A leading Gambian veteran politician Lamin Waa Juwara has renounced his support for President Adama Barrow, saying that Barrow is not only poorly educated, but totally unfit to steer the affairs of the impoverished West African nation. He also says Barrow has betrayed the wishes and aspirations of The Gambia people by becoming a dysfunctional liability President.  “I don’t support Barrow anymore and I don’t think that he knows what he wants, I think he has failed The Gambian people, I think this is the situation on the ground, yah,” Juwara told Freedom radio Gambia in an exclusive interview, which is to be aired later this afternoon on the prime time Leral show.

Quizzed as to why he renounced his support for Barrow, the Niamina Dankunku born political scientist remarked: “It is simple because Barrow is a failure. His level of commitment, his lack of knowledge and his understanding of the situation on the ground has failed him and this is what The Gambian people don’t want. He lacks the pedigree to run this country. We think that he is a failure because his level of commitment and his level of knowledge of the situation on the ground has failed him totally.”

Speaking from his Brikama residence, Juwara, widely known as “Mbarodi” said Gambians are increasingly dissatisfied with Barrow’s rule. He noted that Barrow hasn’t delivered his transitional promises and has overtime become a liability President.

“Well one has to be very honest. Things are not the way we want them; everybody feels that things are going very badly, and something should be done as quickly as possible to make sure that everything is in order. But I think with the coming election, that will be end of everything, this is a felling people have all over the country, that really the new government is not the way we think things should be going, so this is the situation now. Yes.”

When asked as to why Gambians were dissatisfied with Barrow’s rule, Juwara said: “They are dissatisfied because Barrow is not very much committed and not only committed, but I think he doesn’t know what is at stake and what should be done and I think that this feeling is very, very strong, people thinks that he is very slow the way he does thing and the way things are going, so people are not very satisfied, they are not satisfied at all.”

Juwara says Barrow hasn’t followed the footsteps of the late Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara, the founding father of Gambia’s independence. He praised the PPP rule under Sir Dawda’s leadership for running a credible and functional government.

“Our aspirations are that, the Gambia really, knowingly that was onetime under Jawara, and the way things were going on, are not going the way they should be doing and the commitment is not there, the knowledge is not there, everything is slow. Jawara was a great leader and he was highly committed and people like nothing less than Jawara’s commitment and the way he was doing things,” he said.

Juwara told Freedom radio Gambia that The Gambia’s transition has failed because of Barrow’s cluelessness as a leader. He said Barrow has departed from the reform process that he was voted to replace Jammeh. He wouldn’t disclose the reforms in question, but he merely attacked Barrow’s pedigree to run the state.

“The transitional set back is because Barrow’s commitment and his knowledge about the Executive does not exist and the lack of commitment has created a lot of problems,” he said.

Further quizzed as to what was responsible for Barrow’s failure, Juwara responded: “Barrow’s failure is lack of knowledge, that commitment doesn’t  exist,  Barrow does not exist as somebody who really knows what he wants for The Gambia and this has dissatisfied The Gambian people and that The Gambian people think that Barrow is the failure in many, many respect. This is the situation now in the country.”

Juwara said it would be wrong for anyone to blame the opposition United Democratic Party for Barrow’s failure as a leader of this country.

“I think so anybody would being on the ground here blame the UDP for Barrow’s failure. I think Barrow’s failure is his own weakness, because he lacks the commitment, he lacks the knowledge, he lacks the way things should be run the way Gambians are used to, this is what is happening now,” Juwara remarked.

Juwara has called on President Barrow to handover power after his current five years mandate. He warns that the upcoming 2021 Presidential election would be a litmus test for Barrow as Gambians wouldn’t reelect him in office if he decides to rerun.

For more on this story, tune into our prime time Leral show.

Written by Pa Nderry M’Bai

Email: panderrymbai@gmail.com

Tel: 919-749-6319

The post JUWARA JUMPS OFF FROM BARROW’S BUS: I DON’T SUPPORT BARROW ANYMORE; I DON’T THINK HE KNOWS WHAT HE IS DOING; BARROW HAS FAILED! appeared first on Freedom Newspaper.

Two prominent members of Gambia’s Army Veterans Association have accused Defense Minister Sheikh Omar Faye of circulating fake news on social media, Freedom Newspaper can report. The accusations followed reports in which Faye was quoted to have said that he was the main pioneer of the country’s Veterans Association. The disgraceful Defense Minister has off late been using his loved ones, friends, and the fake drive by media to spew lies against his perceived opponents, some of whom, he (Faye) has accused of trying to get him fired. Faye was also quoted as saying that he had created a Veterans office for Gambia’s Veterans, which is headed by one General Saikou Seckan.

The idle and useless “superkanja” Defense Minister, has been using one Dodou Njie, a former army private to market his discredited image. The functional illiterate Dodou Njie, has been making up stories just to make Omar Faye look good by falsely claiming that it was Omar Faye, who constituted the country’s Veterans Association.

Reacting to Faye and Njie’s false claims, former Army Regimental Sergeant Major (RSM) Baboucarr Jeng, an official of the Veterans Association said: “ First of all, I want to state that I am not speaking on behalf of the Veterans Association. What I am saying represents my own views. It is a blatant lie for Dodou Njie to claim that Defense Minister Omar Faye was the founder of the Veterans Association. It is also a fat lie for the Defense Minister Omar Faye to claim being the main founder of the Veterans Association. The Veterans Association was founded while Yahya Jammeh was in power. Omar Faye was working in Yahya Jammeh’s government then. We founded the Veterans Association. It has been legally registered in The Gambia. It was registered following the change of government.”

Speaking from his United Kingdom residence, RSM Jeng told Freedom Radio Gambia that his Association was never informed about the purported Veterans office that Mr. Faye had created for them at the Defense Ministry.

“This is news to us. Our membership hasn’t been informed about the said office that Omar Faye told Dodou Njie that he had created for us. Our Chairman retired army Captain Kambi is not aware of this office. We want to dissociate ourselves from Omar Faye’s cheap publicity stunt. How can he create a Veterans office without informing its members? That’s ridiculous,” Jeng lamented.

According to Jeng, the Defense Minister has been spreading a lot of lies and misinformation since his appointment to occupy that important office. He says Faye has been making up stories just to make himself look good.

“Omar Faye should concentrate on his job and stop spreading false information. He has an important job to do, given the alarming security challenges facing the country, unfortunately he only cares about himself. Not long ago, he lied to a Gambian media house, Star FM’s Nderry Touray, by falsely claiming that he was selected during a parade march by the late Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara, to head The Gambian Peacekeeping Force in Liberia. He said Sir Dawda had instructed Ndow Njie, the former Army Commander to select him as the force’s commander. That is a liar. It was a figment of Omar Faye’s own imagination. Sir Dawda wasn’t the type of leader, who would interfere into the operations of the army. Omar Faye has said so many untruthful things about his military career. Today is not the day for me to reality check him. You can schedule me for another day to tell Gambians what I know about the army,” said the seasoned former army instructor.

The Defense Minister was said to have deserted his men during the Liberian war back in 90s. He even fabricated a lie that he was sick and was subsequently airlifted from Liberia to Sierra Leone and later to Banjul.

Jeng has accused Faye of projecting a fake image to Gambians. He has called on Faye to be truthful and stop embellishing the truth. He added that Faye has been trafficking lies by using the vulnerable unsuspecting media.

“The Veteran Association is ours. All Gambian soldiers are invited to join the Association. Our leadership in Banjul had met with Faye when we newly registered the Association. If he has anything for the Association, I think he should engage us before communicating messages through a non-employee of the state Dodou Njie. We want to dissociate ourselves from the statements coming from Dodou Njie. Such views do not represent our Association,” Jeng said.

For his part Alhagie Joof, AKA Sir Jackal, has also debunked Dodou Njie’s lies.

Speaking from his home in Germany, Joof said: “Defense Minister Omar Faye should stop his pettiness.  He shouldn’t include us in his beef with Ebou Jallow and Pa Nderry M’Bai. Dodou Njie is his information carrier. He is using Dodou Njie to peddle lies. What Dodou Njie is peddling is a lie. Omar Faye is not the founder of the Veterans Association. I was among the founding fathers of the Veterans Association. Omar Faye was later invited to join the Association. He later withdrew his membership with the Association by deleting himself from our Whatsapp group. As we speak, Omar Faye is not a member of the Veterans Association,”

“With regards to the appointment of General Saikou Seckan as the Veterans’ rep, that is news to me. He is not representing us. We were never contacted; we receive no formal communication from the Defense Minister about Seckan. Omar Faye only phoned our Chairman Kambi either today or yesterday. I was told that he spoke to Kambi. Seckan is not a Veteran. He is an active serving member of the army. I just don’t get it. Omar Faye should stop playing around and do his job. Let him spare us from his nonsense,” Joof added.

Joof added that they will not allow Omar Faye to use their organization for political expediency. He says Faye has lately been engaged in social media fights.

“We do not want to be part of his online fights. He is using one of his relatives and Dodou Njie to market his image. Just for the record: It is a lie for Omar Faye to claim to be the founder of our Association. You can call RSM Jeng, he would confirm what I am telling you,” Joof remarked.

The post GAMBIA: BREAKING NEWS: VETERANS ASSOCIATION MEMBERS DEBUNKED DEFENSE MINISTER FAYE’S LIES: OMAR FAYE IS NOT THE FOUNDER OF THE VETERANS ASSOCIATION-EX RSM JENG AND SIR JACKAL BUST THE “SUPERKANJA” CONTINENTAL DEFENSE MINISTER LIAR! appeared first on Freedom Newspaper.

Magistrate Demba Senghore has recused himself from the case of Saja Juwara, an Assistant court registrar, who has been charged with hit and run accident. Senghore said the accused person had worked under him in the past and hence he couldn’t try him. Juwara’s case was subsequently transferred to the Banjul magistrates’ court. His case is yet to be assigned to a new magistrate.

It would be recalled that Saja Juwara, an Assistant Registrar at the Banjul magistrates court was recently involved in a hit and run accident in the Lower River Region. His case file was filed before the Mansakonko magistrates court, but magistrate Senghore reviewing his case said he the (magistrate) was conflicted—given his past relationship with the accused. Juwara used to work under him at the Basse magistrates court as a court clerk.

Saja Juwara’s fate is yet to be decided. If convicted, he risked getting fired and serve prison time.

Magistrate Senghore has been hailed for his principle stance by recusing himself from the case. He has acted professionally by refusing to hear Juwara’s case, one insider said.

The post GAMBIA: BREAKING NEWS: MAGISTRATE SENGHORE RECUSES HIMSELF FROM THE CASE OF A JUDICIAL OFFICIAL, ACCUSED OF HIT AND RUN ACCIDENT! appeared first on Freedom Newspaper.

The high-profile Barra Access Bank theft case has been transferred to the High Court in Banjul, Freedom Newspaper can reveal. This followed a request made by the prosecution for the case to be moved to Banjul for further prosecution. The prosecution did not give any reason as to why the case should be transferred to Banjul.

Representing his boss Commissioner Abdoulie Sanneh, prosecutor Kebba Ceesay submitted a request for the theft case of Sarjo Corr, and Momodou Juldeh Jallow to be transferred to Banjul. His request was granted by magistrate Ebou Sowe.

Meanwhile, the bail conditions for the duo: Corr and Jallow remained the same. In his ruling, magistrate Sowe has ordered Corr and Jallow to be reporting to the prosecution in Banjul from time to time.

It would be recalled the two bank managers were recently arrested in Dakar, Senegal, after been accusing of stealing seventeen millions of dalasis from Access Bank Barra branch. Corr and Jallow were busted at a Dakar motel, where they were found watching soccer match in their hotel room. They were subsequently transported to Banjul and charged.

The post GAMBIA: BREAKING NEWS:BARRA ACCESS BANK BRANCH D17 MILLION THEFT CASE TRANSFERRED TO THE HIGH COURT IN BANJUL appeared first on Freedom Newspaper.

Gambia’s Interior Minister Yankuba Sonko has dismissed accusations made by the Tourism Minister Hamat Bah, who recently accused The Gambia Immigration Department of profiling Fullanis and also denying them access to the National Identity Card (ID Card). Addressing reporters at a news conference that was meant to update Gambia’s National Security Reform Program, Sonko said the Immigration Department had been doing its job as legally required.

“The issuance of National ID Card, there are procedures that normally have to be adopted. One, you have to confirm that that person is a Gambian and the discretions lines in the desk officer of the Immigration whether sufficient evidence have been produced to confirm that person’s nationality. He has a discretion to refer them and in most of the cases, all the cases that we know so far are all referred, they direct them to obtain certain information and come back to the desk officer. Nobody is outrightly rejected so far, as far as I am concerned. Thank you,” Sonko remarked.

Sonko’s statement was in response to Tourism Minister Bah’s allegation against his Ministry. The police and GID fall under the Tourism Ministry.

Earlier on, the government spokesperson Ebrima Sankareh told reporters that Hamat Bah’s statement has nothing to with their press conference. He advised journalists to stick the main theme of the press conference.

But that never stopped reporters from raising Bah’s wild accusations at the GID.

Yankuba Sonko was Inspector General of police, when the police arrested the late Solo Sandeng and other UDP supporters and handed them to the NIA. Sandeng died in NIA custody because of the torture inflicted on him by Jammeh’s assassin team called the jungullars. Fatoumatta Jawara, Fatou Camara, Nogoi Njie and others were also tortured. Some of the women detainees claimed that they were sexually assaulted while under NIA custody.

The police were never charged for the death of Solo Sandeng. Only the NIA were charged. Their case is still pending in court.

The post GAMBIA: BREAKING NEWS: INTERIOR MINISTER COUNTERS TOURISM MINISTER BAH OVER HIS “FULLANI PROFILING” ACCUSATIONS AGAINST IMMIGRATION AGENTS! appeared first on Freedom Newspaper.

A land dispute violence at Bafuloto village, Kombo North, has left an army sergeant, a local village Kabilo head, and others critically injured, Freedom Newspaper can reveal. Army Sergeant Yoba Jallow had a broken leg during the violence. Jallow was talking to the media, when an angry mob led by one Alassan Camara, a Malian national, ran onto him. One of the youths stood on Jallow’s leg and broke it on the spot. Jallow’s house was also demolished by the violent youths.The incident happened on Sunday.

Alasana Camara and his thugs were armed with cutlasses and locally made guns when they stormed the village, executing what they called a demolition order on behalf of  the “Mano estate of Sam.”  Many homes were reportedly illegally demolished during that exercise. Camara and co do not have any court order to justify the demolitions, this medium was told.

The attackers were mainly foreigners from Mali.  They were led by Alasana Camara.

Past initial attempts to demolish the houses in that locality was greeted with resistance by the community. Soldier Yoba Jallow was at work, when he was informed that his house was among the demolished houses. He later visited the scene, where he found that part of his house was partially demolished. He then reported the incident to the Farato police station, where his statement was obtained by the officers on duty.

Few days later, the demolition team headed by this Malian guy Alasana Camara, showed up at the village and demolished soldier Jallow’s house to the ground. Other properties were also demolished to the ground.

While Jallow was talking to the media about what happened to his property, Camara and his mob accosted them. The mob were dressed in military outfits, some had cutlasses and other deadly traditional weapons with them. They then started throwing stones at the villagers. Soldier Jallow suffered a broken leg, the local village Kabilo head Alhagie Jobe, and pregnant woman one Jankey were also severely injured. Jobe was hit on the head with a stone. He was unconscious for hours. The injured villagers were hospitalized.

Councilor Alieu Darboe was the one, who facilitated the media presence in the village. He wanted soldier Jallow and the other villagers to recount their own side of the story.

No arrest has been made with regards to the Bafuloto incident. Alasana Camara and co accused persons have been walking scot free.

Camara and his men were said to have been hired to execute the illegal demolition of people’s properties. They have inflicted an untold harm and miseries to the villagers of Bafuloto. Some of the injured villagers are still coping with the various degrees of their injuries. Some of them were in critical condition at the time of their admission to the hospital.

The post Gambia: Breaking News: Bafuloto Land Demolition Dispute: ARMED MOB LED BY A MALIAN ASSAULTS ARMY SERGEANT HOMEOWNER, VILLAGE KABILO HEAD, AND PREGNANT WOMAN; SOLDIER’S LEG BROKEN, SEVERAL OTHERS CRITICALLY INJURED! appeared first on Freedom Newspaper.

A Gambian army corporal, who was falsely accused of possessing Gambian citizenship through false pretense and was subsequently dismissed from the force, following the change of government in December of 2016, has rebuffed claims made by the Government spokesman Ebrima G Sankareh, who recently told a news conference that (he) Omar Sarjo, the accused former soldier, has since left the country to return to his place of birth Casamance, Freedom Newspaper can report. Sankareh also cited an investigation that he said, was conducted by the state, and it was found out that Omar Sarjo, is the son of the MFDC rebel leader Salifu Sarjo. He added that Mr. Sarjo was henceforth dismissed from the force because of his false claims of being a Gambian citizen.

Sankareh doubled down on his claims during his usual Tuesday morning “coffee time” radio program  with Peter Gome’s West Coast radio. He says Omar Sarjo was sacked from the army because of his lack of papers to proof his Gambian citizenship. He added that the soldier had since left the country for Casamance.

Reacting to Sankareh’s allegations, Mr. Omar Sarjo told Freedom radio Gambia that Sankareh’s claims were the figment of his own imagination. He says the government spokesman’s claims were not only false, but totally unfounded.

“I am still in this country. I never travel to Casamance, as falsely claimed by Ebrima Sankareh. I am a born Gambian citizen. I was born and raised in Kabebkel, in the Kombos. Salifu Sarjo is not my father. I don’t know Salifu Sarjo. I have never seen Salifu Sarjo. I only saw Salifu Sarjo on television, when the Gambian government mediated for the release of the captured Senegalese soldiers, this was during Jammeh’s government. I have never met Salifu Sarjo in my life. How can I run to Casamance when I do not know the relatives, I have in Casamance? I have never been to Casamance since I was sacked from the army. I have always been in Kabebkel. I don’t know where Sankareh is getting his information from. Perhaps, he is referring to a different Omar Sarjo. I got a job. I now work at the Kunta Kinteh hotel as a security guard,” Mr. Sarjo said.

Omar Sarjo was a baby when he lost his mum and Dad. His late dad Alasana Sarjo and late mum Mariama Manneh are natives of Kabebkel village. He was raised by his stepdad Yusupha Sarjo after the death of his biological dad.

“I was a baby when my parents died. I cannot remember them. I had their pictures. I was told that my Dad first died, and my mum died later. My late parents are Gambians. I attended school in The Gambia. I dropped out of school from grade nine. My stepdad couldn’t pay for my tuition fee. I later enrolled into the army. I was posted to the Farafenni military base after my army training. I had spent ten years at the Farafenni army barracks. I was later transferred to the Yundum barracks in 2014. In total, I had served my country for 13 years,” Mr. Sarjo remarked.

Sarjo added that his sacking was orchestrated by the United Democratic party (UDP) militants, who used WhatsApp to smear his image by claiming that he is the son of the MFDC rebel leader Salifu Sarjo. He says his former boss CDS Masaneh Kinteh, was equally determined to purge the Jolla soldiers and officers in the army once he was hired as CDS by the onetime UDP majority led government. He says he was fired together with other Jolla army officers, following the change of government in 2017.

“I am a victim of blackmail. I am a victim of tribalism. They cooked up a lie that I am not a Gambian citizen when they are not more Gambian than me. I was detained at the Yudum barracks for three months after my sacking from the army. My case was investigated by the State Intelligence Services (SIS). They do not have proofs to ascertain their claims that I am not a Gambian. Their story was based on fake news that was trafficked by the UDP, and some section of the media. I once listened to Star FM and heard the late Sarjo Barrow, falsely reporting on air that I enrolled into the army in 1995. I was in my third grade in 1995. I was young at the time. He even communicated threats toward me, by saying that I should be killed. I was so worried. Everyone was talking about me. They have destroyed my image and reputation through the circulation of lies. I even feel embarrassed to walk along the streets. They are calling me a non-Gambian when I am a Gambian,” he added.

Mr. Sarjo has been charged by the Immigration Department for illegally possessing a Gambian citizenship. He is currently going to court with the state.

“They want to deport me to Casamance, Senegal, a country that I was not born. If I am deported, I would become a refugee in Senegal. I will be stateless person. I have relatives in Casamance, but I do not know them. I only been to Casamance in 2012, during our traditional circumcision. I left with other soldiers and police officers. I was there for one month. It was approved by the army. I haven’t been to Casamance since 2012. I don’t know Casamance. I don’t even know Foni. I am from Kombo,” he said.

Mr. Sarjo’s passport and other travel documents have been seized by the state. He cannot travel at this time.

“When they fired me from the army, a relative of mine wanted to help me to travel to Europe. I applied to renew my passport and was told by the Immigration to get an Alkalo’s attestation letter. I was issued with an attestation by Timonthy Sarjo, the Alkalo of our village. Timonthy is my brother. My application was declined, even though I had provided the relevant documents that I was asked to produce. They later accused me of obtaining a Gambian national document through fraudulent means,” he said.

Omar Sarjo, 38 years of age, said his former commander Colonel Sait Njie wasn’t even convinced when he was marched to Njie’s office on the allegations that he is not a Gambian national. He added that Njie later asked him to go about his business. He says he had worked with Colonel Njie and Samba Baldeh, the former Yundum barracks commander.

According Mr. Sarjo, President Barrow, has been misled by the people around him. He says it was wrong for the former CDS Masaneh Kinteh to target the minority Jolla officers in the army for purging.

“Masaneh Kinteh had an agenda when he was rehired to head the army. He targeted us the Jollas. No Mandinka was sacked. The majority of the soldiers and officers sacked were Jollas. I think President Barrow has been misled. He should look into our case. We are victims of tribalism. We are sacked because of our ethnicity. Interestingly, Yahya Jammeh didn’t know me, he cannot recognize me, I have never been to the State House. I am not related to Jammeh. Jammeh has never given me money or property. If Salifu Sarjo was my father, as falsely claimed, do you think I would be posted at Farafenni? I have been to Kanilai only once. We were taken there to work on Jammeh’s farm. We returned to Farafenni, the same day. The allegations that I am Salifu Sarjo’s son is a blatant lie,” he added.

Sarjo’s story has left some Freedom radio Gambia listeners crying. They couldn’t believe that an orphan like Omar Sarjo, would be treated in such an inhumane manner—given the 13 years services that he had served his country. Sarjo says he has never tortured or killed any Gambian during Jammeh’s rule. He also says he was never part of Jammeh’s assassin squad called the jungullars.

“I had faithfully, honestly and sincerely serve my country for 13 good years. I joined the army as a school dropped out. I have no other country that I know of other than The Gambia. I was born and raised in this country. It would be sad if they should deport me to Casamance. I have endured enough pain, exposure, nightmares, and embarrassment since my unlawful sacking. As we speak, I am struggling to put food on the table for my family. I had two kids and a wife to look after. I have no Gambian papers to be able to receive wired money in my name. If anyone should help me, it should be sent through my wife’s name. I had no papers to use to identify myself in my own country,” Sarjo sadly narrated.

Some Freedom radio listeners have expressed interest in extending financial help to Mr. Sarjo. Sarjo said he could be reached by phone at this number: +2207664063.

Sarjo has also called on President Barrow to use his good office to make an end to such an abuse of authority. He says he should be left alone since he had been kicked out from the army without genuine legal reason.

Written by Pa Nderry M’Bai

Email: panderrymbai@gmail.com

Tel: 919-749-6319

The post Gambia: Breaking News: Omar Sarjo calls out Gov’t Spokesman Sanks for circulating “lies and fake news” against him: “I am a Gambian, I haven’t left the country, Salifu Sarjo is not my father,” As Sarjo rebuffs Sankareh’s false claims that he traveled to Casamance after been sacked from the army! appeared first on Freedom Newspaper.

If money can make parties to win an election, then the National People’s Party (NPP) is going to win the Niamina West Constituency byelection, Freedom Newspaper can report. The NPP is expecting a huge amount of money from Congo Brazzaville this weekend, we are talking about millions of dalasis that would be used to foot the party’s Niamina West campaign. The poor Niamina voters cannot resist such millions.

The Congo millions would be wired via Senegal, and someone (name withheld) from the NPP would travel by land to collect the funds. The NPP is avoiding the Gambian banks. They do not want any paper trail. They do not want bankers to tell on them.

A Sarahule billionaire is funding the NPP. He is into diamond trade among other business practices.  He owns a telecommunication firm in Congo. The Sarahule man is a native of Gambisara, in the Upper River Region.

This was the anonymous donor, who donated 57 pickup trucks to the members of the National Assembly, through President Barrow. The same donor bought cars and motorbikes for the NPP.

Unless he rescinds his plans, he would wire money from Congo this coming Saturday to Dakar, Senegal. His son is handling the wire transfer.

Banjul has been informed about the pending wire transfer that is expected to arrive on Saturday in Dakar. The Barrow camp are excited. They are eagerly waiting to receive the millions.

It would be recalled that President Barrow visited Congo in 2017, shortly after assuming office. His visit followed an invitation he received from the Sarahule billionaire.

Niamina West elections

There is a crack within the GDC party. One of their aspiring candidates, who couldn’t win the nomination process, has joined the NPP. That aspirant has been selected as the NPP flagbearer. He is being backed by some elders and youths of that locality. The young flourishing NPP also got his candidate’s back.

Niamina West was a GDC and NRP strongholds in the past 2017 National Assembly elections. The late GDC candidate Demba Sowe had captured 55% of the total vote cast, while Malick Sowe of the NRP had 45 percent of the votes.

If we are not mistaken, the UDP hasn’t sponsored a candidate in Niamina West in the past elections. They had a candidate in Niamina Dankunk but couldn’t win. The NRP won that seat.

Campaigns

The NPP is going to hit the campaign trail soon in Niamina West. The party would use money to appease the voters. Niamina born top civil servants are also going to take part in the campaign. Cabinet ministers are also going to campaign for the party. Hamat Bah and his team would soon hit the trail. Barrow’s advisers are also going to take part in the campaign.

NPP has no cash problems during the upcoming campaign. Part of their plan is to experiment the politics of money during this race. If the party succeeds in wining that important Niamina West seat, then there is positive future for President Barrow’s reelection bid for 2021. Equally, if the party loses that seat, then Barrow’s future reelection bid is bleak.

There is pressure on Barrow’s campaign team. They have been tasked to deliver. The Sarahule NPP funder wouldn’t be happy if the NPP loses. He has invested heavily on this new party.

The Sarahuleman had spent decades in Congo. He wants to return home and invest if Barrow wins the 2021 elections.

                    UDP supporting GDC

The Niaminas are not UDP strongholds. As reported above, the Niamina West, East and Niamina Dankunku constituencies are GDC and NRP strongholds. UDP couldn’t win any seat in the past elections in those constituencies. In fact, the UDP doesn’t have a candidate in Niamina West in the 2017 elections. The party had candidates in Niamina Dankunku and Niamina East but couldn’t win any of those seats.

Tribal voting exists in The Gambia. The Niaminas are Fullani predominant localities.

The post Gambia: Breaking News: State Secret: Can the Congo millions make the NPP win the Niamina West Byelection? appeared first on Freedom Newspaper.

The Chief of Defense Staff of Gambia’s armed forces Major General Yankuba Drammeh was born in the West African nation of Sierra Leone, where he attended his primary and high school education, reliable family sources have intimated to the Freedom Newspaper. This followed questions raised on Freedom radio Gambia’s widely listened to Civic Education show, in which callers wanted to know where the soft-spoken and pious army chief was born.  Close family members and neighbors of the Army General, never wasted time in furnishing us with information about Yankuba’s place of birth, parental background among other interesting revelations. Our sources, who wished to remain anonymous said Yankuba Drammeh and his other siblings were all born in Freetown, Sierra Leone, where they attended primary and high school education before returning to The Gambia.

Yankuba Drammeh’s late Dad Abdul Drammeh, a native of Bwiam Kankuntu, was a diamond dealer in Freetown decades ago. He traveled to Sierra Leone with Yankumba’s mum Asombi Badjie, to mine diamonds. Madam Asombi is alive.

Yankuba Drammeh returned to The Gambia after finishing his sixth form in Sierra Leone. He later enrolled into The Gambia National Army.

Major General Drammeh’s late father is a Mandinka, while his mum is a Jolla. He drives his Gambian citizenship through his parents, but he was never born in this country.

Given General Drammeh’s foreign birth status, any sane mine wouldn’t expect him to be associated with any nefarious scheme that would be geared towards purging or alienating the minority Jolla soldiers and officers in The Gambia armed forces. But sadly, Drammeh has unwittingly become an accomplish.

Drammeh was CDS Masaneh Kinteh’s Deputy, when that foolish and corrupt Kinteh and his tribal gang conspired to falsely accuse soldier Omar Sarjo of being a non-Gambian. They did not stop at questioning Mr. Sarjo’s citizenship, they also lied that he is the son of Salifu Sarjo, the MFDC rebel leader.

Drammeh never distance himself from that lie. He tolerated it. Now the poor young Omar Sarjo is at the risk of being deported to Casamance, Senegal, a country that he was never born from.

Drammeh being a foreign birth, knows that there are many non-Gambians enrolled into the army. Senegalese kids living along the border had enrolled into Gambian schools and later secured employment in the Civil Service, and the army. One of them was the late army Chief Vincent Jatta. Jatta was born in a neighboring Casamance village called Mahamuda. How about officer Salifu Corr? Salifu himself told Freedom radio Gambia during the 2016 political impasse that he was born in Senegal, but he attended schooling in The Gambia. He was born outside Karang. He later enlisted into the army  and years later became an officer. He is still serving in the army.

The so-called security reform is a big joke, as rightly alluded by one army officer. Instead of investing in young soldiers and officers, you are bringing in aging officers, who should have been retired by now. What a disservice?

The National Security Adviser Momodou Badjie had strong ties with Casamance, Senegal. Please stop the witch hunting and reinstate the sacked Jolla soldiers and officers. None of the fired soldiers and officers had blood in their hands, but if you visit the NIA, the police, and GAF, you will find security agents, whose hands are stain with blood still serving. We rest our case.

The post Gambia: Breaking News: CDS Drammeh was born In Sierra Leone! appeared first on Freedom Newspaper.

Retired Army Major Kebba Gibba is our guest in our prime-time Sunday Leral show. Major Gibba was the head of military intelligence prior to the December 2^nd, 2016 change of government. He was prematurely retired from the force in 2017, together with his fellow Jolla officers. Sadly, there was no justified reason advanced for their premature retirement besides a fabricated intelligence report that was jointly authored by Captain Alhagie Camara and Lieutenant Modou Wally, accusing Gibba and co of being loyal to the exiled former Gambian President Yahya Jammeh. The report also accused the retired Jolla officers of plotting to unseat the then newly elected Coalition government. However, due to the absurdity and frivolousness of the allegations were, the army command then under the leadership of Masanneh Kinteh decided to retire the Jolla officers. Two officers from the Fullani tribe were also retired. No Mandinka officer was retired.  

The disgraced corrupt former Army Chief of Defense Staff Masaneh Kinteh orchestrated the removal of the Jolla officers. Kinteh’s decision to retire the Jolla officers was motivated by Captain Camara, and Lieutenant Wally’s so-called intel report on the profiled Jolla officers.

Gibba had filed a complaint with the Ombudsman for his unfair and illegal retirement, but the Ombudsman said since his removal was an “Executive Directive” her office couldn’t adjudicate the matter. His past petition to the Barrow government to have him reinstated also failed. Now, his hope of getting justice has dashed away.

Mr. Gibba is a graduate of the University of The Gambia (UTG). He had studied in Ghana. Gibba is a national security analyst. He is currently employed as a security manager at the University of The Gambia (UTG). He had worked at the UTG’s school of business and public administration before his current position at the university. He is currently pursuing his master’s degree in public administration  at the UTG.

Mr. Gibba is going to talk about his premature retirement from the force, the December 30^th failed coup, the 2016 political impasse, the failed security reform, among other topical issues. Stay tuned.

Below is Major Gibba’s petition letter asking for his reinstatement. 

   New Yundum Village 

    Kombo North District

   West Coast Region

    18th August, 2020

                          +220-3403025

Sir,

My Discharged from the Gambia Armed Forces

My names are Kebba Gibba. I was born and raised in New Yundum in the West Coast Region. I joined the Gambia Armed Forces in September 2002 as a soldier. I received my commission in June, 2014 after completing my undergraduate degree and again got promoted to the rank of Major upon completion of my Master’s degree in Ghana in November 2016.Currently I am pursuing a Master’s of Science degree in Public Administration at the University of the Gambia.

This petition is intended to bring to the attention of the National Assembly Select Committee on Defence and Security about my premature and surprising discharged from the Gambia Armed Forces. In October 2017, I shockingly received a letter referenced DHQ/219/A dated 6th October, 2017 intimating me of my discharge from the GAF with immediate effect. The decision to discharge me from service was said to have been instructed by the President and Commander-in- Chief of the Gambia Armed Forces. Having never in the entire career of my military service been queried or disciplined for offence or perceived offence. I was of the opinion that such action or judgment by the Defence Headquarters could have been influenced by malice and hatred. It is common knowledge and best practice that an officer commissioned in the Gambia Armed Forces or most militaries with proven questionable morale character and sincerity is investigated and sanctioned in accordance with the outcome of the investigation conducted against such person. As I said no investigation had ever been carried out against me throughout my 15 years of military career. It was therefore ironical that Defence Headquarters at the level of the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), despite the fact they do not hold direct authority to sign my discharged letter, did so without any reason. 

On the basis of the aforementioned and my feeling that such an action was unjust, malicious and a move well calculated to get me out of GAF on personal interest. I petitioned the Office of the CDS GAF through the Office of the Ombudsman for redressand the Ombudsman report highlighted its limits to conduct any investigations where an investigations to be carried involves the Office of the President.

Following receipt of the report from the Office of the Ombudsman, I again submitted another petition to the Secretary General and Head of the Civil Service through the Ministry of Defence for redress in the month of February, 2020. The Office of the SG directed the Ministry of Defence to request from the Defence Headquarters a substantial explanation on the matter regarding my discharged. (See attached the response letter from the SG’s Office to the Ministry of Defence). However to my astonishment, I came across a document with my address which I believed originated from the Ministry of Defence to the Secretary General and Head of Civil Service with very flimsy but serious allegations (all false and fabrications) explanations of been reasons for my discharge. I consider such reasons as serious accusations and personal attack and of course defamation on my integrity and national pride which haspotentially dented my professional conduct, communal respect and self-esteem. 

In fact I must confess that I felt very disappointed with the statement and reasons for my discharged according to the letter from the Ministry of Defence because it contained total false and contrary to the original version in the letter of my dischargesigned and dated 6th October, 2017 by the former CDS, Lieutenant General Massaneh Kinteh.

It could be instructive to kindly inform you the letter alleged to have been instructed by His Excellency the President and Commander-In-Chief of the Gambia Armed Forces made reference to Section 12 (C) of the Gambia Armed Forces Act of 1985: “The power to dismiss a member of the Armed Forces or to order a member of the Armed Forces not to exercise any authority vested in him as a member thereof until the Commander-In Chief otherwise directs” While this could be a true citation, it is my strong conviction that the erstwhile Chief of Defense Staff; General Masanneh Kinteh singularly acted in order to get me discharged from active Military Service for reasons best known to him and only relying on Section 12 (C) of the Gambia Armed Forces Act which are powers of the Commander-In-Chief of the Gambia Armed Forces.               The C-In-C was used as a scapegoat by Lt General Masanneh Kinteh to give the impression that my discharge from active military service was initiated from the President. The question is; who must have told the President about me? And what offence did I commit to warrant my discharge under Section 12 (C) of the Gambia Armed Forces Act. If I were suspected of any treasonable offence or causing any threat to national security, why did the state not carry out an investigation and take appropriate action against me?I am of the opinion that in as much as the Commander-In-Chiefof the Gambia Armed Forces is vested with such powers, he should also without prejudice exercise such powers in good fatein the discharge of his duties.

Besides, and supposedly the directives to discharge meoriginated from His Excellency the President and C-in-C of theGAF according to the erstwhile CDS, I am of the believed that the President must have to follow due process as he always said that he wants due processes to be carried out wherever possible. Similarly, in the GAF as an institution where Gazette officershas to be discharged from active Military Service a written and formal directive letter must come from the Secretary General’s Office on behalf of the Office of the President via the Ministry of Defence or from the Ministry of Defence to the Gambia Armed Forces. Similarly a commission officer can be discharge or dismiss where there exist an Armed Forces Council and the C-In-C could be advice to invoke his powers on Section 12 (C) in other effect any dismissals or discharges for a commission officer of the Gambia Armed Forces according to Section 15 (1) of GAFA 1985. 

Equally important is that the discharge letter signed by erstwhile CDS Lt General Massaneh Kinteh does not bear any references from the Ministry of Defense as an oversight body to the GAF to show that the directives rightly and officially originated from the President and C-In-C. Thus, revealed that CDS’s actions were done with prejudice and ill-conceived perception to get rid of me from Military Service.

Furthermore, please note that I was never found wanting or ever to appear before any military tribunal, disciplinary body or national security agency for any alleged misconduct in the discharge of my duties to result to my premature discharge. I am not aware of any allegations against me for posing a threat to national security or even received adverse findings against me during my 15 years of service to the country till my discharged from the GAF in October, 2017.

Most essentially, I also want to inform you that I did insist during the 2016 Political Impasse the military must uphold its values and principles to serve the country and protect the territorial integrity of the Republic of The Gambia and to uphold the rule of law and observe the verdicts of the 2016 Presidential polls to the letter and to protect the elected President. In ensuring that the above is achieved, we mobilized some officers and soldiers and left for the Republic of Senegal on Thursday 19th January 2017 and led the Senegalese troops into the countryon Sunday 22nd January 2017. We did this in order to avoid any military resistance within the ranks in the country. Consequently in February of 2018 the said officers and soldiers were awarded medals for their gallantry role during the 2016 political impasse of which I was never part of but only to be single handedly picked and discharged. The very senior officers are still occupying strategic positions and could serve as witnesses if any point during my career had I ever been found wanting. Please find attached list of GAF officers on the aforementioned mission.

Having taken this nationalist course in pursuance of my national duty as a Senior Military Intelligence officer in the Gambia Armed Forces, I am of the believe that I don’t deserved such from the erstwhile CDS to discharged me from active military service without any discernible reasons. The erstwhile Chief of Defence Staff to my believed acted unilaterally with ill-conceived, prejudiced, malicious intent and defamation of character to effect my discharged from military service with a view to end a career I have passion for since my tender age. 

To conclude, I was never indicted, investigated by any military tribunal or State Security Service or aware of any investigation against me for any activities in the armed forces that may have the potential threat to national security.

I would like to stress that I am willing to fully cooperate with anindependent investigation team that will independently carry outits findings on these allegations against me that had caused my departure from the army. My conscience have long refused to let me leave out this issue of my discharged even though I am employed at the University of the Gambia as an Assistant Lecturer at the Department of Public Administration. 

Besides of other reasons I may not want to highlight in this petition but will give in any investigations panel. Should you require further explanations please do not hesitate to contact mebecause I am still under oath as a retired military officer.

I wish to submit my appeal on the grounds that due process was not followed. Secondly, I was never found wanting in the discharge of my duties to have led to my untimely discharge from military service and hence there were regulations and discipline for officers’ who are found wanting by these very regulations to appear before a competent military tribunal for redress. 

Sir, I wish that you use your good offices to review my case and am willing to serve my country if recalled in a similar capacity in the GAF once given the consideration. Please, find the attached copies for your attention and to guide you in making an informed decision on the matter. 

Yours Faithfully

…………………………​

Rtd. Major Kebba Gibba (G/5469)

Action: Chairman National Assembly Select Committee on Defence and Security

National Assembly Building

Banjul.

Secretary General and Head of Civil Service

State House

Banjul

            Honorable Minister of Defence

Ministry of Defence​

Banjul

Cc:       Permanent Secretary 

Personal Management Office

Quadrangle

Executive Director

National Human Right Commission

​Kololi​

The post GAMBIA: EX- HEAD OF ARMY INTELLIGENCE MAJOR KEBBA GIBBA IS OUR GUEST ON THE PRIME TIME LERAL SHOW! appeared first on Freedom Newspaper.

Three top Directors of The Gambia Drug Law Enforcement Agency (DELAG) have been accused of stealing over 50 kilograms of cocaine from the drug squad main exhibit store, Freedom Newspaper can reveal. The three Directors implicated in the alleged theft are: Demba Jammeh, Director of Drug Scientific and Analysis Unit, Bakary Gassama, DELAG Director General, and Lamin Gassama, DELAG’s Director of Investigation, Intelligence and Boarders. The implicated Directors have been accused of supplying stolen drugs to one Momodu Musa Ceesay, a prominent drug dealer for sale. Momodou Musa Ceesay AKA dayday, a native of Pakalinding, had been selling stolen drugs that were supplied to him by Demba Jammeh, the Director of Scientific Unit. Jammeh was alleged to have been acting in concert with the two Gassamas to dispose the stolen cocaine to Momodou Musa Ceesay for sale.

The drug theft incident came to light, following a planned raid on Momodou Musa Ceesay’s home, when (he) Ceesay informed Momodou S Baldeh, DELAG’s intelligence Director that  he (Ceesay) was aware of the planned raid and that the drugs he was selling was supplied to him by Bah’s superiors at  DELAG. Ceesay went as far sending a snapshot of the text and audio messages that he had exchanged with Demba Jammeh, the Director of Scientific Unit, DG Bakary Gassama, and Investigation Director Lamin Gassama, regarding the stolen drugs that were supplied to him by the command to officer Momodou S Baldeh. The planned raid was subsequently aborted.

Amazingly, while Intelligence Director Momodou S Baldeh was trying to forward the incriminating text and audio messages he received from Momodou Musa Ceesay, to DG Bakary Gassama and Director Lamin Gassama, he mistakenly sent it to Tijan Bah, the Deputy Director of DELAG. Bah then showed the text and audio messages to Jim Drammeh, the Operations Director. Jim was stunned by the content of the text and audio message his colleague Directors had exchanged with Momodou Musa Ceesay. Mr. Drammeh then insisted that the matter should be investigated.

An internal investigation has been constituted at DELAG to probe the stolen cocaine exhibits. No independent third party is taking part in the investigations. The thieves at DELAG are investigating themselves.

A preliminary report coming from the panel that was constituted this past Tuesday, has revealed that Director Demba Jammeh, has been frequenting DELAG office at night. The diary keepers said Jammeh had visited the DELA offices on numerous occasions at night and would spent five hours during his visits. But Jammeh said he visited the DELAG office only twice at night.

Demba Jammeh used to work with the police before his transfer to DELAG. He left the police at the rank of an ASP. He was appointed Scientific Director, even though his Deputy Pa Samba Bojang had more experience than him. His appointment had created a bad blood between him and Bojang, insiders said.

Meanwhile, Demba Jammeh, a native of Badibu, has threatened to let the cat out of the bag if the two Gassamas should throw him under the bus. He is at the epicenter of the DELAG exhibit store theft case.

As the DELAG’s Directorate are battling with this major internal exhibit theft case, attempts to have Sheriff Sanyang, the Director of Admin to take over the exhibit store, has failed. Sheriff has refused to oversee the exhibit store. He insisted that the cocaine theft must be investigated before the drug store would be handed over to him. He also wants to see a transparent audit of the exhibit store.

The officer behind the exposure of the exhibit store theft case Momodu S Baldeh, is a grade nine dropout. He is the son of the late police Commissioner Jatta Baldeh. He was promoted from Inspector to Chief superintendent. He is still the head of DELAG’s special unit. That unit are stationed at CTI, in Bijilo.

Meanwhile, DG Bakary Gassama was quoted telling his colleagues that he wouldn’t mind being fired, that he would accept God’s decision come what may. His colleague Investigation Director Lamin Gassama said his wife and kids are not living in the country, and he owns three luxurious houses, one of which had been rented to a South American man. His tenant is a Venezuelan national.

There was no contact information available for the DELAG’s spokesman Saidyba to shed light on the story. Insiders said the implicated DELAG Directors are planning to remove Saidyba because they suspect that he is loyal to Deputy Director Tijan Bah.

The police spokesman Superintendent Lamin Njie was contacted for comment, but he said he was in bed. He has asked us to call him back later.

Multiple and reliable authoritative DELAG sources have confirmed the exhibit store theft case.

The exhibit theft case is being treated as a secret affair at DELAG. Management is working vigorously to conceal the theft case. However, the likes of Jim Drammeh had insisted that justice must prevail. They want the implicated officers to face justice.

It should be noted that few drug cases are usually taken to court at DELAG. Seized drugs are often categorized as fake drugs and later released to the market for sale. The officers, who should be combat drug trafficking, are now stealing and selling drug exhibits.

Written by Pa Nderry M’Bai

Email: Panderrymbai@gmail.com

Tel: 919-749-6319

The post GAMBIA: BREAKING NEWS: THREE TOP DELAG DIRECTORS ACCUSED OF STEALING OVER 50 KILOGRAMS OF COCAINE FROM THE DELAG DRUG EXHIBIT STORE! appeared first on Freedom Newspaper.

A former Gambian military intelligence officer has accused the former army Chief of Defense Staff Masaneh Kinteh of being part of the December 30^th failed munity, which was spearheaded by some Gambian diasporans. Retired Major Kebba Gibba made the allegations in an interview with Freedom Radio Gambia over the weekend. Base on my intelligence analysis, he has a hand there. He condemns and then he was congratulating the armed forces, the gallantry soldiers and then demolishing the coupists, giving them all sort of names, that they are traitors, they are terrorists, then after few years, you come by getting them onboard, you employed them, what kind of hypocrisy is that? Who is fooling who here?” Gibba remarked.

According to Gibba, Kinteh was in town on the night of the failed coup. He flew from Cuba to attend his mum 40 days burial. Kinteh was Gambia’s Ambassador to the Communist nation Cuba, prior to the change of government in 2016.

Gibba says the late Lamin Sanneh, the ringleader of the failed December 30^th was Kinteh’s close buddy. He says Kinteh’s visit to Banjul on the night of the failed coup raises doubt on his alleged complicity to the incident.

He also couldn’t understand why Kinteh would facilitate the reinstatement of the coupists he had denounced and purged innocent Jolla officers from the army.

When asked how sure he was that Masaneh Kinteh was part of the December 30^th coup, Gibba said his allegations were premised on circumstantial evidence.

“I am very, very convince because if you can condemn people and come again and bring them onboard and then sack us, who you think we are loyalists to Jammeh, was he not an Ambassador? I think he benefited a lot than we. As long as I am concerned, we were just there to do our work. I have never served under the State Guard. I don’t even know Jammeh. I wonder if Jammeh even knows me,” Gibba remarked.

Gibba was prematurely retired from the force in 2017, together with his fellow Jolla officers. Sadly, there was no justified reason advanced for their premature retirement besides a fabricated intelligence report that was jointly authored by Captain Alhagie Camara and Lieutenant Modou Wally, accusing Gibba and co of being loyal to the exiled former Gambian President Yahya Jammeh. The report also accused the retired Jolla officers of plotting to unseat the then newly elected Coalition government. However, due to the absurdity and frivolousness of the allegations, the army command then under the leadership of Masanneh Kinteh decided to retire the Jolla officers. Two officers from the Fullani tribe were also retired. No Mandinka officer was retired.

Gibba says he was the principal witness who testified in the December 30^th coupists treason trial. He added that he was the officer, who quelled the coup plot. He says he was in contact with the Lamin Sanneh, the ringleader of the coup prior to foiling of the plot. He told Freedom radio Gambia that he was introduced to Sanneh by Lieutenant Buba Sanneh, one of the coupists who was sentenced to death. Buba Sanneh sold Lamin Sanneh and co coupists to intel officer Kebba Gibba. Gibba says Buba Sanneh was his main source. He added Lamin Sanneh was speaking to him for months before the execution of the failed coup. Lamin Sanneh didn’t know that he was talking to intelligent officer, he said.

According to Gibba, Kinteh fired him because of role in foiling the December 30^th coup. He recalled Kinteh meeting him at his office, when (he) Kinteh was newly hired CDS. Gibba says Kinteh’s facial expression towards him showed that he was determined to send him home.

“So, Masaneh thought it with his crew that hence, I was, he knew or either it is heard that I was part of those who aborted the December 30^th attack, which I think I was doing my job, that even up to now, even this present government they will not allow anybody to plot a coup against them, which is undemocratic. So, to say that I was loyal and I aborted their so called activists in the army, so, we are the loyal officers, that we should be removed, I think they got it all wrong and I am not remorse on that and I will never be regrettable for being to loyal to Jammeh’s government at the time. This was a government, whether it is dictatorial or is what, but people elected it,” he said.

“I was an intel officer. I knew most of these officers what they do, how they are related, I can profile each of them, who and who they are related to, and what motivated. Masaneh and the late Lamin Sanneh were very good friends. There was an officer cadet selection, which one Captain, currently Major Abdoulie Jobe, after the exams, he emerges first, but Masaneh has to come and rescind the processes and he unilaterally conducts that selection and then put Sanneh on top of that Jobe, Sanneh went to Sandhurst, when he came he was promoted to Lieutenant, second Lieutenant at a very quick pace and then Sanneh became his boy, boy, we all know very well until when he recommended Sanneh to be the State Guard Commander. Sanneh became a State Guard Commander under his watch,” he added.

He added that Sanneh was later demoted to the rank of Major and subsequently dismissed from the army.

Masaneh Kinteh is Gambia’s Ambassador Ambassador to China. He could not be reached for comment.

Two participants of the December failed coup said they are not aware of Kinteh’s complicity into the incident. Bai Lowe and Mustapha Faal told me in a phone conversation that despite their disagreements with Masaneh Kinteh, they can report to me with authority that Kinteh was not part of that coup. Both Lowe and Faal have promised to join us on air in the near future to explain what actually transpired during that failed coup.

The duo said Gibba was right when he said the operation was compromised by Lieutenant Buba Sanneh.  They agreed with Gibba’s account on Buba Sanneh.

“He was right, it was Buba Sanneh, who compromised our mission. He was talking to other people, who were not supposed to be in the picture,” they said.

Mr. Faal also said General Saul Badjie was not part of the coup. ” I played counter intelligence on Saul Badjie and Karamba Barrow, Jammeh’s ADC. I used to call Sarjo Jarju through Karamba Barrow’s phone. Sarjo was part of the coup. He was my asset at the State House. I made an arraignment with him to be conveying false messages to General Badjie each time I called him through Karamba’s phone. I would call and tell him that there would be an ambush of Jammeh’s convoy, and he would relay the message to Saul Badjie after our conversation. I will in turn call Saul Badjie to tell him that there was going to be an ambush. Saul Badjie never knew that I was playing with his mind. He would tell Sarjo that I communicated the same message to him. I never phoned Sarjo  on his phone. There was no phone records available to link him to me. They nailed him on the mobile phone that I bought for him. He was the one, who told his colleagues that I bought a phone for him,” Faal said.

Sarjo Jarju was Jammeh’s principal protection officer. He was among the officers jailed in the December 30th failed coup. He was reinstated into the army, following the change of government.

The post GAMBIA: BREAKING NEWS: EX ARMY INTELLIGENCE OFFICER ACCUSES EX CDS KINTEH OF BEING PART OF THE DECEMBER 30TH FAILED COUP! appeared first on Freedom Newspaper.

The Gambia Drug Law Enforcement Agency (DELAG) 50 kilograms cocaine theft case involving three top Directors of the anti narcotic drug agency is on the verge of being killed. DELAG insiders said their DG Bakary Gassama has been using Ebrima Ceesay, Secretary to Cabinet to save his job. Both Gassama and Ebrima Ceesay are Jarra natives. They are also close buddies as well.

Even though the theft case is being investigated at the DELAG level, insiders said they don’t think nothing would come out of the case. “DG Gassama has the backing of Ebrima Ceesay, Secretary to Cabinet. Ebrima is his savior at the State House. He has in the past saved him from being redeployed. Nothing is going to come out from this case,” said the insiders.

Ebrima Ceesay was a former lecturer at GTTI. He was brought into Barrow’s government by his  sister.  Fatou Ceesay used to be a close associate of President Barrow, until recently when she was sidelined by the regime. Her brother Ebrima Ceesay has also been partially sidelined.

It would be recalled that Demba Jammeh, the Director of Scientific Unit at DELAG was alleged to have supplied stolen cocaine to Momodou Musa Ceesay, an alleged drug dealer. Over 50 kilograms of cocaine was stolen from the DELAG drug store. Jammeh was alleged to have been acting in concert with DG Gassama and Lamin Gassama, the Director of Investigations to steal drugs from the DELAG drug store.

Meanwhile, there are about nine DELAG cases of cocaine pending at the courts. There are no exhibits available to prosecute the cases. The exhibits have been stolen by some corrupt DELAG Directors. The cases concerned are likely going to be dismissed.

The post GAMBIA: BREAKING NEWS: ATTEMPTS TO KILL THE DELAG 50KILOGRAMS COCAINE THEFT CASE; SECRETARY TO CABINET IS DG GASSAMA’S SAVIOR! appeared first on Freedom Newspaper.

A Real Estate Developer Sam has been arrested by the police. His arrest has to do with the Bafuloto incident, which left some villagers critically injured. Among the injured villagers were: Sergeant Yoba Jallow of The Gambia Armed Forces, Alhagie Jobe, the Kabilo head of village, a pregnant woman, and many others.

Sam was alleged to have hired the services of some armed Malian migrants living in The Gambia to demolish people’s homes in Bafuloto. The UDP Brikama Councilor Alieu Darboe was present when the attack happened. Bafuloto villagers suspect that the Councilor was acting in concert with Sam to have Yoba and co ambushed by the Malian thugs.

Meanwhile, Sam’s supporters have stormed the premises of the Farato police station. They have been insulting the police and disturbing the peace. The belligerent crowd spent the night at the Farato station. They said they wouldn’t leave the station until Sam was released from custody.

It is not clear if Sam has been charged, but we can report with authority he had been detained.

In meantime, the Farato police have arrested the wife of Alhagie Jobe Yassin. She was arrested together with one Yamundow, the wife of Amat Gaye. Amat Gaye is Alhagie Jobe’s nephew. The two ladies spent the night at the Farato police station with their kids yesterday.

The post Gambia: Breaking News: Real Estate Developer Sam arrested over the Bafuloto violence incident! appeared first on Freedom Newspaper.

THE SHOCKING TRUTH ABOUT POLICE CORRUPTION IN THE GAMBIA.

IT’S A GROWING PROBLEM, BUT THEY’RE HUNTING WHISTLE BLOWERS INSTEAD!

Imagine you lived in a country which has many allegations of police corruption. Worse, imagine that these allegations are hardly independently and properly investigated because for police officers in this country, corruption is becoming routine. Imagine that the police increasingly used their powers to crack down not on criminals but on anyone who dared speak out against them. What sort of a country is this? Well, it’s The Gambia I’m afraid, where what was once the finest, most honest service in the Sub region is in danger of becoming rotten.

This rise in corruption and the apparent reluctance of police leadership to fight it is a toxic combination. As ever, the leadership blame lack of resources for not being able to pursue inquiries into claims of malpractice. But what could be a greater priority than ensuring that their own officers are not breaking the law? These same police chiefs seem to find endless funds to pursue their taste for extravagant lifestyle.

The vast majority of our  police officers do sometimes extremely arduous job with honesty, skill and good humour. But corruption left unchecked can infect entire forces. Anyone who doubts this need only look at the GRA burglary, Lamin Kinteh’s case and the Willingara police saga involving the station officer Samba Sowe together with his team. The story, backed by taped conversations, bluntly accused Station Officer Sowe and his gang of men in uniform.

The present Inspector General of Police Alhagie Mamour Jobe, is of this ilk. He may develop into a great Police Chief  but the signs so far have not been promising. He has a pet theory of Policing in the 21st Century.

President Barrow’s Government must set up an Independent Police Complaints Commission if his Security Sector Reform will have any meaningful success. So that in the future it can take on all serious and sensitive cases involving the police. Review of the Police Disciplinary System, But this alone is not enough. The police disciplinary system is complex. It has developed organically rather than been structured to fit its purpose. It lacks transparency for the public, it is bureaucratic and it lacks independence.

Written by An Insider

The post GAMBIA: THE SHOCKING TRUTH ABOUT POLICE CORRUPTION IN THE GAMBIA; IT’S A GROWING PROBLEM, BUT THEY’RE HUNTING WHISTLE BLOWERS INSTEAD! appeared first on Freedom Newspaper.

While the jubilant United States have elected a new President Joe Biden, in The Gambia, President Adama Barrow’s newly formed NPP political party has swept the byelection polls in Niamina West and Kerrjarga respectively. The NPP flagbearer Birom Sowe has outperformed his GDC opponent Yerro Jallow. Sowe captured 1,718 of the total vote cast, while Yero Jallow had 805 votes. Sowe has been declared as the legitimate winner of the Niamina West constituency byelections. He is the NPP’s first elected Parliamentarian in Barrow’s transitional government.

The NPP was formed last year. The party is about to mark its one-year anniversary. It is yet to be formally launched.

Meanwhile, the NPP has also won the Kerrjarga ward Councilor byelection. Awa Gaye of the NPP emerged as the winner. 

Npp: 1364
UDP: 257
APRC: 446
GDC: 700

Looking at the Kerrjarga results, the so called mighty UDP had under performed in that ward. The new NPP party had performed better than the old parties.

The post GAMBIA: BREAKING NEWS: NPP BEATS GDC, UDP AND APRC; AS BARROW’S NEW NPP PARTY SWEEPS THE POLLS IN NIAMINA WEST AND KERRJARGA! appeared first on Freedom Newspaper.

A senior official of Gambia’s Drug Law Enforcement Agency (DELAG) has found himself in trouble after he was accused of allegedly trying to use a known drug dealer to spread the theft of drug exhibits at DELAG involving top Directors of the Agency, Freedom Newspaper can reveal. Bakary Gibba, a Chief Superintendent at DELAG, has been summoned by his boss DG Bakary Gassama to explain himself on allegations that he was in touch with one Lamin Touray, AKA mosquito, a prominent drug dealer. Gibba was reportedly recorded by Touray, during a conversation he had with him, in which officer Gibba, was alleged to have asked Touray to help him pass incriminating information against the Agency’s Directorate to social media. In the said purported tape, Gibba, was heard allegedly accusing the three Directors of DELAG Bakary Gassama, Lamin Gassama and Demba Jammeh of stealing drug exhibits.

According to DELAG sources, Lamin Touray, shared the audio recording with Momodou Musa Ceesay, another drug dealer, who was recently engulfed in another separate drug scandal case with the accused DELAG Directorate. Ceesay’s case is still pending at DELAG. He was linked to receiving stolen cocaine exhibits from Demba Jammeh and co.

DELAG insiders said it was Momodou Musa Ceesay, who shared Bakary Gibba’s audio with the Directorate. The said audio was given to him by Lamin Touray for personal use, but he (Momodou Musa Ceesay) decided to forward it the Agency’s Directorate.

Concerned by Gibba’s disturbing allegations, DG Gassama, decided to summon Gibba for questioning. Gibba never denied being the one, speaking on the audio. He pleaded with Gassama for mercy, but Gassama has asked him to write a statement to explain why disciplinary actions shouldn’t be taken against him, insiders said.

It should be noted that both Momodou Musa Ceesay and Lamin Touray had pending drug cases at DELAG. Their cases have been pending due to lack of exhibits to prosecute them.

Gibba’s case hasn’t been decided yet. He is increasingly worried as Gassama and co have accused him supplying information to social media, a charge he has denied. He has admitted to speaking to Lamin Touray, but has denied passing information to social media.

Meanwhile, drug dealer Momodou Musa Ceesay, has been advised by the DELAG Directorate to cutoff communication with Banta Sosseh, a man, who recently told Freedom Radio Gambia that he was a victim of police extortion. Sosseh, has accused the police of allegedly stealing D2 million dalasis from him. The alleged theft occurred after a failed cocaine procurement deal that he (Sosseh) was involved.

It turned out that the people he was dealing with had no cocaine but a fake gold dust. The Wellingara police reportedly acted in concert with other civilians to steal his money from him. The station officer of Wellingara Samba Sowe and his colleagues have been charged. Their case is pending in court.

Sosseh said he was processed by the police and DELAG. His case was first handled by the police, but it later went to DELAG.  DELAG’s Investigation Director Lamin Gassama is married to Samba Sowe’s daughter. Samba Sowe was the former Station Officer of the Wellingara police station. He has been interdicted with the other accused officers.

Sosseh said Momodou Musa Ceesay had tried to help him recover his stolen money, but to no avail. He said he even tried to convince Ceesay to speak to the Freedom Newspaper about (Ceesay’s) own pending case at DELAG, Ceesay is no longer picking his calls. He added that Ceesay had earlier agreed to come to his home to take part in a telephone interview with Freedom radio. Ceesay never showed up.

According to Sosseh, Momodou Musa Ceesay, had confirmed to him about some audio recordings and text messages that he (Ceesay) had exchanged with the leadership of DELAG and was reported by the Freedom Newspaper. This followed DELAG’s planned raid at his home, but it was aborted. Ceesay forwarded the audio and text messages to officer Momodou Baldeh, but Baldeh mistakenly  forwarded it to to the Deputy Director Tijan Bah. He was trying to forward it to DG Gassama, but it mistakenly went to Tijan Bah’s phone.

The post Gambia: Top DELAG officer Bakary Gibba found himself in trouble after been accused of passing information to social media! appeared first on Freedom Newspaper.

Presidential Deputy Youth Adviser Saihou Mballow has rebuffed claims made by the opposition that the National People’s Party (NPP) had used money to induce voters in Niamina West and Kerjarga constituencies. “No money was used to induce voters. The allegations of voter inducement are not only false, but totally unfounded. It is being circulated by the opposition, who had lost the elections in Niamina West and Kerjagara. The elections were free and fair. In Niamina West, the NPP was able to beat the GDC/UD alliance hands down. A similar victory was replicated in Kerjarga. They should accept the results in good faith. The results represent the wishes and aspirations of The Gambian people,” Mballow told me in an interview over the weekend.

Mballow’s reaction followed claims made Lai Saine, a former APRC MP, who told Freedom radio Gambia that he was informed about an alleged voter inducement in Kerjarga.  Saine says there was strong presence of government officials in Kerjarga during the campaign trail.

Mballow has denied the allegations.He says Saine’s claims lacked merit and were totally unfounded. He added that the unfounded allegations came from a desperate opposition, who are out of touch with The Gambian voters. Mballow says “the current opposition is not in the position to defeat the NPP in future elections. It is a failed opposition.”

According to Mballow, the people of Niamina West had turned their back at the GDC. He noted that it was suicidal for the GDC to form an alliance with the UDP, a party he branded as a virtual dead political party.

“It was on unwise for the GDC to form an alliance with the UDP to oppose the NPP candidate. The UDP is a spent force political party. The electorate do not trust the UDP. That party has been known for its hostile and divisive politicking. I was told by some elders of the locality that had been the GDC had ran on its own, they would have performed better, they were turned off by the GDC’s move to form an alliance with the UDP. With or without a GDC/UDP alliance, that seat is an NPP seat. We have more supporters in that constituency,” Mballow added.

Mballow said the GDC and UDP should learn from the just concluded byelections. He added that Gambians are done with politics of lies, and nepotism.

“The GDC candidate Yerro Jallow lost his deposit. We won that seat with a landslide victory. The GDC is done. The GDC is doomed. The electorate of Niamina West have rejected the GDC and UDP. These parties are done for good,” Mballow remarked.

“The people of Niamina West are appreciative of President Barrow’s developmental programs. Thanks to President Barrow, the people of Niamina West now have access to  milling machines. He is about to construct the Choya and Jessadi road,” he said.

“I was told by the people of the constituent that Mama Kandeh had neglected them. He hasn’t done anything for the people of Niamina West. They have decided to dump the GDC to embrace the NPP. Niamina West is an NPP stronghold,” Mballow added.

The NPP organized a victory celebration meeting in Banjul on Monday. Birom Sowe is the party’s first elected MP in Parliament. Awa Gaye became the party’s Councilor in Kerjarga.

Mballow says he is convinced that President Barrow is going to sweep the polls in 2021. He says Gambians had trust and faith in President Barrow and would always standby the President.

The post Gambia: Breaking News: No money was used to induce voters in Niamina West and Kerjarga- Presidential Adviser; MBALLOW SAYS THE GDC AND UDP ARE DOOMED! appeared first on Freedom Newspaper.

Tourism Minister Hamat Bah has issued an ultimatum to his colleague ministers serving in Barrow’s government saying: “If you want to continue to be a Minister, you must be a politician.  This victory is brought by the politicians. Without this victory, we wouldn’t have been here today.  Every cabinet minister must be ready to be on the campaign trail.  If President Barrow is not here, none of us would be here. Therefore, there is nothing like technocrat minister or there is nothing like any other ministers, all Ministers must be ready to serve your government.”  Bah spoke on Monday at an NPP victory celebration held in Banjul. The NPP party was celebrating the electoral victories its party registered in Niamina West and Kerjarga constituencies.

Bah said Ministers who want to maintain their jobs should be ready to canvass votes for President Barrow’s National People’s Party. He noted that without President Barrow none of the ministers would keep their jobs and therefore, he expects his colleagues to serve as political hacks for the NPP.

“Those who were sitting on the fence, they should come and join us,” Bah remarked, as he called on his colleagues to support President Barrow’s agenda.

The outspoken Tourism Minister further noted that the recent NPP byelection success story was one step out of thousand other steps and there was no room for complacency.

“It is not the final victory. It is one step out of  one thousand steps to come. We cannot be complacent. We have to be on the ground daily. Adama Barrow will prevail,” Bah remarked.

“We should be more energized to get President not 70% but 80% percent. Mr. President, you are with The Gambian people and The Gambian people are with you. You lead and we follow you,” he added.

Bah added that the just concluded byelections had exposed the weaknesses of some of the parties claiming to be parties huge following. He took a swipe at the opposition United Democratic Party (UDP) during his address.

“Jokadu has exposed the weaknesses of the so-called big parties. Our victory is not a small signal. It is serious signal. Could you imagine, one of the parties could secure a single vote in Kuntaya, zero vote, A whole polling station like Kuntaya, you don’t have a single vote, even though you had an agent there. Your own agent never voted for you,” Bah remarked as he mocked the UDP.

Bah said besides the UDP, the only party that had suffered such a humiliating performance was the NCP back in 2001 at the Janjangbureh constituency polling station. The NCP too couldn’t secure a single vote in Janjangbureh in the 2001, elections, he added.

Bah has also thanked the NPP campaign committee for the excellent job that they have done in helping the party to win the Niamina West and Kerjargara byelections. He also thanked the people of Niamina West and Jokadu for standing by the President Barrow and the NPP.

For his part, Dodou Sannoh, an adviser of President Barrow also hailed the NPP for the history electoral victories recorded in the Niamina West and Kerjarga. Sannoh said the recent byelection marks the demise of the GDC and the UDP. He assured President Barrow that victory was his come the 2021 elections.

The post GAMBIA; BREAKING NEWS: HAMAT BAH ISSUES AN ULTIMATUM TO HIS COLLEAGUES MINISTERS CLAIMING TO BE TECHNOCRATS: IF YOU WANT TO BE A MINISTER, YOU MUST BE A POLITICIAN! appeared first on Freedom Newspaper.

Some disgruntled National Water and Electricity Company (NAWEC) staffers are planning to stage a demonstration, Freedom Newspaper has been reliably informed. The aggrieved staff said their planned strike action would be motivated by MD Nani Juwara’s failure to increase their salaries. They claimed that the World Bank has allegedly recommended to their management to increase the salaries of middle- and low-income workers at NAWEC.

The disgruntled staffers haven’t scheduled any date for the strike, but they maintained that whenever they hit the streets the nation would hear them, particularly the Barrow government.

According to an email we received from the organizers of the upcoming strike, the following NAWEC outlets are taking part in the proposed protest action: T and D, Water Division, Kotu power station, and NAWEC’s main corporate office.

The disgruntled NAWEC insiders are also vowing to release disturbing documents of the institution. They have accused the management of NAWEC of ignoring their plight. They felt being sidelined and neglected by management.

NAWEC’s MD Nani Juwara could not be reached for comment at press time.

The post GAMBIA: BREAKING NEWS: DISGRUNTLED NAWEC STAFFERS TO ORGANIZE A SIT DOWN STRIKE; AS THEY DEMAND SALARY INCREMENT! appeared first on Freedom Newspaper.