GEN. TAMBA SAYS DETAINEES RIGHTS WERE ABUSED!!!

LAMENTS LACK OF ACCESS TO VISITORS, AND LAWYERS

GOV’T DROP CHARGES AGAINST NDURE CHAM, AND OMAR CAMARA

PROSECUTION SAYS CHAM, AND CAMARA  WOULD BE EXTRADITED FROM DAKAR

By Staff Reporter Fatou Cham, Banjul

Looking weak, confused, and dejected, the former Army Chief of Staff Major General Lang Tombong Tamba, and seven other coup accused persons, yesterday explained in court how The Gambian authorities violated their rights, and basic freedoms as security detainees with impunity, the Freedom Newspaper’s Weekend Edition can report.

Serving as the spokesman of the remaining accused persons, who appeared in court Friday, without legal representation, a disoriented looking General Tamba lamented that they have been held for four months by the state without been avail with the opportunity of meeting their families, and lawyers. Mr. Tamba did not go into details as to the nature of their treatment in detention, but he made it known to the court that the treason charges brought against them came as a news to them—because there was no formal briefings extended to them by the state about the slated court date. Tamba said they were just bundle up and thrown into a awaiting prison truck, and whisked away to court.

Under the circumstances Tamba said he, and his colleagues could not take their pleas as instructed by the court—in the absence of legal representation.  Tamba wants the courts to avail them with the opportunity to secure legal representation, but the court turned down his request. 

The treason indictments were readout to the accused persons, and they all denied involvement in any plot to overthrow the Government of the day. The accused persons said there was no such time that they conspired to dislodge the Jammeh Government through forceful means.

At the commencement of the trial, which attracted a sizeable crowd in court—mainly families of the detainees, lawyers, local journalists, and observers, Richard Chenge, Director of Public Prosecution at the Attorney General’s Chambers asked the court to strike the names of two prominent accused persons in the list of the indicted detainees.

Former Chief of Defense Staff, army fugitive Ndure Cham, and the absconded Gambian Omar Camara, have had the treason charges brought against them by the state dropped for now, pending their successful extradition into the country, the court heard.  The court was informed that both Cham, and Camara are currently in Senegal, Dakar, and efforts would be made to ensure that they are extradited into the country to face trial. 

Presiding judge Justice Emmanuel Amadi of the High Court granted the prosecution’s request to have both Cham, and Camara expunged from the list of accused persons indicted by the state. Accordingly, the charges filed against the two wanted fugitives were dismissed.

The trial saw the presence of two leading human rights lawyers: Hawa Sisay Sabally, and Sheriff Tambadou, who announced their representation for accused number 7^th and 8^th respectively. Both Awa Sisay, and lawyer Tambadou lamented that their clients were denied family, and lawyers visitation while in custody, a move they described as a violation of their clients rights.

The lawyers informed the court that one of the accused persons was taken ill, and that he had his medical papers in his possession. The accused person to the chagrin of the court later collapsed,  while his lawyer was busy lamenting his plight in a crowded court room.

Justice Amadi issued a ruling ordering the relevant authorities to allow families of the accused persons to have access their loved ones. The court order  had given green light to families to visit the detainees at Mile Two.

The case was scheduled for hearing on March 22^nd 2010. The accused persons were remanded in custody.