BANJUL, THE GAMBIA–“Pa, I told the GDC that I will be backing candidates in both Banjul and KMC, who I think have the right leadership ingredients. This came when I supported Bakary Badjie’s candidature. As a concerned Banjulian, I alone with few other Banjulians, held meetings with few other candidates to form a synergy,” Ebrima Jawo told the Freedom Newspaper. Mr. Jawo was reacting to a question fired to him by this medium, as to whether he has defected to Team Lizzie.
“After two days of meetings in Banjul, with 4 candidates including the GDC’s candidate Pa Njie, who was against the idea, I withdrew my support. I relayed this to some of the seniors within the party. For this Mayoral, I will be supporting the right independent candidates in both Both and KMC,” Mr. Jawo added.
It would be recalled that Ebrima Jawo joined the Gambia Democratic Congress party (GDC), following his announcement that he was vying for the Banjul Mayoral post. The UK based Gambian later withdrew his candidature. This followed, his lack of eligibility to run as a Mayoral candidate. Jawo doesn’t have a valid voter’s card. Hence, which led to his sudden withdrawal from the upcoming race.
Jawo later announced that he was going to throw his support behind Pa Ndiaye shorty. But he has changed mind.
When asked whether his decision to support Lizzie was motivated by Pa Ndiaye’s lack of prospects to win the Banjul Mayoral seat, Jawo replied in the affirmative.
“ Based on the feedback from the people in the city, this is not possible. I have tried campaigning for Pa, but he is not the people’s person. This is important to Waa Banjulians,” Jawo told me.
The coastal town of Gunjur is in the grip of a crisis with the arrest of youths protesting against Chinese Environmental destruction.
Those arrested are Sulayman Bojang, Fanding Chanter Darboe, Buba Kombo Touray, Ebrima Camara and Lamin Jammeh a US citizen currently on vacation in The Gambia.
Lamin was allegedly picnicking at the beach when he was picked up.
It is not known where Lamin Jammeh and Fanding Chanter Darboe are being detained.
Gunjur has been locked in a long-running legal battle with Chinese-owned Golden Lead company over environmental destruction and disposal of toxic waste into the sea.
The company was first sued by National Environmental Agency for violation of Environmental laws, but the case was settled out of court in a secret deal.
GUNJUR, SOUTHERN GAMBIA—“All I know is that six people were arrested from Gunjur and brought over at the Brusubi station. Some of them have been charged with incitement of crime. As to what exactly happened, I am not exactly quite certain at this time,” Police Spokesman Superintendent David Kujabi told Freedom Newspaper. Mr. Kujabi was speaking on Sunday during an interview with this medium.
This followed, a peaceful protest organized by some environmentalists in Gunjur. The environmentalists have accused the Chinese Fishing Factory—Golden lead of polluting the environment.
Gambian environmentalists have been voicing their concern over Golden Lead’s environmental safety standards. The company has been accused of polluting the environment with toxic waste products. A charge strongly denied by Golden Lead.
On Sunday, police thwarted a planned protest spearheaded by some residents of Gunjur. The protesters were arrested outside the premises of Golden Lead. Among those arrested includes one Lamin Jammeh, a Gambian American. Mr. Jammeh was on vacation in the Gambia at the time of his arrest.
Police spokesman Kujabi has denied that the police are being used by the Barrow government to crackdown on civil liberties. He defended the recent arrest of the Gunjur environmental activists.
“We are carrying out our job in accordance with what we believe in is lawful. So, we don’t have no fear as to how we are carrying out our job. If we believe that these people have committed an offence, of any kind and we arrest them, what we will do is to investigate; if we have reason to keep them; we will keep them and take them to court; if we don’t have reason to then we will release them,” Kujabi remarked.
Kujabi wouldn’t comment after been asked as to whether the arrest of the Gambian environmental activists will send the signal that the Gambia is on the path to returning to another dictatorship. He maintains that the police were merely discharging their duties.
According to the police spokesman, it is not illegal under Gambian law for citizens to congregate or assemble peacefully to stage demonstration without permit, but he was quick to point out that incitement of crime or one being engage in criminal activity during such gatherings is prohibited by law.
Environmental activist Ahemed Manjang, a native of Gunjur, disagrees with spokesman Kujabi. He says his colleagues haven’t committed any crime to warrant their arrest. He also says the protesters had followed due process prior to them descending at the Chinese Fishing factory.
“They seek legal advice; they were told if the protest is a procession or you going to use a PA System—public address system, then you need a police permit; and even that they wrote to the police in case but they were never issued a permit; then they decided to take it this way; let write our banners and go and stand in front of Golden Lead and just display them, but they didn’t have the opportunity to display their banners. So, how can you charge those people with incitement of crime; I don’t get it,” Manjang said.
Gambia’s Information Minister Demba Ali Jawo, in a recent statement assured the public that the Chinese company did not pose any threat to the community of Gunjur. He says the National Environmental Agency (NEA), not only made sure that the plant properly treated waste before it was discharged into the sea, but it also took some samples of the treated waste to a Dakar based lab for testing. Jawo says the test results had shown that the treated waste was not toxic and therefore poses no environmental hazard either to the community or Gambia’s flora and fauna.
Environmentalist Ahmed Majang disagrees. He says Golden Lead is doing more harm than good to the community of Gunjur and the environment.
“This part of the Gambia is reserve for ecotourism. So, government, what were they thinking, when they gave license to this fish meal company. Fish mean companies is one thing that you cannot get rid of is the smell. One, if you go to their regulations; one of the number one regulations they should not be anywhere near open bodies; so, they destroyed the local tourism that sends lot of younger youths into unemployment; and you can see their frustrations,” he added.
Manjang has accused the Chinese fishing firm of killing Gambia’s ecotourism. He said the Gunjur beach is no longer habitable since the arrival of Golden Lead into the shores of the Coastal village. The sea has been infested with toxic waste products dumped to the sea by Golden Lead, he said.
Ebrima Colley is a healthcare worker and also a Freedom Radio Gambia commentator. Colley comments on the ramifications associated with industrial pollution in Sub-Saharan Africa.
“You go to other countries, where you had big factories, they had environmental issues; kids that are born in such environments, they have respiratory issues; asthma is on the rise in those areas; they have so many, many other issues; Gambia, they are not medically equipped to address those issues in the long term; why shouldn’t this Barrow administration consider it as a priority to make sure that whatever these people are doing—Golden lead; if they are exploiting us economically; let them not exploit us health wise,” Colley remarked.
Also disappointed with the Barrow government is Tukulorr Sey, a Gambian based in the United States. Ms. Sey has been a strong supporter of the Coalition government. She coordinated diasporan campaigns online in 2016, just to ensure that Adama Barrow was elected into office.
But Ms. Sey said the government she helped to get elected have failed her including many Gambians. She said the Barrow government has reduced them as liars, as this was not what she and many Gambians supporting the coalition had envisaged from the regime.
Ms. Sey thinks that President Barrow is ignorant or out of touch as far as the hazardous environmental disaster ramifications associated with the Chinese company is concerned. She wants the Barrow government to protect the interest of the country and her citizens than watching by allowing Golden Lead to endanger the lives of Gujurians.
According to Ms. Sey, President Barrow, once made an inspiring statement, when he said, he will not allow anyone to pollute Gambia’s environment. But she said Barrow has overtime went silent despite the recent environmental pollution allegations associated with Golden Lead.
She said they have conducted their own test of the Golden Lead pollutant waste being dumped in the sea at a German lab, and the results are shocking. She debunked Information Minister Jawo’s claims that Golden Lead poses no threat to the environment and the people of Gunjur.
Ms. Sey is a native of Gunjur. She told Freedom Radio Gambia that Golden Lead’s business contact person in the Gambia is Alhagie Conteh. She said Mr. Conteh is a relative of her.
Conteh is the former Managing Director of NAWEC. Ms. Sey said Conteh had contributed to President Barrow campaign prior to Barrow ascending into the presidency. She said Golden Lead is in the good books of Conteh, and Majority Leader Kebba Barrow of the United Democratic Party (UDP). Mr. Barrow is the UDP MP for Kombo South. He also allegedly benefited from Golden’s Lead cash to induce Gambian officials.
Both Tukulorr Sey and Ahmed Manjang said they do not have evidence to confirm that government officials in Barrow’s administration had been bribed by Golden Lead to ignore the plight of the people of Gunjur. But they said the government’s apparent refusal to do the right thing in the matter of the Golden Lead pollution case speaks volume.
They said Trade Minister Dr. Isatou Touray recently issued a directive authorizing Golden Lead to resume operations. Though, Touray had initially promised the people of Gunjur that she was going to serve as a neutral mediator in the Golden Lead pollution debacle.
Golden Lead has been operating in the Gambia since dictator Yahya Jammeh’s era. The company is engaged in fish processing and exportation.
Banjul, The Gambia–Reports reaching the Freedom Newspaper say Fatou Jaw Manneh, a Manager at QTV, has been fired with immediate effect. Ms. Manneh has been let go by the management of Gambai’s premier private television, according to sources. QTV is owned by Gambian business mogul Muhammed Jah.
Fatou Jaw Manneh returned home, following the fall of dictator Yahya Jammeh in the 2016 presidential election, which saw Adama Barrow as the winner. She was living in exile in the United States prior to her home return.
Ms. Manneh was hired to manage QTV. She is a former US Banker, and also a blogger.
The new network hasn’t made a major news coverage debut since it hits the newsstand earlier this year. This is evident on the appalling ratings of QTV. The QTV ratings hasn’t been very impressive lately. Even GRTS, the state owned media, has more viewers than QTV.
QTV relies on a Senegalese DS2TV relay channel to air its programs in the Gambia. Though, the network’s programming seems to be whacked, according to sources familiar with the story.
QTV is on its infant stage. The TV station needs experienced reporters and editors in order to stay relevant in Gambia’s news landscape.
Veteran Gambian broadcaster Ebou Waggeh was working under Fatou Jaw Manneh, when QTV first hits the newsstand. But Waggeh has since resigned from the network, according to sources.
Fatou Jaw Manneh could not be reached for comment.
BANJUL, THE GAMBIA—The police task-force assigned to investigate the stolen visa fees collected from a visiting Dutch tourist boat, have submitted its report to Gambia’s Interior Minister Ebrima Mballow, the Freedom Newspaper can authoritatively report. The report has recommended for the accused Immigration officers to be charged and arraigned before a court of law. Though, reliable sources have hinted about an ongoing efforts underway in some quarters to subvert justice.
Both Interior Minister Mballow and his PS Bulli Dibba were away from the country, attending an official function in Morocco. The duo landed at the Banjul international airport on Friday at 4:00 AM in the morning, on board Royal air Morocco from Casablanca. Mballow and Dibba didn’t report to work on Friday.
The police investigative report was handed to Mr. Mballow on Monday, according to sources. It is not clear what Mr. Mballow is going to do with the report.
One source of knowledge to the investigations said it is unusual for the police to hand over such reports to political appointees; such as Ebrima Mballow—given the likely possibilities of the case being compromised by the powers that be.
Charges are expected to be filed against the accused Immigration officers before the end of the week. Immigration Deputy DG Seedy Touray, was incriminated by officer Omar Badjie in his statement to the police. Badjie said he shared some part of the stolen money with some officers at the GID headquarters including Seedy Touray. A charge Touray denies.
It would be recalled that over D1.4 million dalasis was alegedly stolen by the Immigration officers stationed at the port and GID headquarters in Banjul. The money was shared among the officers including the shipping agent Mr. Faye.
In another development, Bulli Dibba visited his home village Selikeni on Friday, as soon as the Moroccan plane jetted in Banjul. He was in Selikeni to see a “spiritual guy” because he is apparently not happy with the revelations being made about him and his wife by this medium, our source claimed.
Mr. Dibba believes in marabout worshiping. He frequents Casamance in search of marabouts—dating back dictator Yahya Jammeh’s regime, our source added. Mr. Dibba also has a presidential ambition. He thinks that if Adou Boy Barrow can become a president why not him.
The same source also revealed that there is a female “media practitioner” colluding with Bulli Dibba in an attempt to spew propaganda messages to fool Gambian news consumers. Mr. Dibba has occasionally bragged before his colleagues that the said unnamed lady, is his personal friend, and has no doubt that the lady, would look out for him and the image of the Ministry.
Gambia, as you may know, following the spade of armed robberies in Farafenni, there has been desperate efforts being spearheaded by some propagandists claiming that the robbers have been arrested. So far, none of the alleged arrested robbers have been paraded or charged.
“Journalists should be wary of information coming from dishonest officials obsessed with cheap publicity stunt. As the saying goes: trust, but verify,” said our source.
DIPPA-KUNDA, KMC—Dippa-Kunda neighbors used to get along fine, until there was a breakaway within the United Democratic Party (UDP) over who should run as a Mayor for the party in the Kanifing Municipality. Supporters of Papa Njie and Talib Bensouda are having a go at each other in Dippa-Kunda. Supporters of Talib have accused Mr. Njie’s supporters of provocation, and in some occasions allegedly attacking Talib’s supporters in Dippa-Kunda. Papa Njie’s supporters have strongly denied such allegations.
With few days before the May 12th Mayoral elections, Dippa-Kunda is becoming a hostile neighborhood. People, who used to attend each other’s naming ceremonies, wedding, and funerals can hardly see each other eye to an eye today. Politics is tearing Dippa-Kunda residents apart.
Talib’s supporters have stormed social media bombarding wild allegations against Mr. Njie’s supporters. This is evident on the Whatsapp messages being shared among Gambians both at home and abroad. Some of the messages borders on national security. Talib’s supporters are threatening to take on their neighbors come election day.
The political chaos in Dippa-Kunda among Talib Bensouda and Papa Njie’s supporters is taking a tribal dimension. Both Talib and Mr. Njie should prevail on their supporters to keep the peace and stop the verbal and physical confrontation.
The tribal bigotry should also stop. Hate speech is also on the rise in Dippa-Kunda.
Conversely, we expect the Gambian intelligence to work with the police in ensuring that pre/post-election violence is thwarted in Dippa-Kunda. Tempers are flaring up in this onetime peaceful and friendly community called Dippa-Kunda.
Those circulating tribal bigotry messages on whatsapp should desist from such ungodly activities. Peace is not a commodity that is on sale at the market. Therefore, it is incumbent upon all Gambians—irrespective of party affiliation, tribe, creed, or religion to jealously safeguard our much-cherished peace. We rest our case.
CABINET APPROVES MTA LICENCE, RATIFICATION OF UN CONVENTION ON LAW OF THE SEA
The Cabinet of The Government of The Gambia, in a meeting chaired by the Vice President, May 10thapproved and supported unanimously a recommendation by the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) for the Ministry of Information and Communication Infrastructure to issue a content service provider (TV) licence for Muslim Television Ahmadiyya.
Cabinet also approved the ratification of the 1994 Agreement for the Implementation of Part XI of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. By becoming a party, The Gambia would join 150 countries that would have a say in the authorization of seabed exploration and mining.
A tax exemption was also approved for the construction and installation of 25 solar powered water supply systems in the five administrative regions of The Gambia. The US$3.4 million project is part of an MOU signed between the Government of The Gambia and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in April 2017 as part of the Ministry of Fisheries and Water Resources drive to providing potable water.
In a bid to curb inappropriate management of fishing practices which continue to endanger ecosystems, fish habitats and further diminish economic returns, cabinet endorsed the decision of the Ministry of Fisheries and Water Resources to acquire two fisheries inspection vessels.
Cabinet also discussed and approved for the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs to consider an offer of a price of 240,000 Euros by the West Africa Aero Services Sarl for two small airplanes belonging to the government of The Gambia.
For More Information:
Contact: Demba A. Jawo, Spokesperson of The Government of The Gambia
A total of 1900 questionnaires have been administered in the Kanifing Municipality in a survey conducted by students of UTG Research Methods and Contemporary Gambian Politics classes. Having commanded 38.4% of votes in the polls, the findings reveal that Talib Bensouda of UDP is the candidate who is likely to win the mayoral elections for the Kanifing Municipality. Papa Njie, an Independent candidate, emerged as the next contender in the polls with 16.4% of the votes; followed by Rambo of APRC with 13.9%; Bakary Badjie, an Independent candidate with 10.8%; Adama Bah of PDOIS with (8.5%); Geri Gara of GDC with 4.1%; Francis Gomez, an Independent candidate with 1.6%; then Modou Jenkings, an Independent candidate with 0.9%; while Bubacarr Senghore, an Independent Candidate with 0.4% received the least number of votes. However, 5.0% of the respondents declined to disclose their candidates.
In addition, 450 questionnaires were also administered in the City of Banjul with the following results. Having polled 22.7% of votes each, the findings reveal a tie between Lie Bah, the incumbent Mayor and an Independent Candidate, and Ebou Faye, contesting as an Independent candidate, as the candidates who are likely to win the mayoral elections for the City of Banjul. Rohey Lowe of UDP emerged as the next contender having received 16.7% of the votes; followed by Adama Kelepha, an Independent candidate with 14.4%; Lizzie, an Independent candidate with 13.8%; Paul Bass, an Independent candidate with 4.4%; Abdoulie Saine of APRC with 2.7%; then Pa Musa Njie of GDC with 1.6%; while Alhajie Jah, an Independent candidate with 0.9% received the least number of votes in the polls. However, 0.2% of the respondents declined to disclose their candidates.
FORWARDED BY DR. ISMAILA CEESAY
Editors note: The views expressed by the authors of this research do not represent the position of the Freedom Newspaper. Thanks for your attention.
The Youth Coordinator of the Sarahulleh community Basamba Haruna Drammeh Friday condemned the rhetoric of hate that some political parties supporters are trading on social media platforms. He reminded Gambians on the need to go by the rules during electoral competition as the country is enjoying a new democratic dispensation.
“Democracy is not supposed to be the tyranny of the majority. Minority rights need to be respected and protected,” Basamba H. Drammeh told reporters during a presser held at Sumpu Duhati, located along MDI road in Kanifing.
The Sarahulleh community youth leader’s remarks come in the wake of an audio tape targetting members of the said community in Dippakunda for allegedly supporting independent candidate for KMC mayorship Papa Momodou Njie. The tape has gone viral on social media, raising serious concerns from a good number of Gambians.
Drammeh said the socially toxic and hateful message by an avowed supporter of a political party against his community has prompted elders to consult within themselves, and condemn the message and the messenger in totality.
“We hereby call on the government of The Gambia -especially law enforcement officers – to commit to ensuring peace and security in the country,” he added.
He went further to call on members of the Sarahulleh community to keep the peace, and to be law-abiding all the time.
“We also urge the members of our community to never take the law into their own hands. Therefore all attacks should be immediately reported to the police and the Independent Electoral Commission,” he said.
United Democratic Party (UDP) National Assembly member for Kantora Hon.Billay G.Tunkara made it clear that his political organisation dissociates itself from any form of inflammatory political rhetoric.
“This is a concern for every Gambian, not only Sarahullehs as a tribe,” he told this reporter.
Though the hate speech offends directly Gambians morality, Tunkara seized the opportunity to add that the author is not a political figure in the party.
UDP Parliamentarian said the woman who authored the audio tape does not represent the party, and is not speaking on behalf of UDP.
He assured that UDP is not silent on the matter, and will take drastic measure against the person behind the audio tape.
Hon. Tunkara advised political parties supporters to accept dissenting views, saying it is a fundamental right for every citizen to choose which political party or candidate to support.
“Let us accept our diversity. Let us accept our dissenting opinions,” he said.
Police spokesperson David Kujabi expressed similar sentiments, ans warned Gambians to desist from promoting the rheoric of hate.
“Hate speech is not accepted by Gambians. We all belong toThe Gambia,” he stated.
He then added: “If we know the actual perpetrator of this audio, we are surely going to arrest her,” he warned.
Kujabi disclosed to this reporter that the Police already open investigation into the inflammatory audio tape.
“The Criminal Investigation Unit (CIU) is looking into the matter.”
Good leaders are trailblazers, making a path for others to follow. Great leaders, however, inspire their people to reach higher, dream bigger, and achieve greater. Perhaps the most important leadership skill you can develop is the ability to provide inspiration to your team.
These doctrines are dead at Gambia immigration department under the Bossmanship of Buba Sagnia(Zeal). Instead of him being a unifier, he is disintegrating the fabric of most of his officers to the extent of real threats such as confronting cadet Assistant Superintendent of immigration Omar T. Camara not to ever enter in procurement office headed by Commissioner Kujabie. He’s malaising C/ASI O.T Camara simply because Mr Camara captured something during a briefing which according to (Zeal) he should not have captured.
Secondly, Mr Camara’s letter to the President where he clearly stated that Buba Sagnia is a stumbling block to reforms at immigration department due to his inability to deliver and finally Mr Camara’s letter to President Barrow which caused State intelligence agency(SIS) to investigate him on those allegations.
Your people are your greatest resource; listen to their feedback and encourage their dreams. You never know where your next great idea will come from, so empower everyone up and down the corporate ladder to contribute and innovate within GID.
Those surrounding you DG Sagnia are not going to offer you tangible advice bcuz they know how intoxicated you are with that position and they feel the fear factor of reprisals if they are to tell you the missteps you have taken since you became DG Gambia immigration department.
The Buba Sagnia that everybody like is when you were just Assistant Superintendent of immigration at the passport office but not as the Buba Sagnia DG now. Power has changed you significantly that you can’t even make meaningful progress in that department and the bunches of nonentities and butt lickers around you are just pleasing your ego in return for favors for promotions, closeness and whiles some say you don’t know what you are doing.
According to Robin S. Sharma, ” Leadership is not about a title or a designation. A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way. Leadership is not about the next election, it’s about the next generation. Leadership is practiced not so much in words as in attitude and in actions.”
Therefore, Directors come and go but the office stays. The likes of Nia Ceesay, Abba Fabureh, Njie. Gassama, Jobarteh,Thamsir Jasseh, Musa Mboob, Sako Drammeh and Pa Abbabacarr Mboob have all been Directors of this noble institution but left and at no single time have they turned immigration Department into their family enterprise which you’re doing right now.
I watched one of your interviews with Check point(GRTS) chaired by my College Mate Abdul Aziz Sey. I was so embarrassed by your mere lack of expressing yourself to addressing the probing question and answer sessions pertaining to pertinent issues affecting Gambia immigration department. That interview was a tip of the iceberg and went a long way how incompetence you delivered and President Barrow should send home all “Education no far” Directors or retire them to avoid waste of tax payers money since these folks don’t have the decency to resign. (Not in Africa).
“It is better to lead from behind and to put others in front, especially when you celebrate victory when nice things occur. You take the front line when there is danger. Then people will appreciate your leadership.” —Nelson Mandela
C/ASI O.T Camara is not your enemy but he felt the people you surrounded yourself with needs to help you to succeed but they are doing the opposite. For instance, Chief Superintendent Essa Jawara is some empty mug that has nothing to offer to Gambia immigration department other than lies, deceit and making the institution not conducive for fine offices to work in. He neither express himself nor can he read or write but these are the folks given the highest ranks and opportunities within immigration today because he works for you at home and keep reporting officers to you as disloyal to your DG position.
“People ask the difference between a leader and a boss.The leader works in the open, and the boss in covert. The leader leads, and the boss drives.” Theodore Roosevelt. The officers at Gambia immigration department want you to be a leader but not a boss because right now as we speak you drove a lot of them away and it’s ruining your legacy. I’m saying all these to you because you know for a fact I don’t need anything from you as I’m already accomplished here in America thanks to Allah. Your officers have lost confidence in you and staff Morales are at its lowest ebbs. Only those around you think that you are doing great because of their selfishness.
“Leadership is not magnetic personality, that can just as well be a glib tongue. It is not ‘making friends and influencing people,’ that is flattery. Leadership is lifting a person’s vision to higher sights, the raising of a person’s performance to a higher standard, the building of a personality beyond its normal limitations.” –Peter F. Drucker.
Therefore, no single person should be marginalized in that department just because you felt what they wrote about you are bitter but yet the hard facts. All what C/ASI O.T Camara has highlighted in his letter “SILENCE BREAK OUT” has infact spoken for the silent majority of immigration officers. It will therefore be so foolish on your part to take it too personal or a form of direct attacks on you.
Attached herein are information, advice, Silence Break Out Part 1,2 and 3 respectively.
Thanks
Ensa A.B Ceesay
Ex- Cadet Inspector
Gambia immigration Department
USA
Editors note: The views expressed by the author do not represent the position of the Freedom Newspaper. Thanks for your attention.
…………………………………………………….
Kunkujang Keitaya
West coast Region
18th January 18, 2018
Director General
Immigration Department
21 OAU Boulevard Street
Banjul.
Dear Sir,
Advice
The government departments and institutions are governed by rules and regulations with making reference to the General Order.
Sir, I wrote to you highlighting some of challenges that I want address in connection to the cadet rotations. I took the right procedure in line with professionalism and integrity.
Confrontations to the extent of insulting is against the General Order and should not occur between the senior and junior officer. Commissioner operations am disciplined, trained and nurtured into the society. Rudeness is not part of my habit and I don’t know it. Pursue your interest the way you want it but I will tell confrontation and personal attack don’t fit in good management system. Director General should have the final say to the plights I forwarded. Rotate for what? When I worked at the borders and stations for more than four years
Officer Commanding Planning, I want you to note that you are not in competition with me. Am not you brother neither having sibling rivalry between us. Pursue your interest the way you want it and avoid me. I fixed and structured the planning unit and most importantly I drafted the Job Description for the first time ever in the immigration and standardized handing over template. If I should leave that office now there is something I can point at to say this is my product. What have you done in that unit? Where did you go during your cadet rotations? Only in refugee commission, Change your attitude. Don’t see you fellow and hate him. This is not a good habit of a Muslim.
Commissioner Banjul, it was not matter of getting money but this is something dealing with someone’s life, I have to protect it because my interest is in line with interest of the organization, capacity building.
Director Sir, I sensed something out of this and in this vein I am not going to observe the cadet rotations. The decision is yours.
Thanks.
Sign………………
Omar T. Camara
Immigration Department
CC; Operations, OC planning, commissioner Banjul, intelligence and O/C Permits and Aliens’ Card.
………………………………………
Kunkujang keitaya
West Coast Region
11TH January 2018
Director General
Gambia Immigration Department
21 OAU Boulevard Street
Banjul.
Dear Sir,
INFORMATION
With reference to the cadet rotations as you stated earlier on that no two cadets should be in the same office during rotations. I would like to refer you back to the period when I was the officer commanding Policy and Planning Unit when Cadet ASI Amat Sallah came to this unit on rotation then I was having induction training with newly transferred officers to Planning Unit. When it comes to strategic management and planning, We were only three officers ( Comm. Omar Badjie, Omar T.Camara and Seedy Njie) trained by ECOWAS for one month through ministry of Trade Industries and Regional integration, which was geared toward strengthening the planning processes in Government Departments.
With the new adjustment on the cadet rotations, once again, refer you to dates shown against my rotation schedule, I and Cadet ASI Amat sallah will be on the same place and on the period, this will be on01/06/18 to 01/09/18 in LRR.Revisit these dates to avoid confusion. What motivated or prompted my rotation I knew it and I should not be penalized for task I was assigned to do as the minute’s taker.
I am not in the same level with the other Cadet Officers, by length of service and work experience when it comes to immigration,am now jamming into 14 to 15years with five years work experience with the Bachelor’s degree. Most of them are yet to work for three years in the immigration department. I am too de-motivated. I will leave everything in the hands of Allah.
Thanks.
Sign……………
Omar T.Camara
………………………………
Gambia Immigration Department,
21 OAU Boulevard Street,
Banjul.
26th April 26, 2018.
Permanent Secretary
Ministry of Interior
168 Plaza
Bertil Harding Highway
Kotu
The silence Breakout Part 3
With reference to the above subject matter I write to remind you about unresolved case which was withdrawn from the office of the president. I could vividly remembered the letter dated 9th March 2018 from the office of the president which had given you green to go ahead in resolving this case. It is nearly two months nothing has done to resolve this case.
Permanent Secretary Interior, this case was thoroughly investigated by the State Intelligence Service (SIS) and the final report was submitted to the office of the president. It was a concluded case.
Yesterday 25/04/18, the Director General of the Gambia Immigration Department was labeling me as not legible officer of the Gambia Immigration Department and I should not be seeing in the offices of the Department. Director General, Permanent and the Secretary General where are my democratic and employment rights of the immigration department? All citizens have the rights to access the services of the Department much the legitimate employee of the department. He told me this in the presence of the Commissioner Finance and Procurement while I was solving some small problems.
Director General those senior officers who denied the Government of huge amount of revenue are the officers illegible in the offices of the GID and not the officer who is securing protection and fair play from the authorities. Your management has been fighting and denied me of any opportunity that comes to way by the grace of Allah. These whole issues started when the letter from Germany Government bearing my name as immigration liaison officer. GID cannot be managed and run on ties and family relations, it is a state department where all citizens who are employees have equal rights and fair treatment to realize their potentials.
Permanent secretary Mr Dibba, I please urge and beg you to refer this case back to the office of the president and we respect the investigation report from the State Intelligence Service as you don’t have time to resolve it. To avoid further attack by the Director General which may breed confrontations let’s respect the report of the S.I.S. This was an instruction from the SIS that I should report to my office as the investigation was going on.
I once again seek for the protection and fair play to the authorities.
Until I receive call or letter from the authorities I shall be sitting at home just to avoid confrontation with the Director General.
The struggle and fight for justice is difficult and hectic. As you yearn up to hold the principles of democracy and rule of law, may Allah easies the way to succeed in this endeavor.
Institutional reforms and restructuring are ideal to reflect and address some of administrative lapses and policies to enhance good governance and to rule according to the aspirations of the people of the Gambia.
Your Excellency, I must write to submit to your office the kind of Administration and management style of the Gambia Immigration Department. As good and concern citizen, I want to submit this silence break out to your office for the hygiene in the management of Immigration Department.
Sir, as you could recall, the main aim and objective of appointing the Deputy Director General from the UN Mission in Liberia was for the reform and restructuring of the Gambia Immigration Department.
Sir, you will be surprised to find out that the person you reinstated as the Director General of the Immigration and his “inner circulars” are the stumbling block for this task to be fruitful.
Any suggestions or inputs for reform and restructuring are rendered void and considered threats to their interests. Insubordinations by some senior officers of the members of “inner circulars” are many and when I captured these in the briefing minutes, I receive some kind of disciplinary actions as punishment that I should moved to CRR for rotations, of which I have not been part of it for two years why at this eleventh hour.
This is because I serve the same vision with the Deputy Director General of Immigration and I worked under him in the United Nations Mission in Liberia as immigration and Border security Advisor for two years building the capacities of the Liberia Immigration Department through training, mentoring and advisory sessions. I am not related to him, he is from Pirang and I am from Wurokang but have the same vision when it comes to immigration. Any officer closer to the deputy and have the same vision is seen as a threat to the Director and his “inner circulars”. This is not the best practice and it calls for redress. Let’s have professionalism in our management system.
Sir, I would like to tell the Director General that this is not helping the progress of the department we are failing the state and the people of the Gambia. Even promotions are based on ties and for those who will work for his interests and not for the interests of the organization. Could you imagine, I graduated from the university in 2013 up to date I cannot be paid the graduate salary. This is too discouraging. Suppression is too much. Decision makings are based on the consultation from the “inner circulars” and not with the Deputy Director General. This is not helping the immigration department.
My competence cannot be doubted. When I returned from the UN Mission and became officer in charge of Policy and Planning, I wrote the Job Description for the department starting from unit heads (commissioners) down to Border commanders and well articulated handing and taking over template as part of reform and restructuring activities. I have lot to offer to the GID in an enabling environment. These two documents were the first of its kind in the history of GID. Besides these, I represented the GID working with thematic working group on Human Rights, justice and security sector reforms in National Development Plan. Starting from the key intervention areas to the costing and monitoring and Evaluation were done by me. When it comes to strategic management I don’t fear anybody in the Gambia immigration department because I was part of those who were trained by ECOWAS through ministry of trade and regional integration which was aimed at strengthening planning processes in government departments.
I wrote several letters seeking for permission to complete my application processes with certain universities to pursue master’s program on Migration studies and other related areas but these were never considered. I sponsored myself at University of the Gambia without a single support from the GID. Looking for master’s degree approves to be a problem. Director General what are you planning for me? Every rule there is exceptional, am quite different from other cadets. Why should I go on rotation at eleventh hour? When I have not been part of the rotations for two years and when I was in charge of Policy and planning cadet Assistant Superintendent came to the unit on rotation, why you did not stopped that Cadet to come on rotation in the Planning Unit? This was because of the incident which happened during briefing, I should not face any consequence as the minute’s taker on this. I just captured what happened during briefing period.
With due respect Director General please this is not helping the department. We want to reform the Gambia Immigration Department please give us chance to go ahead. We made lot of sacrifices in Building the capacities of the Liberia immigration Service, why not the Gambia Reforms and restructuring must be no resistance.
It is too disheartening to notice that junior officers are being deducted for the land scheme of which they don’t know the future of it. During briefing this was discussed and we all agreed to do away with the land scheme. Some officers withdrew could not get their money and the deductions are still continuing. Letter was written to stop the deductions but Director General denied signing it simply because some of his inner circulars have vested interests in it. With due respect sir, this is not fine. I urge authorities to intervene, GID is perishing. Who will care for the plights of the junior officers?
I know with the publication of this letter, I may be recommended for demotion or dismissal from the PMO but I will wait for that patiently. I have my qualification as BA holder and skills. I shall leave everything the hand of Allah.
I wrote this between me and Allah.
With due respect Director General, what do you think we can solve these problems?
Thanks your excellence, permission to submit this silence break out.
Sign………………
C/ASI Omar T. Camara
Policy and Planning Unit
Gambia Immigration Department
Tel: 3535494/9992268.
Cc: Director General of Immigration
Cc: Secretary General and Head of Civil Servants
Cc: Permanent Secretary, MOI.
……………………………….
Kunkujang Keitaya,
West Coast Region,
06th February, 2018.
Office of the President,
H.E Mr. Adama Barrow,
State House
Banjul
Dear Sir,
Re: Silence Break Out 2
I acted professionally for us to treat each other fairly. I am not a hypocrite neither to be meddling between the two Generals of the Immigration. What prompted this Silence Break Out were;
Several confrontations and personal attack by the inner circulars on this cadet rotation matters. Why should it be like that, when most of them have been seen my correspondence.
The threatening remarks and insults, that I am an idiot, rude, foolish and I will live to regret what I am doing.
Why Director general should I be insulted and threatened on this matter? Sir, with due respect your inner circulars have gone far above the limits. That was why I decided to avail myself to the protection of the authorities, because your” inner circulars” are too powerful. And anything that I wrote in the Silence Break Out, I wrote it between me and Allah. Is Allah who will protect me throughout in this matter.
Besides, I was not copied with the reactions to silence break out by the ten men team which was selected by the Director General but I will tell them that I have all the evidences to produce before the authorities on all issues highlighted in the Silence Break Out. The members of the team that reacted to the Silence Break Out I senior all of them by length of service, and I have more qualifications than most of them. I wish I could lay my hand on the copy of their reactions to the Silence Break Out. Let us reform, it is time for us to reform and restructure our approaches in executing the statutory mandate of the immigration. No wonder, those were amongst the officers who were recently promoted by the Director General.
The kind of promotion board that sits and decides on promotions does not exist in any organization. It is just by the name. What the board agrees on will not be the final decision which will come out but that of the Inner Circulars and the Director General.
At last it has come to the notice of the author of the Silence Break Out that deductions on Allahtentu Land Scheme will be stopped at the end of this month. I thank and praise Allah for this, but the question remains, when are we going to be refunded with our monthly deductions? The Silence Break Out was precise and timely.
None of your team members would deny the fact that I have been a graduate since 2013. The insubordination which happened during senior management Briefing on the 04/12/2017 I have the copy of the adopted minutes of which they are victimizing me for as a minutes’ taker. There exist no policies or rules for victimization. It was the task I was assigned to do.
Director General, I would like to remind the team you constituted to conduct orderly room in order to charge me, I am above charge sheet and it has never happened anywhere in police services therefore immigration should not be the first to start it. It is not professional and it violates the ethics and codes of conduct of the police.
We have seen people who were dismissed unfairly by the former president but reinstated fairly by His Excellency President so therefore let us treat each other fairly. We are all Gambians and the Gambia can only be developed by us. Let us reform and restructure our operations and management. So therefore I call for hygiene in all aspects of our operations.
Thanks.
Sign……….
C/ASI Omar T.Camara
Policy and Planning Unit
GID.
Tel: 3535494/9992268
Cc; Secretary General and head of Civil Servants
Cc; Permanent Secretary MOI
Cc; Director General the Gambia Immigration Department
Lizzie Eunson, the Independent Mayoral Candidate for Banjul, has raised the alarm bell ahead of the undeclared results of Saturday’s polling by alleging electoral fraud and rigging. In a statement issued few minutes ago, Ms. Eunson, charged that her electoral box at the St. Joseph’s polling station was allegedly rigged.
“I have visited 18 polling booths. All the boxes are secured good. But When I visited St. Joseph High school, I found my box opened. And there is no single pebble (voting marble) in the box. So, there is fraud; there is election fraud. The IEC lady here is abusing me; very insulted; I am standing here; I have insisted that they must bring in a supervisor,” Ms. Eunson alleged.
Ms. Eunson is a former Banker. She resigned from her job and ran for Mayor in Banjul.
Also making similar electoral fraud charges is Ismaila Sarr of Team Luzzie. “ The box of Lizzie ST. Joseph’s high school opened and all pebbles missing. We are currently at the site. IEC, THIS IS OUTRAGEOUS,” said Mr. Sarr.
Reports of alleged voting buying was reported in Banjul. Those spewing the allegations have failed to adduce evidence to back up their allegations against one of the parties linked to the alleged malpractice.
The Independent Electoral Commission could not be reached for comment.
Rohey Lowe is the winner of the Banjul Mayoral elections. She defeated her opponents. She is yet to be declared as the winner by the Independent Electoral Commission. But exit polls projected her as the winner of the Banjul Mayoral elections.
Our colleague Seedy Ceesay said Ms. Lowe is indeed the winner of the Banjul Mayoral election. Ceesay said the UDP is likely going to sweep the polls in the length and breadth of the country. He said KMC will be won by Talib Bensouda.
In the meantime, the UDP candidate has been declared as the winner of the West Coast region.
Post-election violence has gripped the Kanifing Municipality. Supporters of the United Democratic Party—UDP and dictator Yahya Jammeh’s former ruling APRC supporters have gotten into a serious confrontation on Sunday. UDP supporters wearing the party’s yellow t shirts, could be seen throwing stones at the APRC supporters. The APRC supporters also in turn fought back.
The home of the APRC interim leader Fabakary Tombong Jatta came under attack late Saturday and Sunday evening. Armed paramilitary police used teargas to disperse the belligerent UDP supporters.
Traffic was completely brought to halt. The UDP supporters threw stones at the PIU officers deployed to keep the peace.
Serre-Kunda remains chaotic at this hour. Police are finding it hard to keep the UDP supporters off the streets.
The APRC supporters have accused the UDP supporters of orchestrating the violence.
In the meantime, the KMC remains tense. Tensions are mounting between the two political rival supporters.
It would be recalled that the UDP candidate Talib Bensouda won the KMC mayoral election. Mr. Bensouda in his victory speech called on his supporters to celebrate his victory in peace. He also promised to embark on a thank you visit to the people who voted for him.
Three personnel of the Gambia Armed Forces have been intercepted at the Mandinaba security checkpoint with cannabis sativa found in the pickup truck they were travelling with at the time of the police stop, the Freedom Newspaper can reveal. The soldiers were also armed with AK 47 rifles. Police also found several hundreds of bullet rounds in the soldiers vehicle.
The soldiers tried to resist arrest, when approached by the personnel of the National Drug Enforcement Agency (NDEA). They fought with the arresting officers. One of the soldiers was taken into custody, while the remaining two fled with the vehicle containing the cannabis, and ammunitions.
The two fleeing soldiers were intercepted in Brikama by the police. Though, one of them managed to escape, leaving his colleague behind.
The police then arrested the soldier, and impounded the vehicle containing the illegal drug substance and ammunition.
The two soldiers are currently helping the NDEA in their investigations. One of the arrested soldier, is a native of Nuimi Brending. He was sacked from the army during dictator Yahya Jammeh’s rule on drug trafficking related offences. The soldier was reinstated after the fall of Jammeh. Now, he has found himself in another drug trafficking case.
The accused soldiers were travelling from the Foni end, when the police stopped them at the Mandinaba security checkpoint. The arrested soldiers work at the Yundum barracks.
The army spokesman could not be reached for comment at press time.
A security source have confirmed the arrest of the two GAF soldiers. Our source said the other soldier is currently at large.
BANJUL, THE GAMBIA–The Gambia Police force has been instructed to investigate and arrest the perpetrators of the post Mayoral election violence, which occurred in the Kanifing Municipality, the Freedom Newspaper was told by Interior Minister Ebrima Mballow, during an interview on Monday.
“I have spoken to my IGP. I told him that let them try and identify the perpetrators and whoever is responsible would be brought to book,” Interior Minister Ebrima Mballow remarked. Mr. Mballow said the police would be meticulous in the way and manner it carries out its investigations in order to avoid picking up the wrong person.
“ The police will ensure that they get to the bottom of the incident. We are judiciously working into the investigations. It is an ongoing investigation; to be honest with you,” Mballow said.
“We will ensure that there is peace and stability in our country. The recent political fracas is rather unfortunate. It is rather disheartening. We will do everything in our means to maintain peace and security in this country,” Mballow added.
Mr. Mballow’s phone line wasn’t audible at the time of the interview. His line kept breaking. He told me, that his office is open to the media, and he is more than willing to grant us audience at any time.
Regarding the UDP/ APRC political fracas, Mballow assured that as far he is the country’s Interior Minister, all Gambians will be given equal treatment and protection under the law. He said no one will be prosecuted as long as the person hasn’t committed a crime.
KANIFING MUNICIPALITY (KMC)—The leader of the United Democratic Party Ousainou Darboe has accused Fabakary Tombong Jatta of instigating the recent political violence between his supporters and the APRC supporters. Mr. Darboe alleged that it was Mr. Jatta, who orchestrated the incident. “ I am going to hold Fabakary Tombong Jatta personally responsible for that as he was instigating such misbehavior,” Darboe told Star FM radio, during an interview.
Mr. Darboe said he will ensure that necessary remedial actions are taken against the agent provocateurs against his party supporters. He accused the APRC of provoking his supporters.
Mr. Darboe, who is Gambia’s Foreign Minister maintains that his supporters have the right to celebrate his party’s electoral victory.
“Our supporters have never interfered with APRC electoral victory celebrations. Never. The APRC has been celebrating their victories over years, and no UDP supporter has ever interfered with their celebrations,” Mr. Darboe added.
Mr. Darboe said he is on vacation. He denied using dictator Yahya Jammeh’s vehicle during the Mayoral campaign trail. He also denied using government vehicles to canvass for votes for the UDP elected Mayoral candidates.
Fabakary Tombong Jatta, the APRC interim Leader has denied Mr. Darboe’s allegations. Mr. Jatta alleged that he was trespassed by the UDP supporters, who allegedly threw stones at his home. He further alleged that the UDP supporters destroyed vehicle windshields and other properties belonging to his family.
“Leaders has to be honest and be dictated by their conscience. If Lawyer Ousainou Darboe goes to say that he blames the APRC because we don’t want them to celebrate… I have a right to be in my family compound,” Mr. Jatta remarked.
“It came to a stage, where they started stoning us to the compound; broke windows; broke vehicle windshields; some of our vehicles that were parked outside; even inside the compound, where we had my sister’s vehicle, the back screen and everything were broken; what is most surprising to us is that the police came up to the gate; our gate to throw teargas while we were in the compound,” he added.
Police spokesman David Kujabi has appealed for calm. He said the police will continue to maintain law and order.
“Given the political situation in this country, one would expect that with the plans put in place, to ensure that incidents of this nature don’t happen; it could possibly happen or has happened; and we as a police force, we will continue to work in partnership with all stakeholders irrespective of what political party, or background they may be; to ensure that peace and security is maintained in this country,” Kujabi told the Freedom Newspaper.
Superintendent Kujabi also called on Gambians to jealously safeguard the country’s much cherished peace. He notes that national development can only be achieved if there is peace and security.
“Trying to tear down each other and vandalize properties and go on committing crimes is not going to take the Gambia forward. We must realize and accept the fact that we are very backward compared to other countries; and unless we begin to see that it is the collective responsibility that we have to work towards the development of the Gambia irrespective of our differences,” Kujabi added.
Dictator Yahya Jammeh’s APRC has ruled the Gambia for twenty-three years. The party couldn’t win any seat in the Mayoral elections.
“ Gambians went for elections to vote for people who vied for positions of Mayor-ships as it happened in the weekend. If a winner has been announced by an IEC, that’s an indication of the general will of the general populace and that should be respected. What is important right now; is to forget about the political affiliation that we have and support whoever who is in position and work towards developing our country,” Spokesman Kujabi observed.
The APRC said it will not okay the results of the elections unless it finishes an investigation mounted by the party.
Fabakary Tombong Jatta, speaking during a news conference on Monday, has called for the resignation of the Chairman of the Independent Electoral Commission saying he has lost faith in Alieu Mamar Njie.
Mr. Jatta also vowed that the APRC under his leadership will no longer condone any provocation coming from the UDP. He said the party will resort to employing self defense to counter any violence coming from Ousainou Darboe’s party adding even if it means using force.
Gambia: Ex-President Tied to 2005 Murders of Ghanaian and Nigerian Migrants Ghanaian Groups Urge Prosecution of Yahya Jammeh
(Accra, May 16, 2018) – A paramilitary unit controlled by then-Gambian president Yahya Jammeh summarily executed more than 50 Ghanaian, Nigerian, and other West African migrants in July 2005, Human Rights Watch and TRIAL International said today.
Interviews with 30 former Gambian officials, including 11 officers directly involved in the incident, reveal that the migrants, who were bound for Europe but were suspected of being mercenaries intent on overthrowing Jammeh, were murdered after having been detained by Jammeh’s closest deputies in the army, navy, and police forces. The witnesses identified the “Junglers,” a notorious unit that took its orders directly from Jammeh, as those who carried out the killings.
“The West African migrants weren’t murdered by rogue elements, but by a paramilitary death squad taking orders from President Jammeh,” said Reed Brody, counsel at Human Rights Watch. “Jammeh’s subordinates then destroyed key evidence to prevent international investigators from learning the truth.”
Martin Kyere, the sole known Ghanaian survivor; the families of the disappeared; the family of Saul N’dow, another Ghanaian killed under Jammeh; and Ghanaian human rights organizations on May 16, 2018, called on the Ghanaian government to investigate the new evidence and potentially seek Jammeh’s extradition and prosecution in Ghana.
Jammeh’s 22-year rule was marked by widespread abuses, including forced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and arbitrary detention. He sought exile in Equatorial Guinea in January 2017 after losing the December 2016 presidential election to Adama Barrow.
The insiders interviewed by TRIAL International and Human Rights Watch include some of the highest-ranking security commanders in the Gambian government at the time, as well as several officials present at the arrest, detention, and transfer of the migrants, a Jungler who witnessed the killings, and two who participated in a subsequent cover-up. Another Jungler who witnessed the killings was interviewed on the radio.
They said that the migrants – including some 44 Ghanaians and several Nigerians – were arrested in July 2005 at a beach where they had landed, then transferred to the Gambian Naval Headquarters in Banjul, the capital. They were detained there in the presence of the inspector general of police, the director general of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), the chief of the defense staff, and the commander of the National Guards. At least two of them were in telephone contact with Jammeh during the operation. The head and several members of the paramilitary Junglers were also there.
The officials divided the migrants into groups and then turned them over to the Junglers. Over one week, the Junglers summarily executed them near Banjul and along the Senegal-Gambia border near Jammeh’s hometown of Kanilai.
Kyere was detained in a Banjul police station, then driven into the forest. In February 2018, he explained to Human Rights Watch and TRIAL International how he escaped, just before other migrants were apparently killed.
“We were in the back of a pickup truck,” he said. “One man complained that the wires binding us were too tight and a soldier with a cutlass sliced him on the shoulder, cutting his arm, which bled profusely. It was then that I thought, ‘We’re going to die.’ But as the truck went deeper into the forest, I was able to get my hands free. I jumped out from the pickup and started to run into the forest. The soldiers shot toward me but I was able to hide. I then heard shots from the pickup and the cry, in Twi [Ghanaian language], ‘God save us!’”
Kyere helped the Ghanaian authorities identify many of the dead and travelled around Ghana to locate their families and promote efforts to seek justice.
Despite measures in ensuing years by Ghana as well as the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the United Nations (UN) to investigate the case, no arrests have ever been made.
The Bulletin of the UN Department of Public Affairs said that an ECOWAS/UN report, never made public, concluded that the Gambian government was not “directly or indirectly complicit” in the deaths and disappearances but rather that “rogue elements” in Gambia’s security services “acting on their own” were probably responsible.
The new evidence makes clear, however, that those responsible for the killings were the Junglers, who were not rogue elements, but a disciplined unit operating under Jammeh.
In October 2017, Gambian and international rights groups, including Human Rights Watch, and TRIAL International, launched the “Campaign to Bring Yahya Jammeh and his Accomplices to Justice” (#Jammeh2Justice), which calls for prosecuting Jammeh and others who bear the greatest responsibility for his government’s crimes under international fair trial standards.
President Barrow of The Gambia hassuggestedthat he would seek Jammeh’s extradition from Equatorial Guineaif his prosecution was recommended by the country’s Truth Reconciliation and Reparations Commission, which is expected to begin work in the next few months with an initial two-year mandate. The government and international activists and academics have said that the political, institutional and security conditions do not yet exist in The Gambia for a fair trial of Yahya Jammeh which would contribute to Gambia’s stability.
President Teodoro Obiang of Equatorial Guinea said in January that he would “analyze [any extradition request] with [his] lawyers.” A week later, however, he said “we have to protect him [Jammeh], we have to respect him as a former African head of state, because that is what is going to ensure that the other heads of state of Africa who have to leave power do not fear for subsequent harassment.”
Ghanaian groups noted that the UN Convention against Torture, which Equatorial Guinea has ratified, requires a country in whose territory a torture suspect is found to refer the case for investigation or extradite that person.
“Our investigation has enabled us to get closer to the truth about this horrible massacre,” said Benedict De Moerloose, head of Criminal Law and Investigations for TRIAL International. “The time has now come to deliver justice for the victims and their families.”
For details about the killings and the accounts of those interviewed, please see below.
For more information, please contact: In Accra for Human Rights Watch, Reed Brody (English, French, Spanish, Portuguese): +1-917-388-6745; or+233 54 902 2806; or brodyr@hrw.org. Twitter: @reedbrody
In Accra for TRIAL International, Bénédict De Moerloose (English, French, Spanish): +41 79 192 37 44; orb.demoerloose@trialinternational.org; or media@trialinternational.org
In Banjul, for the Campaign to Bring Yahya Jammeh and his Accomplices to Justice, Marion Volkmann (English, French, German): +220 212 4243 or marionvolkmann@gmail.com
The July 2005 killings
On July 22, 2005, Gambian police forces arrested approximately 50-56 foreigners in Barra, a town facing Banjul on the opposite shore of the River Gambia. It is difficult to determine the numbers with certainty but it appears the group included about 44 Ghanaians, as many as ten Nigerians, two or three Ivoirians, two Senegalese, and one Togolese. The detained men and women, as well as one additional Gambian who was later arrested, were believed to have been killed in the ensuing week and buried near Banjul and Kanilai. The disfigured bodies of eight of the migrants were found in Brufut, on the outskirts of Banjul, on July 23, the day after their capture. No other bodies have been recovered.
Between March 2017 and May 2018, Human Rights Watch and TRIAL International interviewed 30 former Gambian security officials both inside and outside of Gambia, including 11 officers directly involved in the incident, as well as Kyere, the survivor, another Ghanaian who left the group shortly before the original arrest, the families of 15 of the Ghanaian victims, and two of the Ghanaian investigators. The organizations also translated a long radio interview with a former Jungler, Bai Lowe.
The migrants – including two women – had set off from a beach in Saly Mbour in Senegal in a hired motorized canoe hoping to meet up with a boat that would take them to Europe. They were unable to make contact with the boat, however, and landed in Barra, where they were arrested on July 22 – “Revolution Day” celebrating Jammeh’s 1994 coup. “They lined us up, pointing guns at us, and marched us to the Barra police,” Kyere said.
Several officials interviewed said that Gambian intelligence had previously received information regarding a planned coup by mercenaries and may have mistaken the migrants for these mercenaries.
Jammeh and his ministers, the chiefs of Gambia’s security forces, and civilian dignitaries were attending a festival at the July 22 Square in Banjul. Several witnesses said that inspector general of police, Ousman Sonko –who is currently detained in Switzerland on charges of crimes against humanity – was at the ceremony and received a phone call that foreigners had been apprehended. Officers who were there said that Jammeh was informed and he got up and left with his security detail for his nearby compound.
Witnesses said that Sonko asked the Navy to transfer the group by boat from Barra to the Naval Headquarters in Banjul. The naval boat Fatima I had to make two trips. Kyere, who was on the second crossing, observed when they were reunited at headquarters that most of those on the first trip had been beaten and stripped of their possessions. One commander said that at least two of the high-ranking officials at the headquarters, Sonko and the National Intelligence Agency director, Daba Marenah, called Jammeh from the Naval Headquarters.
The head and several members of the Junglers, an unofficial paramilitary unit of about 12 to 25 soldiers drawn from the State Guard, were also at the Naval Headquarters. The Junglers took their name from the fact that some members had received jungle survivor training. They were also known as the “Patrol Team” because their original duties included patrolling the Gambia-Senegal border around the presidential residence in Kanilai. The State Guards from which the Junglers were drawn played a key role in protecting Jammeh, and they received frequent and intense training, from Iran, Libya and Taiwan, among others. From their creation in 2003-2004 until Jammeh’s fall in 2017, the Junglers were implicated in serious human rights violations, including torture, sexual violence, enforced disappearances, and killings.
Throughout the Junglers’ existence, Jammeh was in regular communication, often daily, with its leader, who at the time of the migrant killings was Tumbul Tamba. One former Jungler said Tamba received direct operational orders from Jammeh and would then convene the Junglers to brief them on the operation and to communicate Jammeh’s orders. “The big man said to ‘finish them,’” was how Tamba would convey orders to kill, said theformer Jungler. “Tamba reported after every mission to the president.”
On July 23, the migrants were divided into groups and taken by buses to several locations around Banjul, including the Junglers’ unofficial headquarters, and several police stations and army barracks. Kyere said he was held at the Bundung Police Station. The police also arrested Lamin Tunkara, a Gambian who was working with the captain of the vessel which was to transport the migrants to Europe. Tunkara was later taken in the same pickup truck from which Kyere escaped into the forest. His family has never seen Tunkara again.
A first group of migrants was taken on July 23 from the Kanifing police station in two vehicles to Brufut, on the outskirts of Banjul. A former Jungler said that eight migrants were then executed by seven Junglers, assisted by several regular soldiers, with machetes, axes, knives, and sticks and left in the bushes near “Ghanatown” in Brufut. The migrants were handcuffed while they were slaughtered. A former police commissioner who arrived on the scene confirmed that the bodies had been badly beaten. “One had had his head smashed with something heavy…another had his face broken completely… [a third] had blood coming out of his ears, nose, eyes.” Two former Junglers said that the migrants were killed this way following a Jammeh directive issued after the 2004 murder of a journalist, Deyda Hydara, not to use guns in killings in Gambia. The discovery of eight dead bodies with cuts and trauma wounds was reported in the Gambian press.
Based on numerous accounts, two of the Ghanaian migrants in that first group escaped during this time and sought refuge in Ghanatown, but were turned over by local leaders to the police. They have not been heard from since.
The other migrants, probably about 45, were held for a longer period in several other places of detention around Banjul, apparently while further investigations were carried out. About a week later, various Junglers rounded them up and took them to the town of Kuloro, then took them in several pickup trucks and other vehicles toward Kanilai.
Just across Gambia’s southern border in the Casamance region of Senegal, in an operation overseen by Tamba, the Junglers’ head, two Junglers covered the heads of migrants in plastic and shot them. Since it was outside the Gambia, the Junglers could use their guns. These bodies were dumped in nearby wells, including one in an abandoned village in Senegal, and another near Jammeh’s compound in Kanilai. One of the Junglers involved told Human Rights Watch and TRIAL International that the wells were covered with stones. The area across the border had been used by the Junglers as a killing and dumping ground in at least two other cases.
Bai Lowe, one of the former Junglers, said in a radio interview:
Tumbul [head of the Junglers] said let the guys [the two Junglers] say, “We are going to kill you in the interest of our nation.” He said once the guys say that, then the boys are not responsible but The Gambia as a nation will be responsible…There are these old wells in the bush [in Senegal] belong to Fulas [a pastoralist ethnic group] where they fetch water for their cows. Two guys will just bring you to the well, execute you and throw you in the well. That is where I saw them use a pistol to kill…They will just put a plastic bag over your head, shoot you and throw you in the well…They killed up to 40 people.”
One of the migrants escaped at this point and was recaptured at Kankurang near Kanilai. According to Bai Lowe, the escapee was cut to death with a cutlass by another Jungler and his dismembered body was put in a plastic sack.
After these killings, Jammeh gave two bulls to the Naval Headquarters. A former inspector general of police who later investigated the case surmised to Human Rights Watch and TRIAL International that this was to thank the Navy for its “good work.”
Kyere said that he was loaded into the back of a white double-cabin pickup truck, along with seven other migrants. The truck went first on a highway, then on a dirt road and into a forest, where Kyere jumped from the truck. He spent days wandering in the forest before he came to a village in Senegal where he was given some food. From there, he went to the town of Bounkiling and reported the incident to the Senegalese gendarmerie.
He was treated at the local hospital and given money and travel papers so he could go to Dakar. There, he helped the Ghanaian embassy identify the people he had travelled with and who were believed to have been killed. Back in Ghana, he located many of the victims’ families and, together with the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI), campaigned for full accountability, organizing marches and demonstrations that kept the issue alive.
International Investigations and the Destruction of Evidence
The 2005 killings quickly became a source of tension between Ghana and Gambia, particularly after Gambian authorities refused to cooperate with several attempts by Ghana to investigate the matter. During an August 2005 visit to Gambia by a delegation led by the then-foreign minister – and now president, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the Gambian foreign minister suggested that the eight migrants whose bodies were found may have been victims of ritual murder. According to the Ghanaians, Jammeh “categorically denied any Gambian Government involvement.”
The Gambian government agreed that a Ghanaian investigative team could visit the country, which it did in March 2006, but, according to an excerpt of the unpublished Ghanaian report printed in a Ghanaian newspaper, “[t]he Ghana team’s attempt to meet with high-level Gambian officials whose functions were related to the subject matter of the team’s visit became entangled in layers of bureaucracy…and it became evidently clear the Gambians were not going to be faithful to their commitment to jointly investigate the subject matter.” By the time a joint ECOWAS/United Nations team was formed in 2008 to investigate the killings, the Gambian government had allegedly already taken steps to destroy evidence related to the case.
Three different sources stated that Essa Badjie, who was appointed inspector general of police in July 2008,destroyed the diary log of the Barra police station and made a new log and backdated it. Later, after Badjie was imprisoned following a falling out with Jammeh, he told a friend that Jammeh personally instructed him to forge the records.
Shortly before the ECOWAS/UN mission arrived in Gambia, Badjie and the crime management coordinator met several of the high-ranking officials who had been involved in the case in 2005 at Police Headquarters and warned them against saying anything that would incriminate the government.
“Badjie explained that ‘The Gambia belongs to all of us, we should not see The Gambia defamed or destroyed by anyone, we shall do our best for the country,’” one former senior military officer said. “[Badjie] told me an investigation team was coming to investigate the Ghanaians. He wanted [us] not to say anything that would jeopardize the country’s integrity.”
Another former senior military officer said: “The message was ‘remove incriminating evidence.’ They asked for the log book of the boat.” The two seized and destroyed the relevant sections of the naval log books.
In 2009, Gambia and Ghana signed a Memorandum of Understanding acknowledging that the Gambian government was not complicit in the killings but would make contributions to the families as a humanitarian gesture. Jammeh said that the findings “vindicated” his government. At the time, Ghana’s foreign minister, Alhaji Muhammad Mumuni, expressed skepticism about the findings, but accepted the report to bring closure to the families and restore relations between the two countries. Gambia paid US$500,000 in compensation to Ghana, which gave 10,000 Ghana cedis (roughly US$6,800 at 2009 rates) to each of the approximately 27 victim’s families. Six bodies were returned to Ghana. Human Rights Watch and TRIAL International have not been able to ascertain whether the transferred bodies were, in fact, those of the murdered Ghanaians.
In the Memorandum of Understanding following the report, “[b]oth Ghana and Gambia pledged to pursue through all available means the arrests and prosecution of all those involved in the deaths and disappearances of the Ghanaians and other ECOWAS nationals, especially those identified as culprits in the report.” No arrests have ever been made in connection with the case, however.
(Accra) – A paramilitary unit controlled by then-Gambian president Yahya Jammeh summarily executed more than 50 Ghanaian, Nigerian, and other West African migrants in July 2005, Human Rights Watch and TRIAL International said today.
Interviews with 30 former Gambian officials, including 11 officers directly involved in the incident, reveal that the migrants, who were bound for Europe but were suspected of being mercenaries intent on overthrowing Jammeh, were murdered after having been detained by Jammeh’s closest deputies in the army, navy, and police forces. The witnesses identified the “Junglers,” a notorious unit that took its orders directly from Jammeh, as those who carried out the killings.
“The West African migrants weren’t murdered by rogue elements, but by a paramilitary death squad taking orders from President Jammeh,” said Reed Brody, counsel at Human Rights Watch. “Jammeh’s subordinates then destroyed key evidence to prevent international investigators from learning the truth.”
Martin Kyere, the sole known Ghanaian survivor; the families of the disappeared; the family of Saul N’dow, another Ghanaian killed under Jammeh; and Ghanaian human rights organizations on May 16, 2018, called on the Ghanaian government to investigate the new evidence and potentially seek Jammeh’s extradition and prosecution in Ghana.
Jammeh’s 22-year rule was marked by widespread abuses, including forced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and arbitrary detention. He sought exile in Equatorial Guinea in January 2017 after losing the December 2016 presidential election to Adama Barrow.
The insiders interviewed by TRIAL International and Human Rights Watch include some of the highest-ranking security commanders in the Gambian government at the time, as well as several officials present at the arrest, detention, and transfer of the migrants, a Jungler who witnessed the killings, and two who participated in a subsequent cover-up. Another Jungler who witnessed the killings was interviewed on the radio.
They said that the migrants – including some 44 Ghanaians and several Nigerians – were arrested in July 2005 at a beach where they had landed, then transferred to the Gambian Naval Headquarters in Banjul, the capital. They were detained there in the presence of the inspector general of police, the director general of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), the chief of the defense staff, and the commander of the National Guards. At least two of them were in telephone contact with Jammeh during the operation. The head and several members of the paramilitary Junglers were also there.
The West African migrants weren’t murdered by rogue elements, but by a paramilitary death squad taking orders from President Jammeh.
Reed Brody
Senior Counsel
The officials divided the migrants into groups and then turned them over to the Junglers. Over one week, the Junglers summarily executed them near Banjul and along the Senegal-Gambia border near Jammeh’s hometown of Kanilai.
Kyere was detained in a Banjul police station, then driven into the forest. In February 2018, he explained to Human Rights Watch and TRIAL International how he escaped, just before other migrants were apparently killed.
“We were in the back of a pickup truck,” he said. “One man complained that the wires binding us were too tight and a soldier with a cutlass sliced him on the shoulder, cutting his arm, which bled profusely. It was then that I thought, ‘We’re going to die.’ But as the truck went deeper into the forest, I was able to get my hands free. I jumped out from the pickup and started to run into the forest. The soldiers shot toward me but I was able to hide. I then heard shots from the pickup and the cry, in Twi [Ghanaian language], ‘God save us!’”
Kyere helped the Ghanaian authorities identify many of the dead and travelled around Ghana to locate their families and promote efforts to seek justice.
Despite measures in ensuing years by Ghana as well as the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the United Nations (UN) to investigate the case, no arrests have ever been made.
The Bulletin of the UN Department of Public Affairs said that an ECOWAS/UN report, never made public, concluded that the Gambian government was not “directly or indirectly complicit” in the deaths and disappearances but rather that “rogue elements” in Gambia’s security services “acting on their own” were probably responsible.
The new evidence makes clear, however, that those responsible for the killings were the Junglers, who were not rogue elements, but a disciplined unit operating under Jammeh.
In October 2017, Gambian and international rights groups, including Human Rights Watch, and TRIAL International, launched the “Campaign to Bring Yahya Jammeh and his Accomplices to Justice” (#Jammeh2Justice), which calls for prosecuting Jammeh and others who bear the greatest responsibility for his government’s crimes under international fair trial standards.
President Barrow of The Gambia has suggested that he would seek Jammeh’s extradition from Equatorial Guinea if his prosecution was recommended by the country’s Truth Reconciliation and Reparations Commission, which is expected to begin work in the next few months with an initial two-year mandate. The government and international activists and academics have said that the political, institutional and security conditions do not yet exist in The Gambia for a fair trial of Yahya Jammeh which would contribute to Gambia’s stability.
President Teodoro Obiang of Equatorial Guinea said in January that he would “analyze [any extradition request] with [his] lawyers.” A week later, however, he said “we have to protect him [Jammeh], we have to respect him as a former African head of state, because that is what is going to ensure that the other heads of state of Africa who have to leave power do not fear for subsequent harassment.”
The family of Peter Mensah, missing in Gambia. Akumadan, Ghana, April 2018.
Ghanaian groups noted that the UN Convention against Torture, which Equatorial Guinea has ratified, requires a country in whose territory a torture suspect is found to refer the case for investigation or extradite that person.
“Our investigation has enabled us to get closer to the truth about this horrible massacre,” said Benedict De Moerloose, head of Criminal Law and Investigations for TRIAL International. “The time has now come to deliver justice for the victims and their families.”
For details about the killings and the accounts of those interviewed, please see below.
The July 2005 killings
On July 22, 2005, Gambian police forces arrested approximately 50-56 foreigners in Barra, a town facing Banjul on the opposite shore of the River Gambia. It is difficult to determine the numbers with certainty but it appears the group included about 44 Ghanaians, as many as ten Nigerians, two or three Ivoirians, two Senegalese, and one Togolese. The detained men and women, as well as one additional Gambian who was later arrested, were believed to have been killed in the ensuing week and buried near Banjul and Kanilai. The disfigured bodies of eight of the migrants were found in Brufut, on the outskirts of Banjul, on July 23, the day after their capture. No other bodies have been recovered.
Between March 2017 and May 2018, Human Rights Watch and TRIAL International interviewed 30 former Gambian security officials both inside and outside of Gambia, including 11 officers directly involved in the incident, as well as Kyere, the survivor, another Ghanaian who left the group shortly before the original arrest, the families of 15 of the Ghanaian victims, and two of the Ghanaian investigators. The organizations also translated a long radio interview with a former Jungler, Bai Lowe.
The migrants – including two women – had set off from a beach in Saly Mbour in Senegal in a hired motorized canoe hoping to meet up with a boat that would take them to Europe. They were unable to make contact with the boat, however, and landed in Barra, where they were arrested on July 22 – “Revolution Day” celebrating Jammeh’s 1994 coup. “They lined us up, pointing guns at us, and marched us to the Barra police,” Kyere said.
Several officials interviewed said that Gambian intelligence had previously received information regarding a planned coup by mercenaries and may have mistaken the migrants for these mercenaries.
Jammeh and his ministers, the chiefs of Gambia’s security forces, and civilian dignitaries were attending a festival at the July 22 Square in Banjul. Several witnesses said that inspector general of police, Ousman Sonko – who is currently detained in Switzerland on charges of crimes against humanity – was at the ceremony and received a phone call that foreigners had been apprehended. Officers who were there said that Jammeh was informed and he got up and left with his security detail for his nearby compound.
Witnesses said that Sonko asked the Navy to transfer the group by boat from Barra to the Naval Headquarters in Banjul. The naval boat Fatima I had to make two trips. Kyere, who was on the second crossing, observed when they were reunited at headquarters that most of those on the first trip had been beaten and stripped of their possessions. One commander said that at least two of the high-ranking officials at the headquarters, Sonko and the National Intelligence Agency director, Daba Marenah, called Jammeh from the Naval Headquarters.
The head and several members of the Junglers, an unofficial paramilitary unit of about 12 to 25 soldiers drawn from the State Guard, were also at the Naval Headquarters. The Junglers took their name from the fact that some members had received jungle survivor training. They were also known as the “Patrol Team” because their original duties included patrolling the Gambia-Senegal border around the presidential residence in Kanilai. The State Guards from which the Junglers were drawn played a key role in protecting Jammeh, and they received frequent and intense training, from Iran, Libya and Taiwan, among others. From their creation in 2003-2004 until Jammeh’s fall in 2017, the Junglers were implicated in serious human rights violations, including torture, sexual violence, enforced disappearances, and killings.
Throughout the Junglers’ existence, Jammeh was in regular communication, often daily, with its leader, who at the time of the migrant killings was Tumbul Tamba. One former Jungler said Tamba received direct operational orders from Jammeh and would then convene the Junglers to brief them on the operation and to communicate Jammeh’s orders. “The big man said to ‘finish them,’” was how Tamba would convey orders to kill, said the former Jungler. “Tamba reported after every mission to the president.”
On July 23, the migrants were divided into groups and taken by buses to several locations around Banjul, including the Junglers’ unofficial headquarters, and several police stations and army barracks. Kyere said he was held at the Bundung Police Station. The police also arrested Lamin Tunkara, a Gambian who was working with the captain of the vessel which was to transport the migrants to Europe. Tunkara was later taken in the same pickup truck from which Kyere escaped into the forest. His family has never seen Tunkara again.
A first group of migrants was taken on July 23 from the Kanifing police station in two vehicles to Brufut, on the outskirts of Banjul. A former Jungler said that eight migrants were then executed by seven Junglers, assisted by several regular soldiers, with machetes, axes, knives, and sticks and left in the bushes near “Ghanatown” in Brufut. The migrants were handcuffed while they were slaughtered. A former police commissioner who arrived on the scene confirmed that the bodies had been badly beaten. “One had had his head smashed with something heavy…another had his face broken completely… [a third] had blood coming out of his ears, nose, eyes.” Two former Junglers said that the migrants were killed this way following a Jammeh directive issued after the 2004 murder of a journalist, Deyda Hydara, not to use guns in killings in Gambia. The discovery of eight dead bodies with cuts and trauma wounds was reported in the Gambian press.
Based on numerous accounts, two of the Ghanaian migrants in that first group escaped during this time and sought refuge in Ghanatown, but were turned over by local leaders to the police. They have not been heard from since.
The other migrants, probably about 45, were held for a longer period in several other places of detention around Banjul, apparently while further investigations were carried out. About a week later, various Junglers rounded them up and took them to the town of Kuloro, then took them in several pickup trucks and other vehicles toward Kanilai.
Just across Gambia’s southern border in the Casamance region of Senegal, in an operation overseen by Tamba, the Junglers’ head, two Junglers covered the heads of migrants in plastic and shot them. Since it was outside the Gambia, the Junglers could use their guns. These bodies were dumped in nearby wells, including one in an abandoned village in Senegal, and another near Jammeh’s compound in Kanilai. One of the Junglers involved told Human Rights Watch and TRIAL International that the wells were covered with stones. The area across the border had been used by the Junglers as a killing and dumping ground in at least two other cases.
Bai Lowe, one of the former Junglers, said in a radio interview:
Tumbul [head of the Junglers] said let the guys [the two Junglers] say, “We are going to kill you in the interest of our nation.” He said once the guys say that, then the boys are not responsible but The Gambia as a nation will be responsible…There are these old wells in the bush [in Senegal] belong to Fulas [a pastoralist ethnic group] where they fetch water for their cows. Two guys will just bring you to the well, execute you and throw you in the well. That is where I saw them use a pistol to kill…They will just put a plastic bag over your head, shoot you and throw you in the well…They killed up to 40 people.”
One of the migrants escaped at this point and was recaptured at Kankurang near Kanilai. According to Bai Lowe, the escapee was cut to death with a cutlass by another Jungler and his dismembered body was put in a plastic sack.
After these killings, Jammeh gave two bulls to the Naval Headquarters. A former inspector general of police who later investigated the case surmised to Human Rights Watch and TRIAL International that this was to thank the Navy for its “good work.”
Kyere said that he was loaded into the back of a white double-cabin pickup truck, along with seven other migrants. The truck went first on a highway, then on a dirt road and into a forest, where Kyere jumped from the truck. He spent days wandering in the forest before he came to a village in Senegal where he was given some food. From there, he went to the town of Bounkiling and reported the incident to the Senegalese gendarmerie.
He was treated at the local hospital and given money and travel papers so he could go to Dakar. There, he helped the Ghanaian embassy identify the people he had travelled with and who were believed to have been killed. Back in Ghana, he located many of the victims’ families and, together with the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI), campaigned for full accountability, organizing marches and demonstrations that kept the issue alive.
International Investigations and the Destruction of Evidence
The 2005 killings quickly became a source of tension between Ghana and Gambia, particularly after Gambian authorities refused to cooperate with several attempts by Ghana to investigate the matter. During an August 2005 visit to Gambia by a delegation led by the then-foreign minister – and now president, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the Gambian foreign minister suggested that the eight migrants whose bodies were found may have been victims of ritual murder. According to the Ghanaians, Jammeh “categorically denied any Gambian Government involvement.”
The Gambian government agreed that a Ghanaian investigative team could visit the country, which it did in March 2006, but, according to an excerpt of the unpublished Ghanaian report printed in a Ghanaian newspaper, “[t]he Ghana team’s attempt to meet with high-level Gambian officials whose functions were related to the subject matter of the team’s visit became entangled in layers of bureaucracy…and it became evidently clear the Gambians were not going to be faithful to their commitment to jointly investigate the subject matter.” By the time a joint ECOWAS/United Nations team was formed in 2008 to investigate the killings, the Gambian government had allegedly already taken steps to destroy evidence related to the case.
Three different sources stated that Essa Badjie, who was appointed inspector general of police in July 2008, destroyed the diary log of the Barra police station and made a new log and backdated it. Later, after Badjie was imprisoned following a falling out with Jammeh, he told a friend that Jammeh personally instructed him to forge the records.
Shortly before the ECOWAS/UN mission arrived in Gambia, Badjie and the crime management coordinator met several of the high-ranking officials who had been involved in the case in 2005 at Police Headquarters and warned them against saying anything that would incriminate the government.
“Badjie explained that ‘The Gambia belongs to all of us, we should not see The Gambia defamed or destroyed by anyone, we shall do our best for the country,’” one former senior military officer said. “[Badjie] told me an investigation team was coming to investigate the Ghanaians. He wanted [us] not to say anything that would jeopardize the country’s integrity.”
Another former senior military officer said: “The message was ‘remove incriminating evidence.’ They asked for the log book of the boat.” The two seized and destroyed the relevant sections of the naval log books.
In 2009, Gambia and Ghana signed a Memorandum of Understanding acknowledging that the Gambian government was not complicit in the killings but would make contributions to the families as a humanitarian gesture. Jammeh said that the findings “vindicated” his government. At the time, Ghana’s foreign minister, Alhaji Muhammad Mumuni, expressed skepticism about the findings, but accepted the report to bring closure to the families and restore relations between the two countries. Gambia paid US$500,000 in compensation to Ghana, which gave 10,000 Ghana cedis (roughly US$6,800 at 2009 rates) to each of the approximately 27 victim’s families. Six bodies were returned to Ghana. Human Rights Watch and TRIAL International have not been able to ascertain whether the transferred bodies were, in fact, those of the murdered Ghanaians.
In the Memorandum of Understanding following the report, “[b]oth Ghana and Gambia pledged to pursue through all available means the arrests and prosecution of all those involved in the deaths and disappearances of the Ghanaians and other ECOWAS nationals, especially those identified as culprits in the report.” No arrests have ever been made in connection with the case, however.
Gambia’s Interior Minister Ebrima Mballow has been hospitalized, according to an Insider at the Ministry of Interior. Mr. Mballow is admitted at Afrimed, a private clinic, situated in Brusubi.
Mr. Mballow was complaining on Friday about not feeling well while at work. His health condition deteriorated over the weekend. He reportedly collapsed on Sunday, and was rushed to the Afrimed clinic. He is said to be suffering from high blood pressure.
“ Do you know that when you were interviewing Mballow on the phone, he was talking to you from his hospital bed? No wonder that is why the line was not clear when you called him. He is currently admitted at Afrimed next to the Brusubi roundabout; because he collapsed due to high blood pressure,” the insider said.
In another development, we just received information about the Immigration theft case. The police report was given to Yankuba Sonko, an adviser to the Interior Minister. Mr. Sonko has made his recommendations, but he couldn’t handover his recommendations to Minister Mballow due to Mballow’s recent ailing health. We shall update you momentarily on our findings. Stay tuned.
U.S. Treasury Sanctions a Top Hezbollah Financier and Representative to Iran
Latest Hezbollah sanctions part of broader U.S. effort to sideline terror-designated group
WASHINGTON—The U.S. Treasury Department on Thursday sanctioned a top Hezbollah financier and the group’s representative to Iran, citing what the department describes as their links to a drug-trafficking ring and oil-sale contracts to Gambia as multimillion-dollar funding channels for the Lebanese militia designated by the U.S. as a terror organization.
The designation of Mohammad Ibrahim Bazzi as one of Hezbollah’s top financiers and Abdallah Safi-Al-Din as the group’s representative to Tehran is part of a broader U.S. campaign to target Iran and sideline its regional proxies threatening U.S. interests and allies in the Middle East.
U.S. officials link the activities of the two directly to the head of Hezbollah, Hasan Nasrallah, who was blacklisted by the U.S. and several Gulf nations on Wednesday for his role as the supreme commander of the group’s military and security operations around the world.
The U.S. contends Hezbollah’s chief is aware of all of its financing operations, including those run by Mr. Safi-Al-Din, who is Mr. Nasrallah’s cousin, and Mr. Bazzi, an associate of the group’s leader. Mr. Safi-Al-Din, Treasury said, has served as Hezbollah’s key interlocutor to Iran on financial issues, including working bolster political and economic ties between Gambia and Tehran.
None of the three could immediately be reached for comment. A Hezbollah official declined to comment.
“This action highlights the duplicity and disgraceful conduct of Hezbollah and its Iranian backers,” Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in a statement. “Despite Nasrallah’s claims, Hezbollah uses financiers like Bazzi who are tied to drug dealers, and who launder money to fund terrorism.”
An official at Iran’s United Nations mission didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
The U.S. says Mr. Bazzi was able to win monopoly oil import contracts from Gambia’s former dictator, Yahya Jammeh, who was sanctioned by the U.S. last year for alleged gross human-rights abuses and pilfering state assets during his 22-year reign.
Mr. Bazzi, the Treasury said, used firms in Europe, Lebanon and Africa to sell the oil to Gambia, sending proceeds back to Hezbollah. The U.S. sanctioned those firms, including Belgium-based Global Trading Group NV and Lebanon-based Car Escort Services SAL Off Shore.
Calls for comment to Global Trading Group weren’t immediately answered or returned. Car Escort Services couldn’t immediately be reached for comment.
The import-export company, Treasury said, has business ties to Ayman Joumaa, a Lebanese man sanctioned by the U.S. in 2011 as a drug-trafficking kingpin who allegedly ran $200-million-a-month cocaine and money-laundering operation between South America and the Middle East.
Mr. Joumaa couldn’t immediately be reached, and his lawyer in Washington didn’t immediately return a request for comment. In a court filing challenging the U.S. Treasury’s decision to sanction him and the blocking of his assets, however, Mr. Joumaa said he isn’t engaged in narcotic trafficking activities.
Hezbollah, a political and military force in Lebanon, is considered an overseas terror threat by the U.S., particularly for playing a role in the Syrian civil war supporting President Bashar al-Assad alongside Russia and Iran and as a proxy for Tehran’s sanctioned Quds Force, the elite wing of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
The U.S. intelligence community’s latest assessment of world-wide threats reported that Hezbollah has increased its global terror activity in recent years to a level not seen since the 1990s.
The U.S. is in part trying to discredit the group as a political organization not only in its home country and the Middle East, but also in Europe, where some governments recognize its political activities as a separate, legitimate institution.
—Asa Fitch in Dubai and Nazih Osseiran in Beirut contributed to this article.
