and is still being held in detention at Mile II Prison.

     Freedom Newspaper stringer visited the families of these detainees, but all they decry their lack of awareness of the charges against their loved ones and the failure to take them to court. They also complain bitterly to the Freedom Newspaper that they could not established their place of detention nor to talk about having access to them.

     The practice of sending people directly to Prison by Jammeh Administration is a contravention and down right violation of the Rule of Law and most henceforth stop.

    No matter the crime a person commits he or she must be allow due process of the Law all manners of adjudication must be completed before he or she is put in Prison. But this is not the case in Jammeh's  Administration.

 Instead,  President Jammeh opted to celebrate the day he forcefully seized power from Democratic Government through bullet. Our position is clear; military regimes are illegal. There is no merit in celebrating an illegality especially where power is obtained through the barrel of the gun.” Shame  on you President Yahya Jammeh,you are the illegimate son of Africa” Why spend so much money on the "July 22", an illegality when it is an open secret that this country is grappling with a severe economic downturn? The situation in the Gambia calls for austerity measures and not wastage of our resources.

    "We detest military regimes" soldiers ought to stay in the barracks to do what they are paid to do-defend the territorial integrity of the country against external aggression.