Editorial: The Missing Kanilai Patrol Team Soldiers!

When the Freedom Newspaper reported back in November last year about the detention of the Kanilai patrol team, the former Army spokesman Lieutenant Omar Bojang responded in a Daily Newspaper edition dated November 16 that none of his men had been detained. “As far as my office is concern, no member of The Gambia Armed and Security Forces is in detention,” spokesperson Bojang told The Daily News.   Mr. Bojang knew very well that he was blatantly lying to the Daily News when he made the false declaration about the plight of his comrades currently detained at the Mile Two prison.

We do not know what Omar Bojang was trying to achieve by making such bogus lies.  No wonder that he has been replaced by the army command. The army do not need a spokesman, who will lie just for the sake of appeasing the powers that be. 

The likes of Omar Bojang are the ones helping to smear the image of  Yaya  Jammeh’s autocratic rule.  Instead of giving an honest account about the exact whereabouts of Wo2 Bai Lowe, Staff Sergeant Abdoulie Jallow, Lance Corporal Anthony Mendy, and Ex Lance corporal Abdoulie Sarr (Brother of Absconded soldier Musa Sar) Bojang thinks that he can lure the intelligent Gambian community into his own stupidity. 

What is more honest than telling the truth? Unless, Mr. Bojang wants to make us believe that he is by extension part of the Jammeh murder enterprise—with his failed attempts to conceal the truth. Mr. Bojang sincerely and honestly knew that Bai Lowe and co had been under detention since July 8 2010.  Mr. Bojang  is also aware of their secret abduction from their base in Kanilai by Sana Manjang and others.

It’s worrying that the army cannot account for its own men’s whereabouts when there are witnesses coming forward with information that Lowe, and co had been detained at cell number Seven at the Mile Two Security Wing.

Impunity should not be condoned in the army. We are not living in a jungle law. The Gambia is supposedly a nation of “laws” and we expect CDS  Massaneh Kinteh to seriously look into the case of Bai Low and co. 

Abducting and detaining their fellow comrades without due process is an affront to the rule of law. It’s illegal to detain these people without charges filed against them.  The rule of law must be upheld if we want to see a stable, and democratic Gambia. Denying inmates their constitutionally guaranteed rights is unfair, and unacceptable.

Imagine if CDS Massaneh Kinteh, or Omar Bojang were to be abducted from their offices and kept at Mile Two for two consecutive years without charges filed against them, not having access to their families, how will they feel?  The army should not be seen as a party legalizing impunity in the Gambia.  It should defend the constitution and its people when such rights abuses arises.

Those entrusted with authority are not doing a good job in helping Yaya Jammeh in his so called quest for just and democratic Gambia. Any responsible army command would have ensured the expeditious prosecution of the detained soldiers if there is indeed  any case against them, but detaining them for two years without charges is unconstitutional.

Leadership goes with responsibility. It’s disheartening to see CDS Massaneh Kinteh and his command wanting on a matter which is likely to cause bad publicity for  the Jammeh administration.  They should not wait until the International Red Cross Society, and other rights groups knocking at their doors—asking about the whereabouts of Lowe and co.

There have been so much bad publicity against this regime in terms of respect for human rights, the rule of law and good governance.  And we expect CDS Kinteh to be among the leading  force spearheading democratic reforms in the Gambia at this hour. 

Yaya Jammeh alone cannot do it.  Jammeh  is too busy with other state matters and it’s not his job to dictate to the army what needs to be done to deal with its men found to be wanting in their duties.  

Even if Yaya Jammeh orders for their arrest and subsequent detention, common sense dictates that it should be the responsibility of the Army Chief of Staff to determine if the accused soldiers should be court martialled, or to have their case referred to  the police for prosecution. We rest our case!