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Breaking News:Abdoulie Kujabi, Vincent Jatta, Baba Saho,Foday Barry and others charged with treason-SOS Hydara releases new indictment!!!

BY Staff Writer Karafa Badjie

Gambia's Attorney General and Secretary of State for Justice Sheik Tijan Hydara today releases treason indictment against the remaining coup suspects detained by the Gambian authorities.Abdoulie Kujabi, former Gambia's intelligence chief and an uncle to President Jammeh top the list of those charged with attempting to overthrow the 12 years Jammeh rule. Also on the list was Foday Barry, a former NIA Director of Investigations and also a onetime police commissioner. Alieu Singhateh, sacked NIA Director was also charged with treason. Mr.Baba Saho and Gabriel Secka both former top officials of the NIA has also joined the coup suspects charged with capital offence. Former Army Chief of Staff Colonel Vincent Jatta was indicted by the Gambian authorities.

The Freedom Newspaper gathered that the detainees who are currently remanded at the Mile Two Security wing detention centre will soon appear in court. There is no immediate word as to who will defend them in the said high profile case, which is punishable by death if convicted. The accused men were linked to the March alleged foiled coup attempt against the administration of President Yahya Jammeh. It is gathered that Abdoulie Kujabi is in a poor state of health, as he was tortured by his captives while in custody. Kujabi who is rendered handicapped due to the torture he suffered from the hands of the interrogators is reportedly held at cell number three at the security wing. Prison wardens assigned to the former intelligence chief told the Freedom Newspaper that Kujabi needs medical help as he hardly eat these days. It is not yet clear if he is under strike, but what is evident is that Abdoulie Kujabi has been handicapped.

The slow pace for the prosecution of the remaining coup suspects was widely attributable to what sources called the "brutal torture" the detainees suffered. It is gathered that some of the detainees were not medically fit to be brought before a court of law due to their ailing health conditions. Prisons sources hinted that some of the detainees with serious wounds were being treated in prisons by some Cuban doctors. "The government don't want families to see conditions of the detainees. They complained about spinal pain and constant headache. Some vomit blood while in jail." said the prison warden who spoke to the Freedom Newspaper.

While Kujabi and co are charged with treason, the mystery surrounding the disappearance of Daba Marena and others continues to lingers on the air. The regime is not keen at discussing the fate of Daba and others. It is gathered that Daba and four others were summarily executed by Jammeh's hit men.

A well placed source at the government law offices in Banjul told the Freedom Newspaper that even though the government lacked evidence to prosecute Kujabi and others, it decided to take them to court. The sources hinted that the newly charged security detainees know a lot about Jammeh's past vicious deeds and releasing them at this hour could posed as a threat to Jammeh's fragile government. Kujabi, Barry, Saho and Jatta, said our sources had their own stories to narrate about Jammeh. It is gathered that it was President Jammeh who insisted that the men be charged with concealing treason. According to these sources who spoke to us, the "President believes that Kujabi and others were either directly or indirectly involved in the said alleged coup."

The Gambian President is said be very angry these days following what state house sources called "lapse of security in the country." The President was quoted as saying that he lost faith on the NIA and the military. That he was going to restructure the agency and the GAF head quarters soon. Meanwhile, as we went to Press reports emerged that a MFDC top rebel leader was arrested in Ivory Coast with a Gambian diplomatic passport. We are busy pursuing the story. Stay tuned.

Posted on Friday, July 28, 2006 (Archive on Saturday, July 29, 2006)
Posted by PNMBAI Contributed by PNMBAI

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