Ex-Law Maker’s Drug Case Adjourned



ex-law maker

 The criminal trial of former National Assembly Member for Nianija constituency in the Central River Region Dawda Manneh and Demba Baldeh ex-soldier has been yesterday July 12 adjourned for the second accused to call his witness.
Acting Principal Magistrate Taiwo Ade Alagbe of the Banjul Magistrate’s Court has told the second accused to call his witness(s) on the next adjourned date.
“This is the third time the case has been adjourned in the instance of the defense” state counsel, Ebrima Sanneh told the court.
The case has reached its climax and it is expected that both parties will adopt their briefs after the defense closes it case.
Former Nianija NAM, Dawda Manneh and Demba Baldeh are standing trial on charges of being in possession of drugs for the purpose of trafficking, as well as conspiracy. They were alleged to have conspired to traffic 9 kilograms and 260 grams of suspected drug (cannabis).

But both denied the ownership of the drugs.

GPU First VP Calls On State to Investigate Chief Manneh’s Disappearance

GPU VP on the left side, Chief Manneh on the right

It is five years since journalist Ebrima Chief Manneh disappeared from the midst of his colleagues, family and loved ones.
He was whisked away by plain clothed security officers from his office at The Daily Observer Newspaper on July 7, 2006.
Chief Manneh was working with the pro-government Daily Observer Newspaper and since his arrest in 2006 his whereabouts remains unknown.
The state has disassociated itself from Manneh’s disappearance and told the nation that the missing journalist is not under their custody.
 “The state should not waste any more time to investigate the disappearance of Chief Manneh, as there are reports that they vowed to do so along with the assassination of the slain journalist Deyda Hydara,” the first vice president of The Gambia Press Union (GPU), Mr Baboucarr Ceesay told The Daily News in an exclusive interview.

Excerpts

Five years on, Chief Manneh’s disappearance remained an unresolved matter, in spite of the vigorous advocacy for his release by both the Gambian media fraternity and international media organisations around the world. What workable solution do you think should be the next step to journalist Manneh’s long disappearance?

It is rather unfortunate to have a journalist gone missing in a country where his umbilical cord is buried from birth. The state should not waste any more time to investigate the disappearance of Chief, as there are reports that they vowed to do so along with the assassination of the slain journalist Deyda Hydara. And if he is under the custody of the state they should release him immediately and compensate him as ordered by the ECOWAS Court.
I also subscribe to the idea of a former GPU president who said at the congress that we can use investigative journalism to probe into the matter of the disappearance of our colleague. That does not mean that the state should not do their part. The investigation of journalist Manneh’s matter should be a must for the state. Chief came from a family with aging parents who like any other parent love to see the progress of their beloved child contributing his quota to the development of his family and the nation. His parents are desperate, not knowing his whereabouts for five solid years. His family, colleagues, friends and loved ones are still in a dilemma.

What is your reaction to the statement that Chief Ebrima may have gone through the back way to Europe for greener pasture?

What an unthinkable statement!  How can someone who has not successfully investigated the matter claim that the missing journalist have gone through such perilous journey to Europe. The protection and the welfare of all Gambian citizens and all those resident in The Gambia is constitutionally the business of the state. The statement against him is definitely very unfair when he need the intervention of the state through investigation and bringing the culprits to justice accordingly.

The ECOWAS Court in Abuja, Nigeria has ruled in favour of Chief Ebrima and ordered for his immediate release and compensation with US$100,000, but yet to be heeded to by the state.  Won’t this attitude of the state not create doubts whether Manneh is still alive?

That is the million dollar question. It is only the state that can clearly explain why they have not done anything about his compensation and immediate release. Though the lack of thorough investigation has bred clouds of doubts, but there is still no reliable report on his death. It is rational to perceive that he is still alive in the absence of an outcome of successful investigations to prove claims of his death. The case of Chief Ebrima Manneh, like the killing of Deyda Hydara cannot be forgotten. It will remain an ever pursued matter until justice is done. There is no ulterior motive, but to ensure that all and sundry live in a just society free from intimidation, arbitrary arrests, detentions without trial, killings and disappearances.

You are now the  1st vice president of GPU, what effort is the Union making to create a conducive media environment for journalists operating in the country so that there will be assurance that no ‘Chief Manneh’ or ‘Deyda Hydara’ scenario will reoccur in The Gambia?

That is a task that the Union cannot do in a vacuum or alone. We can only do that in collaboration with the government. This is why the government should wholeheartedly consider us as partners and not foes. The media is a very important instrument in development. This is clear to every leader and government. Problems always arise when the media wants to execute their constitutional mandate of holding the leadership accountable. In creating a conducive media environment, both the media and government are stakeholders, hence the need for greater partnership, instead of working in solitude and suspicion. The media is really ready to partner with the government for the progress of this country. A case in point is the meeting between the media chiefs and the head of state at State House. The media barons spoke out their minds. One of them reminded the state of the importance of section 207 of the Constitution of The Gambia that outlined the role of the media and another made a recommendation of the reviewing and repealing of the laws of sedition, defamation and libel which are media offences decriminalized by many democracies in the world today.

 Is the media a threat to the state?

Absolutely no. The state should not have any phobia towards the media. The media has been universally recognised as the ‘Forth Estate’, it is next to the three arms of government – the Executive, Legislature and Judiciary. This is an indication that the media is generally recognised as a partner to the state. If the primary drafter of the American Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson can write that he would prefer newspapers without a government than a government without newspapers in 1787, then why should a 21st century man hesitate to appreciate, tolerate and empower the media.

Some people are with the belief that journalists are also the creator of the environment in which they operate. What is your opinion about that?

Journalists are members of society existing as social beings like any other person. We have social responsibilities as well. What should be accepted here is that Gambian journalists are doing very well. Regardless of the unfriendly environment we operate,  more young people are inspired to take up journalism as a career. I also believe that there is no irresponsible journalism in this country that can lead to anything like the Rwandan genocide. Because many people use Rwandan genocide as an epitome of what bad journalism can give rise to.  Such situations should be used to gag freedom of expression and that of the press in another country. To stick to the ethics of journalism as our guiding principle is the daily singsong at the GPU and in all independent media houses in the country. I worked for five media houses in this country. There is no media house that works with a detrimental agenda.

 Thank you for sparing your valuable time for the interview.

 It’s a pleasure. Thank you for the engagement.

20 Women Circumcisers ‘Drop Knives’

 

20 women circumcisers from 150 communities in Lower River Region on Saturday publicly vowed to have abandoned Female Genital Mutilation at a ‘dropping the knife’ ceremony held at Soma Lower Basic School.
‘Dropping the knife’ symbolizes public declaration of abandonment of the deep-seated cultural practice of FGM, which has been scientifically proven inimical to the health and wellbeing of women, yet widely practiced.
“The dropping of the knife today is historic and add  up  to the change taking place in the promotion of the health and rights of Gambian women and children,” Dr Isatou Touray, Executive Director of GAMCOTRAP told the gathering of various women groups, local government heads, among others. 
The event was the third of its kind  organised by her organisation, GAMCOTRAP, who has taken the lead in the fight against FGM, through painstaking and costly sensitisation programmes.
Through its various funders, the women’s right body also provides alternative sources of income for circumcisers by facilitating the creation of small-scale business ventures to those who hitherto earn income from the practice.
“Dropping the knife of a circumciser is not an easy task especially when it is inherited,” said Madam Fatou Kinteh, a representative of UNFPA, one of the main funders of GAMCOTRAP’s activities.
She assured that her agency will continue to support efforts geared towards accelerating the eradication of FGM.
The first ever public declaration of dropping the knife was held in 2007 at the Independence Stadium in Bakau where eighteen women circumcisers publicly vowed to abandon female circumcision. This was followed by a bigger one held in the provincial capital of Upper River Region, Basse, in 2009 where over 60 women circumcisers have also declared to have stopped the practice.
Dressed uniformly in traditional Gambian costume, the women who have abandoned the practice danced alongside with women rights activists, in a manner that added credence to the celebration. The day-long programme also witnessed the performance of Kora maestro, Jaliba Kuyateh.
The former women circumcisers have stated that they have not only abandoned the practice, but regretted doing a bad practice that they hitherto deemed good. They even transform some of those messages into biting lyrics. 
“You can only demand your rights when you know what right you have, and can only execute the rights when you know for what purpose,” Dr Touray believes.
Female circumcision is widely practiced in The Gambia. It had been a taboo to discuss the subject in public and the campaign against it had witnessed stiff resistance from the communities, including women, with both verbal and physical attacks on the activists.
The practice is done for various reasons, including reducing the sexual desire of a woman to avoid promiscuity and purification of women.
However, the rough times appear to be rapidly fading away and enlightenment of its dangers and lack of justification is seeping though.
After series of training, the National Assembly in 2010 declared intention to support any bill that prohibits FGM in The Gambia.
Gambian President Yahya Jammeh who had once forbidden the discussion of the topic in public can also be quoted as saying that he is not in support of the practice.
Although some international protocols such as the CEDAW, which Gambia signed and ratified clearly outlawed all forms of harmful traditional practices, rights activists believe that there is a crisis in its application.
With virtually no law in place to prohibit the practice, reports have it that that some women from neighbouring Senegal, where it has been outlawed, are coming into The Gambia to circumcise their girls.

D100, 000 Bail Bond for Former Daily Observer Sports Editor

 

Detained for  24 hours at the Police Headquarters in Banjul, the former deputy editor-in-chief and head of sports  desk of the Daily Observer newspaper has being released on bail to an  amount  of  D100,000 and one Gambian surety who must deposit his identity card  with   the Banjul Magistrate’ s  Court.  .
Nanama Keita is charged with giving false information to a public officer but has denied the accusation before Magistrate Ade Taiwo Alagbe.
He is accused of presenting a petition letter to the Office of the President at the State House, claiming wrongful dismissal as the deputy editor-in-chief and head of sports desk and financial malpractices by the Managing Director of the Daily Observer, knowing same to be false.
Lawyer Lamin Camara, after the plea of the accused made a bail application and prosecutor Sainey Joof did not make any objection.
The case continues   July 19, 2011 for hearing.

Ex-GRTS Reporter’s False Information Trial Adjourned

 

The criminal trial of Dodou Sanneh former reporter of the state owned television, Gambia Radio and Television Services, GRTS which is underway at the Banjul Magistrate’s Court has been adjourned by Magistrate Ma-Nyima Bojang due to the absence of the prosecution witness in court.
Sanneh is facing a one count charged of giving false information to a public officer that he was wrongfully terminated after almost five years.
He found himself in a legal tussle when he wrote a petition to the Office of the President concerning his ‘unlawful’ termination.
Dodou Sanneh denied giving any false information.
When the case resumed yesterday, prosecutor Sainey Joof told the court that his witnesses are not in court.

“I was kicked Out of My Husband’s House but.....”

Neneh Jallow a woman who has been thrown out of her husband’s house by the husband’s brothers was abandoned in a situation of pennilessness. The woman explained her baffling story to Women’s Bantaba. Abused by her former husband and left impoverished, Neneh’s ordeal is synonymous to a real guinea pig of extreme violation of rights.
This is Neneh’s unequivocal explanation of her sad experience.
“I could not still believe if it was an order from my husband, because it is sad to hear that my husband was the mastermind and could not tell me.”
“I was kicked out of his house by his brothers without a penny” Says Neneh Jallow.
 “I was harassed, beaten and finally kicked out of my husband’s house” Neneh Jallow told Women’s Bantabaa in watery eyes.

GRTS Boss:‘We Don’t Play With State House Matters



GRTS Director General

 Mr Modou Sanyang, director general of state-owned Gambia Radio and Television Services (GRTS) said, his institution does not play with State House matters, especially concerning the head of state.
GRTS boss made this remark yesterday while testifying against former GRTS reporter facing trial on charges of false information.
Mr Dodou Sanneh’s services at the state broadcaster were terminated in 2007 for ‘bias’ reportage while covering opposition-UDP’s 2009 presidential political rallies.
Mr Sanneh however said, his services were wrongfully terminated. His prosecution came when he petitioned GRTS management to the office of the president to the effect.
“His [Mr Sanneh] first termination was due to insubordination,” Mr Modou Sanyang testified at the magistrates’ court in Banjul yesterday.
He said, Mr Sanneh failed to submit report on a courtesy call he was assigned to cover at State house.
“I could not take that! We don’t play with State house matters, especially when it involved the head state,” GRTS boss told the court.