Daily News Reporter Detained While Investigating Killing Involving Anti-Drug Officers

Police in Banjul on Monday briefly detained The Daily News’ judicial correspondent who was investigating the killing of a man allegedly tortured by four officers of National Drug Enforcement Agency (NDEA).
Mr Cherno Alieu Suwareh was allegedly tortured to death by four NDEA officers: Eku Grant, Ebou Lowe, Abdoulie E. Jallow and Matarr Sey Jawo. The four men are being detained.
Mr Baba Sillah was probing into this murder incident when he was arrested and detained for about half an hour on the orders of the station officer at police headquarters in Banjul, who found the journalist taking details of the incident from a diary officer after the police spokesperson declined to comment.
“My notebook was seized and handed over to one female police officer who tore the cover of my book where I wrote the names of the suspected killers,” Mr Sillah said.
Baba said, his notebook was searched through and after no information regarding the NDEA officials was found, he was released.
When contacted, the police spokesperson, Yorro Mballow said he was not aware of Mr Sillah’s arrest and detention.
“Sillah has no one to blame but himself. If he needs any information, he should have contacted me,” the police spokesperson said.
However, Mr Sillah said, it is a practice that journalists obtain details of newsworthy incidents from the police spokesperson and Mballow has been doing it on other cases, but refused to do it this time.

Ex- CDS Tamba & Co. Push Further for Freedom

The treason convicts condemned to death by the High Court in Banjul in October last year are unwavering in their pursuit for freedom.
Former Army defense chief, Lang Tombong Tamba and co. have advanced appeal against their conviction and death sentence to the country’s highest law court, Supreme Court of Gambia as the Appeal Court had on April 14, 2011 rejected their appeal.
The rest of the appellants are: ex-deputy defense chief Omar Bun Mbye, ex-intelligence chief Lamin BO Badjie, ex-deputy police chief Modou Gaye, ex-senior military officer Kawsu Camara alias Bombardier, ex-Gambian diplomat Gibril Ngorr Seck and a business tycoon Abdoulie Joof, alias Lie Joof.
Despite denying allegations of attempting to overthrow Gambian government in 2009, the ex-defense chief and seven others were convicted and sentenced to death.
Dissatisfied with the decision of the High Court which was upheld by the Appeal Court, the defense counsels filed an appeal at the Supreme Court.
“Lang Tombong Tamba, Abdoulie Joof and Kawsu Camara filed their appeal yesterday,” Sheriff Tambedou, a defense counsel told The Daily News on Wednesday.
The rest have filed their appeal last week, lawyer Tambedou said, adding that all the appellants filed separately.
Pap Cheyassin Ousman Secka, also a defense lawyer confirmed the story.

Court Dismisses Call to Reconsider D30m Bail Condition on Pristine

The D30 million bail condition challenged at Special Criminal Division has being struck out after the Director of Special Litigation convinced the presiding judge that the defense did not want to chart a way out.
The defense for Mr Assan Touray, chief technology officer of Pristine Consulting, a private Gambian IT firm was ordered on the previous sitting to file an ‘application notice’, for both parties to argue in court.
When the case resumed on Wednesday, Mary Samba, who was holding brief for Ida Drammeh, the defense lawyer told the court that they did not file the notice.
D. O Kulo had urged the court to dismiss the application for a review of the bail condition. The state counsel’s application was granted and the matter struck-out.
Mr Assan Touray and Mr Abdourahman Touray, the CEO are charged with two counts of economic crimes, one count of conspiracy to defraud the public and one count of theft.
The Touray brothers have allegedly sold and withheld Gambia government’s share of over twenty seven million dalasi when engaged by government to produce biometric national identity cards and other official documents.
Mr Assan Touray has denied the charges, but Mr Abdourahman Touray, was indisposed on Monday. He was declared wanted before the trial.
Justice Awa Bah had earlier granted bail to Mr Assan, but in the sum of ten million dalasi and two Gambian sureties who must each possess a landed property worth ten million dalasi.
Mr Assan was unable to fulfill the bail condition and he is being remanded.

Bail Condition on Pristine Official Challenged

 

 The bail condition imposed on Mr Assan Touray, chief technology officer of Pristine Consulting, a Gambian IT firm by a High Court is being challenged at Special Criminal Division.
Mr Assan Touray and Mr Abdourahman Touray, the CEO are charged on two counts of economic crimes, one count of conspiracy to defraud the public and one count of theft.
Details of the indictment revealed that the two men sold and withheld Gambia government’s share of over twenty seven million dalasi when engaged by government to produce biometric national identity cards and other official documents. 
Mr Assan Touray has denied the charges, but Mr Abdourahman Touray, was indisposed on Monday. He was declared wanted before the trial.
Justice Awa Bah had earlier granted bail to Mr Assan, but in the sum of ten million dalasi and two Gambian sureties who must each possess a landed property worth ten million dalasi.
Mr Assan is unable to fulfill the bail condition and he is being remanded.
Ida Drammeh, lawyer for the accused persons on Monday urged Justice Ikpala of the Special Criminal Division to reconsider the bail condition.
Ikpala however said the application before him is improper. “It should be application of notice and not application of expert,” he said.
The defense counsel however argued that the reason for ‘expert is matter of urgency’ and that her application is proper.
The case resumes May 11.

Ex-Police Chief Denies Befriending a Pub Manager

A former police chief standing trial on multiple criminal charges said, the state witness no. 7 was severely tortured by the National Intelligent Agency to testify against him.
Embattled ex-police chief, Ensa Badjie and Ali Ceesay, a prison officer are accused of robbery, aiding prisoners to escape, abuse of office, drugs and related offences.
Both pleaded not guilty.
Yaya Tony, the manager of the famous City Pub had earlier testified that Ensa Badjie is a friend, who used to visit his pub.
However, Ensa Badjie alleged that the pub manager succumbed to over a one month detention with severe torture at the NIA headquarters.
He said he is not a friend to Mr Tony.
“Why will Tony lie against you,” the director of public prosecution quizzed and Ensa replied: “Because he [Tony] was under duress.”
“Was he tortured in this court,” DPP further asked and Ensa replied: “He was escorted by the officials.” 
On the state witness no.10, Abdoulaye Sowe, Ensa said he had a quarrel with him when he was commanding Kanifing police.
He explained: “I had a quarrel with him when he impregnated one female constable and abandoned the child.”
Soriba Condeh is a convicted robber serving jail sentence at the maximum prison in Banjul. When he appeared as a state witness, he said, he was the robbery gang leader, but Ensa Badjie masterminded their robbery operations.
However, Ensa said, he did not know Soriba Condeh until the day the latter was arrested.
“What is your source of information that Soriba Condeh had disappeared,” DPP asked. Ensa said that is the information he received.
When asked if he had fulfilled his promise when Soriba was captured he said he did not because Landing Bojang, Serrekunda police boss was trying to incriminate him.
Badjie Denied allegations that he gave cannabis and alcohol to Soriba at the office of the drug squad as alleged of him.
He said he only went with Soriba at the office of the Drug enforcement in the presence of Benedict Jammeh, Omar Jibba.
Badjie said Soriba Condeh and wife Fatou Mendy bear hatred against him because, as he said, “I arrested Soriba Condeh when he escaped from prison.”
He said the other murder and robbery convicts have all lied against him in court. “Why would they lie against you,” he was asked.
“Because if they lie against me they will be given presidential pardon and if they tell the truth they will remain in prison,” the former police chief said.
Hearing continues today.

Court to Face Demand to Free GAMCOTRAP Officials

A team of four defense lawyers led by Amie Bensouda will make recommendation to the court to free the two Gamcotrap officials accused of stealing.  

Dr Isatou Touray, executive director and Amie Bojang Sissoho, programme coordinator of GAMCOTRAP are accused of stealing €30, 000.00 provided to them by YALOCAMBA SOLIDARIDAD, a Spain-based NGO.

Both pleaded innocence.

Eight witnesses have testified for the state. But the lawyers are unconvinced that any of them produced incriminating evidence to link their clients to allegations of the said theft. 

Lawyer Amie Bensouda on Wednesday made it known to the presiding magistrate that she will make a ‘No-Case-to-Answer’ submission.

It followed the announcement by the prosecuting police officer, Superintendent Sainey Joof that the state is satisfied with evidence against the accused persons.

Dr Touray and assistant were arrested in last year and detained at the police station until the following day when they appeared at the Banjul Magistrate Court.

Their first move to secure bail failed and they were further remanded for several days. They were subsequently granted bail on their second appearance.

The two prominent women’s rights activists have over the past two decades carved a niche for themselves, especially in the crusade against harmful traditional practices.

The defense lawyers said they will urge to court to acquit and discharge them, because in their view, the state has failed to produce substantial evidence to warrant the continuation of the trial.  

The trial resumes Friday May 13.

Trader Fatajo Avoids Jail

A Gambian businessman convicted for ‘breach of peace’ has paid the D10, 000 fine imposed on him and avoided going to jail.

Banjul Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday sentenced Mr Karamo Sainey Fatajo to pay a fine of D10, 000 or go to jail for three months.

But Mr Fatajo and an army of family members and sympathysers who went to witness the judgement prefer the former as Mr Fatajo wasted no time to pay the money.

A judicial source said Mr Fatajo’s best friend helped him to pay the fine within an hour. 

In any case, the businessman was full of life when he walked-out of the court a freeman after a four-month long trial, our judicial correspondent says. 

He was escorted to his home by his loved ones.

A family member told The Daily News that the imposition of a fine was a relief for them as  they had wept the previous day when he was declared guilty.

“We were hoping that he will be found innocent because, as far as we are concerned, he committed no crime, but when the magistrate said he was guilty we thought Karamo will be jailed,” the unnamed family member. 

The trader at Albert Market in Banjul was arrested in December 16, 2010, after a trader fellow, Mr Musa Babanding Ceesay told the state authorities that the Mr Fatajo was saying at the market that neighbouring ‘Senegal will attack Gambia.’

His alleged comment came in the wake of a recent thaw-in relations between Senegal and Gambia over the seizure of alleged Gambia-bound arms shipment impounded in Nigeria from UN-sanctioned Iran.

The arms catch renewed Senegal’s long suspicion over Gambia’s arms support to its independence-seeking rebels in Casamance. Gambia reacted by accusing Wade government of smear campaign.     

Although Karamo had denied saying that ‘Senegal will attack Gambia’, the magistrate on Tuesday said enough evidence was produced to find the trader guilty.

At dawn of the trial, some analysts commented that the case is an indication of how much Jammeh regime could go to suppress speech.