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Momodou
Denmark
11737 Posts |
 Posted - 04 Sep 2009 : 18:46:53
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Detention Without Trial Update
By Fabakary B. Ceesay
The family members of the detained and missing people listed below yet again renewed their continuous call and desperate search for their loved ones and family heads.
Some families and relatives lamented that they do not even know the whereabouts of their relatives for years now. Some said they lost hope that they are still alive.
Journalist Chief Ebrima Manneh, a Senior Reporter of the Daily Observer Newspaper, was reportedly arrested at his office on 7th July 2006. The family said he left for work and never returns. His friends and colleagues said they‘ve done countless efforts to locate his whereabouts, but to no avail.
The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), in 2007, filed a “Habeas corpus against The Gambia Government at the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice in Abuja, Nigeria, demanding from the court to order the Gambian authorities to release journalist Manneh.
On June 6th 2008, the ECOWAS Judges delivered a judgment in favour of Journalist Manneh, after the Banjul authorities fail to appear before the Court even though they were said to have been served with summons. The court also ordered the Gambia government to compensate chief Manneh in the sum of 100,000 US Dollars.
The Banjul authorities fail to make any comment on the issue for almost ten months after the ECOWAS judgment, when SoS Marie Saine Firdaus officially announced in parliament that journalist Manneh is not in state custody.
Mr. Kanyiba Kanyi, a local employee of Christian Children’s Fund (CCF), was reported by his family that he was arrested at his house while they look on. They said he was picked up by three security agents on 18th September 2006, and taken away on board a waiting taxi. His family has filed a habeas corpus against the IGP, Director General of NIA and the Attorney General, at the Banjul High Court to release him since late 2006, but the matter is yet to be solved. So far three different High Court judges have sat over the case and two of them ruled that he should be released, but the state continue to deny that he is under their detention. Just a month ago the third judge to preside over the case sent the case file back to the Chief Justice to determine the fate of the case. His family recently told this reporter that they have lost hope on his fate.
Jasaja Kujabi’s family said he was taken away from his farm at his village in Foni Dobong since the summer of 2006, and never returned or seen again. They said he was first escorted to his house to change his clothes before taken away. The family said they know the agent that arrested him.
The family of Alfusainey Jammeh, a prison warden, said he was stationed at the compound of the Director General of Prison in Kanilai. They said he was called to report to the Police Headquarters in Banjul since the late 2006, and never returned home. The family said he did call to inform them of his arrest upon arrival in Banjul.
The families of Ndongo Mboob, Buba Sanyang and Former Chief of Foni Kansala, Momodou Lamin Nyassi, said they were all arrested on the same day in April 2006. Their families said they have never set their eyes on them since then or even know their whereabouts. All the three were picked up at their houses at Foni Bwiam.
Mr. Haruna Jammeh and Marcie Jammeh, both residents of Kanilai, families say were all said to be arrested on the same day in the summer of 2005. They never know their whereabouts since then, said family sources.
Mr. Bakary Gassama, the former finance director of the NIA, was said to have been detained since 13 May, 2008. His family said he was detained for four months before he was arraigned in court in late September 2008, on the allegation of official misconduct. The family said the trial never proceed before the court on five occasions due to failure of the prosecution, until on December 3, when Magistrate M’bai of the Banjul Magistrates’ Court discharged him for lack of diligent prosecution. The family said he was re-arrested right at the court premises and taken back to custody. They said he is currently detained at the Mile 2 Prison.
Alieu Lowe and Abdoulie Njie, both residing at Fagikunda, were said to have been arrested since late March 2006, shortly after the March 21st, foiled coup attempt. Their families said they are still in detention at Mile 2 Prison. They said they are allowed access to them.
Mr. Ebou Jarju, a former presidential steward was first arrested on 20th March 2008. The family said he was picked up in their presence, upon which they were evicted from the government residence they were then occupying. The family said he was first detained at the police headquarters until 11th January, 2009, when he was released without charges. They said he was later called back to report to the police only to be detained at Mile 2 Prison. Ebou is from Darsilameh, Kombo Central.
Regimental Guard (RG) private Alagie Saidykhan, family say, was arrested at the Second Infantry Battalion at Farafenni Military Barracks since 10th May 2009. The family said since then they don’t know his whereabouts. They said he is currently being detained at Mile 2 Prison, but they could not have access to him.
Kebba Saidykhan, a twenty year old boy from Bundung was reported by family members that he was arrested by plain clothes security agents at their home since 7th August, 2009. According to a family source, they are yet to locate his whereabouts despite visiting all the police stations in the greater Banjul area.
Source: FOROYAA Online
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A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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