A Supreme Court judge and her daughter were last night tied to the ground, faces blindfolded, and forced to surrender their jewelries, mobile phones and other valuables, as thieves broke into their Bijilo home, Freedom Newspaper can report. Justice Awa Bah was the latest target for robbery. The incident happened in the early hours of 5:00 Am in the morning on Friday.

The armed police officers on duty at her home were sleeping when the thieves broke into the property. The thieves went upstairs and found the judge and her daughter sleeping. They then attacked them and threatened to kill them if they should cry for help.

Justice Bah pleaded with the thieves and told them that she was ready to do whatever they want her to do, sources said. At this time, the judge’s face was blinded folded. She couldn’t have an eye contact with the thieves. Her daughter was also subjected to a similar humiliating treatment.  She was warned not to cry, or she might risk being killed together with her mum.

The thieves left with jewelries and other expensive valuables. They are currently at large. No arrest has been made.

The anti crime police base in Bijilo is not far from Justice Bah’s home. The proximity between the anti crime station and the judge’s home is less than 800 meters.

Meanwhile, the sleeping police officers have been summoned for questioning at the Brusibi police station. Statements have been obtained from the wanting officers.

Kadijatou Jallow, the wife of the IGP, is officer commanding Brusibi police. Amie Sey is the police commissioner of that District.

“This is a disgrace to The Gambia police force. This is very insulting. How can armed officers be this negligent to allow thieves to break into the judge’s house? Heads should roll. This is unacceptable,” said a concerned Gambian.

The police spokesman Superintendent Lamin Njie was contacted for comments. He has promised to get back to us with details later.

The post GAMBIA: BREAKING NEWS: SUPREME COURT JUDGE BEGS THIEVES NOT TO KILL HER, AND HER DAUGHTER, AS THIEVES BREAK INTO HER BIJILO HOME, WHILE ARMED POLICE OFFICERS WERE SLEEPING! appeared first on Freedom Newspaper.

The Spokesman of The Gambia police force Superintendent Lamin Njie says a police investigation panel has been created to look into the theft that occurred at the home of Justice Awa Bah. “We can confirm that, the Police has received a report of Breaking and Stealing at the residence of Justice Awa Bah in the early hours of Friday Morning 27th November 2020.  A Police investigation panel has been created to look into the incident. We will share updates as we receive them from the panel concerning progress made. Kind regards,” Superintendent Njie told the Freedom Newspaper.  

Mr. Njie never volunteered any additional information. He maintains that the matter is being investigated by the police.

The thieves are at large. No arrest has been made yet. Detectives are investigating the incident.

Justice Awa Bah is the wife of Foday Minteh, a former police Superintendent. The incident happened after a week Mr. Minteh left the country. Minteh is said to be away taking part in a United Nations Peacekeeping mission.

Mr. Minteh’s second wife is fire officer. Kinteh had served in various units in the force, including the police training school.

A source at the Brusibi police station said, “the two officers, who were posted at Justice Bah’s home have been summoned to report to the police headquarters on Monday for disciplinary hearing.”

“These officers will no doubt going to be fired. They have abdicated their responsibilities by endangering the life of the judge and her family. They are going home. They would be fired,” the officer who spoke on anonymity remarked.

Justice Bah and her daughter were tied to the ground by the thieves. She was forced to surrender her valuables.

The thieves reportedly told her that the police officers assigned to her property have been overpowered and she would be killed if she should cry. She complied and availed herself to the thieves.

The post GAMBIA: BREAKING NEWS: A POLICE PANEL HAS BEEN SET UP TO INVESTIGATE THE THEFT AT JUSTICE BAH’S HOUSE-POLICE SPOKESMAN NJIE appeared first on Freedom Newspaper.

A Swiss jet has landed in Banjul, Freedom Newspaper can reveal.  A  Swiss television crew and investigators are in the country to interview former state security agents on the pending case of Ousman Sonko, the former Interior Minister. The mile two prison was their first port of call  this morning. They entered the prison accompanied by their host The Gambian government. The crew met Yankuba Badjie, the former Director General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) and Saihou Jeng, the former Operations Director at the NIA. Both Badjie and Jeng have been languishing in prison for close to the four years on murder related charges. They have been charged together with their colleagues for the death of Solo Sandeng.

Sources said both Yankuba Badjie and Saihou Jeng have refused to speak to the Swiss television crew. They refused to serve as state witnesses in the case of the Swiss government against Ousman Sonko. They complained to the Swiss crew about their prolonged detention without justice. That their case has been dragging for close to four years.

Their lawyers weren’t present when the Swiss investigators arrived at mile two, our source said. Badjie and Jeng refused to avail themselves to the Swiss investigators.

“A camera was fixed in one of the rooms at mile two before the Swiss crew met Badjie and Jeng. Attempts to have the duo comment on Ousman Sonko’s case failed, as they refused to cooperate with the Swiss crew,” said one of our sources.

Ousainou Njie, an in law of Saihou Jeng, has confirmed the story. “My family was present when the Swiss officials met with Saihou Jeng and Yankuba Badjie. They were trying to use Saihou and Yankuba as witnesses in the case of Ousman Sonko, but they refused. These people have been languishing in jail for almost four years without justice. It is unfair for the state to use them as witnesses. I am in support of their refusal to speak to the Swiss authorities,” Njie told Freedom Newspaper.

Mr. Njie’s sister is married to Saihou Jeng. “When the change of government happened in December of 2016, Saihou Jeng, told me that he was not going run away from the country. He said he hasn’t committed any crime that would warrant him to leave this country. He decided to stay, and he was arrested,” he added.

It should be noted that both Yankuba Badjie and Saihou Jeng refused to testify at the TRRC when they were invited by the commission.

The Gambian government hasn’t issue any statement on the visit of the Swiss investigators to the mile two prison.

The post GAMBIA: BREAKING NEWS: SWISS JET LANDS IN BANJUL; EX NIA DIRECTORS REFUSED TO SPEAK TO SWISS INVESTIGATORS ON THE CASE OF OUSMAN SONKO; AS SWISS TV CREW VISITS MILE TWO THIS MORNING! appeared first on Freedom Newspaper.

One of the officers, who accompanied the deported Gambian Swedish national Jamal Emile Jobe has returned to Banjul. One of our sources was at the Banjul international airport yesterday, when Foday Gassama disembarked from a flight.

Gassama is the Commissioner of migration at GID. The other officers he traveled with to Sweden were not seen in the  flight. Perhaps, they would return to Banjul in coming days.

Gassama later boarded a vehicle and headed home. Gassama’s regimental number is: GID7.

Chief Superintendent Hatab Bojang headed the deportation team. He was accompanied by Foday Gassama, another GID officer, and a police officer Amadou Kujabi.

Jobe was deported while his lawyers had filed a stay of deportation proceedings before the High Court. The High court had ruled that he shouldn’t deported.

STORY BACKGROUND.

The High Court in Banjul has granted a request to prevent the deportation of The Gambian Swedish fugitive Sebastian Emile Jamal Jobe. The ruling was delivered today by Justice S Wadda Cisse, Freedom Newspaper can report. But Jamal has already been deported to Sweden. He was placed on board a private jet and escorted to his native country Sweden, where he has been wanted on murder charges. Three Gambian Immigration Officers: Hatab Bojang and one GID officer with regimental number (GID7) flew with him to Sweden. We are yet to establish the name of the third GID officer. Hatab Bojang led the deportation team. Amadou Kujabi, a police officer was also on board the flight. There were Swedish officers on board the private jet as well.

To prevent his deportation, Jamal hired two lawyers: Kebba Sanyang, Gambia’s former Justice Minister and a Nigerian Lawyer Mene. He sued The Inspector General police, the Director General of Immigration, the Minister of Interior, and the Attorney General, and asked the High Court to restraint the heads of the institutions concerned from deporting him.

While his case was pending for hearing at the court, The Gambian authorities last night grabbed Jamal from police custody in Banjul and handed him to the Swedish police, who were at the airport with a private jet. There was no court order to justify what appeared to be “the kidnapping of Jamal from Banjul.”

Jamal’s father Abou Denton Jobe is a Gambian national. His mum is a Swedish Caucasian.

Immigration records showed that Jamal arrived in The Gambia on January 5^th, 2020. He was issued 28 days tourist visa.

Authorities in Banjul said he overstayed his welcome and as such he had broken the nation’s Immigration laws.

Just in time, a request for his arrest and deportation to Sweden was made by the Swedish authorities. A criminal complaint filed with Interpol, has accused Jamal of committing multiple murders, threatening violence and money laundering.

Swedish Interpol officers were already in Banjul to pursue him. They worked with their Gambian counterparts to effect the arrest of Jamal.

Jamal was held in police custody for close to one month before he was deported.

In delivering her ruling on Friday, which was witnessed by Jamal’s lawyer Mene, High Court judge Justice S Wadda Cisse said an interim injunction is hereby granted restraining the DIG of Immigration, the Interior Minister and their servants or agents from deporting Sebastian Emile Jamal Jobe. Justice Cisse further ruled that the previous deportation order that was issued on November 20^th, 2020 against Mr. Jobe shouldn’t be enforced “under any guise from deporting or repatriating Jamal from The Gambia to Sweden, a foreign state (with which The Gambia does not have an extradition arraignment) or any other foreign state in connection with alleged offences committed in Sweden, pending the hearing and determination of the summons on notice.”

Jamal’s case was subsequently adjourned to December 4^th.

The state was absent when today’s ruling was delivered. There was no representation from the state.

Jamal left his registered fishing business behind. He also owns a brick laying company.

Meanwhile, the Swedish press is reporting that Jamal was arrested at the airport in Sweden, as if he had returned to Sweden on his own volution, which wasn’t the case.

Jamal has been taken into custody by the Swedish police. His case won’t be heard until March of 2020.

The post GAMBIA: ONE OF THE IMMIGRATION OFFICERS WHO DEPORTED A SWEDISH GAMBIAN ARRIVES IN BANJUL appeared first on Freedom Newspaper.

The Leader of The Gambia Moral Congress Party Mai Fatty has accused President Barrow of tapping the cellphones of Gambia’s opposition leaders. He has accused Barrow of spying opposition leaders in the country. Mai Fatty made the accusations in  a Facebook posting.

“The cellphone lines of all opposition leaders and key stakeholders have been tapped allegedly on the direct orders of President Adama Barrow. Additional surveillance of offices and residences are also on the menu, including implanting pseudo supporters within opposition Parties’ supporters who would even insult Barrow on social media, to gain the trust of the opposition community. Be wary of fanatics among our ranks. Not every lousy mouth is genuine. Dictatorship is back under a different color, and at a horse’s galloping speed,” Fatty remarked.

“Be on notice that just like Jammeh’s reign, Barrow too shall exit power, and Gambians would seek you all out on a day when you would not be able to protect yourselves. Your safety tomorrow depends on the games you play today,” he added.

Fatty has served as Interior Minister under Barrow’s regime. He has also served as senior adviser to President Barrow. He resigned from his advisory position to the President to consolidate his GMC party.

The post GAMBIA: GMC LEADER MAI FATTY ACCUSES PRESIDENT BARROW OF SPYING OPPOSITION LEADERS! appeared first on Freedom Newspaper.

President Barrow’s Deputy Youth Adviser Saihou Mballow has debunked Mai Fatty’s spying allegations against The Gambian leader, describing it as false, and totally unfounded.  Speaking to the Freedom Newspaper, Mr. Mballow branded Mai Fatty as a desperate leader, who is leading a dying political party. “Pa, the allegation is absolutely false. There is no iota of truth in the allegation. What is significant in GMC for His Excellency President Adama Barrow to order a surveillance on GMC leadership. There is no significance. GMC has no Councilor; GMC has no National Assembly Member. GMC right now as it is, even the Deputy has defected from the party and joined the NPP. So, what is the significance for His Excellency President Adama Barrow to order a surveillance on the opposition? You have seen the progress that the Secretary General and the leader of the NPP is doing in the country. Recently we have defeated mercilessly the opposition in Niamina and the Kerjarga ward byelections respectively,” Mballow remarked.

Mballow’s remarks followed spying accusation that the GMC leader has peddled against President Adama Barrow.

“The cellphone lines of all opposition leaders and key stakeholders have been tapped allegedly on the direct orders of President Adama Barrow. Additional surveillance of offices and residences are also on the menu, including implanting pseudo supporters within opposition Parties’ supporters who would even insult Barrow on social media, to gain the trust of the opposition community. Be wary of fanatics among our ranks. Not every lousy mouth is genuine. Dictatorship is back under a different color, and at a horse’s galloping speed,” Fatty remarked.

“Be on notice that just like Jammeh’s reign, Barrow too shall exit power, and Gambians would seek you all out on a day when you would not be able to protect yourselves. Your safety tomorrow depends on the games you play today,” he added.

In a counter reaction, the Deputy Youth Presidential Adviser, maintains that Mai Fatty is a desperate leader, who has nothing meaningful to talk about, other than spreading false information and cheap propaganda.

“Absolutely they are desperate. These are words coming from a desperate leader, who feels that he can only come up with false accusations against the government to justify his failure. This is what is happening,” Mballow told this medium in a phone interview.

“The allegation is false. The government is not engage involved in any surveillance to the opposition. Let me tell you, this is a democratic government. President Adama Barrow believes in democracy and the rule of law.  He doesn’t see any reason why he should plant people to go and surveillance the opposition. As I am talking, Gambians have confidence in the President, they are in support of his agenda,” Mballow added.

When asked why Mai Fatty was making such accusations against the President, Mballow in response remarked: “He has come to the realization that his party is dying; he has no support in the country. Mai Fatty cannot have a successful rally in this country, that’s the problem. Let him conduct a successful rally whereby he would have his supporters. Right now, his people are defecting to the NPP.”

Mballow has called on the GMC leader to stop making false accusations and join progressive Gambians to build a stable and prosperous Gambia.

“The Gambian people are not going to buy his false propaganda. The Gambia is now a democratic nation. The days of dictatorship are over,” Mballow said.

The post GAMBIA: SAIHOU MBALLOW DEBUNKS MAI FATTY’S SPYING ALLEGATIONS AGAINST PRESIDENT BARROW, DESCRIBING THE ALLEGATIONS AS FALSE AND UNFOUNDED; AS HE BRANDS MAI “AS A DESPERATE MAN, WHO IS RUNNING A DYING GMC PARTY.” appeared first on Freedom Newspaper.

Gambia’s former Vice President and Leader of the opposition United Democratic Party Ousainou Darboe has started crying foul ahead of the December 2021 Presidential election by accusing the Barrow government of voter rigging. “Last week I heard a Minister saying that there is pressure on land in The Gambia and that pressure has resulted in Gambians migrating to Senegal I know that they are preparing to register, or they want to register  non Gambians  resident in Senegal on the pretext that these are Gambians, who had left The Gambia because there is pressure on land in this country and that is absolutely rubbish, it is absolutely false, it is unfounded. There is no pressure on the land in The Gambia, that would warrant the people to go and migrate and live in Senegal. Occasionally, herdsmen take their cattle across the border for gracing, but that is done during periods. It is periodic and they do not completely migrate, they just go for couple of months and at the end of the gracing period they come back to The Gambia,” Darboe told one Josephine Mahachie, a non-Gambian Facebooker in an interview.

The UDP leader did not mention the Minister’s name, who he said, has been claiming that there is land pressure in The Gambia, which resulted to citizens resettling to neighboring Senegal. Darboe has dismissed the Minister’s claim. He said the Minister in question has been campaigning against cross border registration of voters during Jammeh’s government. He is referring to Tourism Minister Hamat Bah. Bah is the leader of the National Reconciliation Party (NRP).

“I believe that it is a ploy to rig the election, it is a ploy to start registering the people who are living in the border on the pretext that these are Gambians, who have migrated and I want to say that this particular Minister, was one person, who has been advocating, condemning the registration of non-Gambians, who lived in the border villages. But we will have our people at the registration centers and we not going to allow anybody who come from Senegal register in this country on the pretext that you had gone to Senegal because there is no land in this country, that is unacceptable and we will not tolerate it,” Darboe posited.

Darboe has accused President Barrow of abusing the incumbency. Barrow, he went on, is employing the playbook of dictator Jammeh to consolidate himself in power. He reminded Barrow that his late father never left him with riches that he (Barrow) could use to bring developmental projects to impoverish Gambians. He says Barrow has been behaving as if the projects he has been commissioning came from his pocket.

Resuming his vote rigging allegations against the Barrow government Darboe, has also cautioned the Immigration Department to refuse to be used by the government to steal the upcoming elections.

“We are also concerned with the Immigration Department on the issue of the National Identity Cards. I want to confirm something, there is a border village called Fatoto, far away that a center has been opened for the issuance of National Identity Cards and I do not know why a place like Gunjur, very populous, why we don’t have a National Identity Card issuing center, my home town in Bansang, why they do not have a National identity card issuing center, and those are in the hinterland. This particular village actually is on border with Senegal, Fatoto, and we are watching. We are also watching the fast tracking of Naturalization of some foreigners,” Darboe remarked.

Darboe has also queried President Barrow’s one month meet the farmers’ tour. He said such a tour is a waste of government resources.

“The President is leaving for a thirty-day tour of the country. It has never happened in the history of this country. The constitution provides that the President has to go out, meet The Gambian people, meet the community at least once a year to see for himself the impact of the policies on the communities and what are needed in these communities. Gambia, the President cannot go for 30 days, that is a campaign being funded out of the coffers of the government of The Gambia. He has just returned from Kiang. This is an extension of the 2021 campaigning. Thirty days tour that is going to cause millions and millions of dalasis. It is a wasteful expenditure. It is unacceptable,” Darboe said.

Darboe has also accused Barrow of trying to hijack his UDP party. He says his fallout with Barrow stemmed from Barrow’s dodgy and dishonest politics of undermining the UDP.

Darboe has warned Barrow to start packing. He said come 2021, Gambians would vote Barrow out of office.

The post GAMBIA: DARBOE CRIES FOUL AHEAD OF THE 2021 ELECTIONS; AS HE ACCUSES BARROW GOV’T OF PLANNING TO REGISTER NON GAMBIANS IN SENEGAL TO RIG THE DECEMBER 2021 ELECTIONS! appeared first on Freedom Newspaper.

Badara Manneh, a Gambian living in Sweden, is the owner of the APRC political bureau in Manjiekunda, Gibril Fadia, an APRC supporter told Freedom Radio. According to Mr. Fadia, the political bureau was allocated to the APRC party by Mr. Manneh. “Badara Manneh owns that property. He allocated it to us for free of charge. We do not pay rent. We only maintain the up keeping of the bureau,” Fadia said.

Fadia’s statement followed speculations that President Barrow has allocated a political bureau to the APRC.  The APRC leadership has denied such claims.

Fadia says he doesn’t know Badara Manneh. He also doesn’t know in which city Manneh lives in Sweden.

A Freedom radio listener said she knows Mr. Manneh. “He lives in Stockholm. He is an APRC supporter,” she said.

Mr. Manneh could not be reached for comment.

The post GAMBIA: MEET BADARA MANNEH, THE OWNER OF THE APRC MANJIEKUNDA POLITICAL BUREAU appeared first on Freedom Newspaper.

Chaos at the CRC over Staff Welfare Benefits!

Head of HR & Administration, Raymond Sarr leaves the CRC

HR & Admin Officer, gets sidelined for the acting role as Executive Secretary Omar Ousman Jobe sees Amang as a strong and stubborn contender after his remarkable role in spearheading a Petition signed off by Staff of the Secretariat on Friday 16th October, 2020 with regards to entitlements owed by the CRC to both current and ex- staff during the course of their service with the Constitutional Review Commission.

Former Head of HR & Administration Mr. Raymond Sarr is an experienced Human Resources Professional who served with various institutions in The Gambia.

His Assistant, Amang having been a great resource to the institution is smart, intelligent, discipline and results oriented and has always been a hard puzzle to crack which makes him a tough contender for Executive Secretary Omar Ousman Jobe.

Omar Ousman Jobe is bias, untruthful and  can only welcome Officers who are ready to get twisted around a finger.

It is believed Omar Ousman Jobe ran his watery mouth on Raymond Sarr to Commissioners at its final Commission meeting held at the Secretariat on Saturday 17th October, 2020 in a manner many see as a complete betrayal of the trust Raymond once held in Jobe.

The relationship between HR & Admin. Officer Amang Sanneh and Omar Ousman Jobe became stale as Amang known to many as Pa became a strong advocate for the masses to the anger of Omar Ousman Jobe; a liar and flat assed leader of his people.

Both Pa Amang and Raymond graduated from reputable Universities in England, United Kingdom and have been known to be bold and outspoken when it comes to Employee matters.

Another HR Department Staff is earmarked to succeed Raymond Sarr while other Officers of the HR Department join the list of employees whose contracts with the CRC end on 22nd October, 2020.

Omar Ousman Jobe sees capable Staff as a threat to his plans.

Omar Ousman Jobe has facilitated the award of contracts to friends and close associates in return for kick backs and most often inflated invoice prices on procurement.

One such award of contract is that of the Mass Lowe tune on the CRC which got featured on QTV.

We all knew there was something in it for Omar Ousman Jobe and many other activities at the Secretariat.

He is greedy and always finding a way of lining up his pocket through unnecessary requests done through its Finance Department.

“I do not want to work with anyone that has their name signed off on that Petition”, a desperately sounding Omar Ousman Jobe is heard in a phone conversation with another Senior Manager  of the CRC.

At the time of writing to the Press, the CRC Secretariat is being run by a total of less than 12 employees till January 2021.

Written By a Concerned Citizen

Editor’s note: The author’s views do not represent the position of the Freedom Newspaper. The claims made above are treated as “allegations” until proven otherwise. Mr. Omar Ousman Jobe and those named in this report would be availed the right to reply if they deem it imperative. Thanks for your kind attention.

The post Gambia: OPINION: Chaos at the CRC over Staff Welfare Benefits! Head of HR & Administration, Raymond Sarr leaves the CRC appeared first on Freedom Newspaper.

The Kaur born native Moriba Suso has parted company with his party leader Mama Kandeh. The widely known GDC interpreter and close aide of Mama Kandeh has defected to the National People’s Party (NPP). Suso is the latest GDC supporter, who has defected to the NPP.

Suso’s defection followed a disturbing scandal gripping the GDC leader Mama Kandeh. This paper has been investigating the story. We will keep you posted with the outcome of our investigations. Stay tuned.

The post GAMBIA: GDC INTERPRETER MORIBA SUSO DEFECTS TO NPP appeared first on Freedom Newspaper.

Dear Pa,

President Barrow is doomed! He returned home with shock and disbelief. President Buhari has spoken. He has told President Barrow to put his house in order. ECOWAS is pulling out from The Gambia.

I was part of Barrow’s entourage to Nigeria. Africa’s most populous nation Nigeria is not happy with the pace of the country’s transition period. Barrow’s failure to respect his promise to The Gambian people was part of the theme during his visit. The so-called security sector reform was also part of the agenda.

ECOWAS has informed President Barrow that it cannot continue to deploy its troops in Banjul. An ECOWAS envoy was in Banjul last week to have a word with him and his Foreign Minister Tangara.

The continued funding of the West African troops stationed in Banjul is becoming a problem with the regional bloc. France would only commit its resources, provided that Banjul is willing to support its foreign and economic policies.

ECOWAS was with the impression that Barrow was going to stay in power for three years, which would be followed by post transition elections. That never happened. Barrow has instead consolidated himself in power.

Barrow is now running a government under the backing of ECOWAS and the Senegalese splinter forces stationed in Foni, and at the State House.

The Gambian army, which is supposed to take charge of the territorial security has been marginalized during Barrow’s four years rule. The respect that Buhari talked about largely centered on Barrow’s lack of respect for The Gambian army and the electorate. That a true reform cannot happen in the absence of Barrow having faith in the Gambian army and the democratic process.

As an insider, I can report to you that Barrow is panic stricken at this hour. He has no clue as to how to resolve this issue. He kept telling us that Macky Sall got his back. We are under catch 22.

The withdrawal of ECOWAS without a reformed army could render this country ungovernable. The President has two options: One to ride with France, or secure funding for the continued presence of ECOWAS troops in The Gambia.

In a worst-case scenario, signing a confederation with Senegal could help to safeguard the transition period. ECOWAS’s withdrawal is a disaster.

Mighty Nigeria has its own security challenges: terrorism, public dissatisfaction with the Buhari government, and trust issues with the military. The global economic meltdown hasn’t spared Nigeria.

Foreign Minister Momodou Tangara and Defense Minister Sheikh Omar Faye are increasingly worried. They are openly talking.

Finally, almost every member of the delegation was embarrassed when the President had a joint public address with President Buhari. We shook our heads in disgrace. His speech was below expectation. Even a grad niner would have performed better than him.

Our fate now lies in the hands of Buhari and Macky Sall. Let us pray that Nigeria and Senegal would come to our aid.

INSIDER

The post GAMBIA: A MEMBER OF PRESIDENT BARROW’S DELEGATION TO NIGERIA HINTS THAT ECOWAS IS PULLING OUT FROM THE GAMBIA! appeared first on Freedom Newspaper.

A shocking wave of defections have gripped The Gambia Democratic Congress party (GDC), Freedom Newspaper can report. The party’s National President Dr. Demba Sabally has defected from the GDC to join the National People’s Party (NPP). Sabally has defected with a good number of GDC supporters to the NPP. Mama Kandeh’s female protocol officers were among those, who had defected to the NPP.

Dr. Sabally’s defection hasn’t been made public yet. He hasn’t informed his GDC’s colleagues about his planned defection. He is still part of the GDC chat groups, but Monday is his last day with the party, this paper can authoritatively report.

Dr. Sabally has met with President Barrow. He has reaffirmed his commitment to rally his support behind President Barrow and his NPP party. He is leaving with a huge GDC supporters.

Dr. Sabally and his GDC colleagues have been scheduled to be part of President Barrow’s meet the people’s tour, which has been slated to start tomorrow Monday. Sabally and co would announce their defection to the NPP at an Essau meeting on Monday, sources familiar with the story have told this medium.

The GDC Jali Soriba Suso was the first to announce his defection to the NPP over the weekend.

According to sources, Demba Sabally, is not happy about Mama Kandeh’s move to work with the UDP. Sabally, said GDC sources, has said that he preferred a Barrow government than The Gambia having a UDP government.

” He told the President that he prefers his 20 years rule than witnessing a two day rule of the UDP.  That he doesn’t want to have business with the UDP,” GDC insiders said

Meanwhile, MC Cham jr, speaking at a GDC political rally in the Central River Region (CRC) has urged his party supporters not to be moved by reports of the party’s Executive members leaving the party. Cham argued that parties are usually not maintained by Executive members, but its rank and file members.  He added that one of the reasons why the APRC lost the 2016 election was because of its members defection to the GDC.

Cham has downplayed the importance of  Executive members in a given political party. He noted that GDC Executive members leaving the party, would not have any impact on the party.

Cham has also accused what he called “Mama Kandeh’s detractors” of paying women to level rape allegations against his party leader. He said Kandeh was a victim of such “false” accusations back in 2016.

“A similar smear campaign is being repeated. They are paying women to accuse Mama of sex crime. As party supporters, we should stand by Mama Kandeh. We shouldn’t allow anyone to jeopardize his Presidential bid,” Cham remarked.

Cham’s statement followed allegations that Kandeh has allegedly raped one of his relatives.

Cham has accused President Barrow and his NPP of spreading lies against Kandeh. He warned that no amount of lies can stop Mama Kandeh from occupying the State House come 2021.

The post GAMBIA: BOMBSHELL: GDC’S NATIONAL PRESIDENT DR. SABALLY AND DOZEN OTHERS HAVE DEFECTED TO THE NPP! appeared first on Freedom Newspaper.

The leader of The Gambia Democratic Congress Party Mama Kandeh has denied rape allegations by merely saying “Astafuroulah, Astafuroulah, Pa Nderry, sorry, this is…I am sorry, I am sorry, this is too much.” Kandeh’s denial followed reports accusing the GDC leader of allegedly raping one his relatives. The alleged rape victim identified as Isatou Kandeh, 26, works at the Baobab hotel as a cashier.

The alleged sexual abuses started way back in 2016. It was until recently that she reported the incident to her brother Abdoulie Kandeh, Mama’s younger brother.  But Mr. Abdoulie Kandeh has denied receiving any complaint from his sister. He even vowed to sue any paper that publishes what he called “such grievous false allegations” against his elder brother Mama Kandeh.

The Baobab hotel owner has described the allegations as malicious and totally founded. He went as far as asking this reporter, whether he was residing in the country. He warns that such allegations would not be let go like that, as he stressed the negative “embarrassment” his family would suffer if published.

Mr. Kandeh was assured that this medium has no interest in bringing his brother down and we were merely performing our required journalistic job. Hence, that was the reason why we contacted both him and Mama for comment.

Abdoulie Kandeh then stated that he welcomed this medium’s move to contact them for comment. He still maintains that the allegations were false.

During the course of our investigations, we discovered that Isatou Kandeh has shared her alleged rape story with a Gambian lawyer living in the United Kingdom. She has supplied him videos, audio, and text messages she had with Mama Kandeh.

Isatou Kandeh is said to be under pressure from her family not to report the matter to the police or the media. She was told to spare her family from shame.

Given the seriousness of the allegations, we contacted Mama Kandeh via the phone little past 1:00 am Gambian time this past week to seek his reaction to the story. In a brief phone conversation, Kandeh began his response by saying: “Astafuroulah, Astafuroulah, Pa Nderry, sorry, this is…I am sorry, I am sorry, this is too much.”

Kandeh then abruptly hung up the phone. He never stayed  on the line to speak to us.

Isatou has told his lawyer friend that she was visited by Abdoulie Kandeh and others after my phone conversation with Mama Kandeh. She was reportedly coached to deny the allegations if contacted by the media.

Mr. Abdoulie Kandeh has denied visiting Ms. Kandeh on the night in question. He said he last saw Ms. Kandeh at work.

“Chey Gambia. Some people can lie. Why should I visit Isatou? For what?,” he quizzed.

Abdoulie’s denial never stopped Isatou’s lawyer friend from writing to Mr. Kandeh. He warned him that if anything sinister should happen to his friend, he was going to let the cat out of the bag.

“I know you are aware that I am aware of everything that is going on. I am not concerned with exposing anyone as it does not add any value to me. However, my priority was to ensure that the systemic sexual abuse was halted and comes to an end. That I have achieved.  Isatou is scared for her safety and am worried about her safety too. I wish to let all of you know that I have all the evidences including videos, voice notes and screen shots. If anything happens to Isatou, I swear, I will not hold back. She has informed me that she was woken up at 2am today to get her to make a statement contrary to what has happened.  I have contacted Pa Nderry Mbaye and have pleaded that the story not be published.  I didn’t do so to please any of you but to protect an innocent girl who is already going through a lot and that story will damage her further and beyond repair. Let Mr. Kandeh know in absolute terms, that the safety of Isatou must be guaranteed,” the lawyer wrote.

Just for the record, we never promised the said lawyer that we wouldn’t publish the story as claimed above. What we told him was that we were going to put the story on hold until further notice since he the (lawyer) said the girl was in a potential danger and if published she could risk family reprisals.

In one of the audio messages Isatou sent to Mama’s brother Abdoulie Kandeh, reporting the incident, Abdoulie has acknowledged receiving it. He implored the girl not to sit on her case, that it should be exposed so that his brother could stop his foolishness. He also said it was unbelievable for his brother to allegedly treat his sister in such a manner.

Mr. Abdoulie Kandeh thinks that his brother was a victim of political witch hunting. He says Mama has suffered a similar fate in the 2016 Presidential elections, in which he was accused of being planted by Jammeh, having affair with women, and was being sponsored by the Bokaharam terrorist group. He said such allegations later turned out to be false.

“It is almost 2021. They are out to get him. These are false allegations. No one can challenge God’s decision. If God says, Mama is going to rule this country, no one can stop that. I have respect for you and your newspaper. I couldn’t believe that I am talking to you. My brother raping his sister. That is not true,” he said.

Mr. Kandeh told us that he was going to ask his brother Mama Kandeh to resign from politics because there is too much hate on him.

“I think he should resign from politics. It doesn’t worth it. Mama is a good guy. He loves this country. With or without the Presidency, he is committed to helping his people,” he added.

Mr. Kandeh has repeatedly demanded to know our source, so that he could take him to court, but we refused. He was told that as journalists, we are obliged to protect our sources come what may.

Mama Kandeh had female protocol officers in his party. The girls often run his services while he is on tour and party functions.

A Gambian mother living in Norway, said she was recently contacted by a loved one, who was offered a protocol job at the GDC, for advice. She said the girl had questionable pictures with the GDC leader at a hotel pool. She advised the girl not to accept a job offer from the GDC leader.

Meanwhile, MC Cham, the GDC National Youth President, has accused “Mama Kandeh’s detractors” of paying women to level rape allegations against his party leader. He said Kandeh was a victim of such “false” accusations back in 2016.

“A similar smear campaign is being repeated. They are paying women to accuse Mama of sex crime. As party supporters, we should stand by Mama Kandeh. We shouldn’t allow anyone to jeopardize his Presidential bid,” Cham remarked.

Cham has accused President Barrow and his NPP of spreading lies against Kandeh. He warned that no amount of lies can stop Mama Kandeh from occupying the State House come 2021.

Mama Kandeh hasn’t commented on the story since the last time we spoke to him. Some of his party supporters both at home and in the diaspora have been calling on their party leader to set the record straight to avoid any further rumors.

Editors note: Mama Kandeh is presumed innocent until proven otherwise. The alleged rape case was never reported to the police.

In another development, the GDC National President Dr. Demba Sabally has defected from the GDC. He has defected to the newly set up NPP party.

Sabally has defected with dozens of GDC supporters to the NPP. Some of the defected GDC supporters were members of Kandeh’s female protocol team.

The defections would be made official during President Barrow’s meet the people’s tour, which has been slated for Monday. Dr. Sabally and co have been scheduled to announce their defections at an Essau meeting.

The post GAMBIA: KANDEH DENIES RAPE ALLEGATIONS SAYING ” ASTAFUROULAH.” appeared first on Freedom Newspaper.

The alleged rape victim Isatou Kandeh has been sent on leave amid the recent revelations on the disturbing rape allegations against the GDC leader Mama Kandeh. The 26-year-old Baobab hotel cashier has been asked to take a break from work and she has complied. She has since not been reporting to work. She is currently out of the public domain.

The GDC leader has denied the allegations. “Astafuroulah, Astafuroulah, Pa Nderry, sorry, this is…I am sorry, I am sorry, this is too much,” Kandeh told me in a phone conversation.

Kandeh’s denial followed reports accusing the GDC leader of allegedly raping one of his relatives. The alleged rape victim identified as Isatou Kandeh, 26, works at the Baobab hotel as a cashier.

Baobab hotel is owned by Mama Kandeh’s younger brother Abdoulie Kandeh. Mr. Kandeh’s designated room at the hotel is room 110. Room 110 is the room where he spends his quality time.

Supporters of the GDC leader have been outraged by the rape allegations against their leader. Some even claimed that it is politically motivated. They have chastised this medium for publishing what they called “such a demeaning and embarrassing story against their leader.

For now, Isatou Kandeh is out of work. She has been asked to stay home until the dust settles.

STORY BACKGROUND

The alleged sexual abuses started way back in 2016. It was until recently that she reported the incident to her brother Abdoulie Kandeh, Mama’s younger brother.  But Mr. Abdoulie Kandeh has denied receiving any complaint from his sister. He even vowed to sue any paper that publishes what he called “such grievous false allegations” against his elder brother Mama Kandeh.

The Baobab hotel owner has described the allegations as malicious and totally founded. He went as far as asking this reporter, whether he was residing in the country. He warns that such allegations would not be let go like that, as he stressed the negative “embarrassment” his family would suffer if published.

Mr. Kandeh was assured that this medium has no interest in bringing his brother down and we were merely performing our required journalistic job. Hence, that was the reason why we contacted both him and Mama for comment.

Abdoulie Kandeh then stated that he welcomed this medium’s move to contact them for comment. He still maintains that the allegations were false.

During the course of our investigations, we discovered that Isatou Kandeh has shared her alleged rape story with a Gambian lawyer living in the United Kingdom. She has supplied him videos, audio, and text messages she had with Mama Kandeh.

Isatou Kandeh is said to be under pressure from her family not to report the matter to the police or the media. She was told to spare her family from shame.

Given the seriousness of the allegations, we contacted Mama Kandeh via the phone little past 1:00 am Gambian time this past week to seek his reaction to the story. In a brief phone conversation, Kandeh began his response by saying: “Astafuroulah, Astafuroulah, Pa Nderry, sorry, this is…I am sorry, I am sorry, this is too much.”

Kandeh then abruptly hung up the phone. He never stayed  on the line to speak to us.

Isatou has told his lawyer friend that she was visited by Abdoulie Kandeh and others after my phone conversation with Mama Kandeh. She was reportedly coached to deny the allegations if contacted by the media.

Mr. Abdoulie Kandeh has denied visiting Ms. Kandeh on the night in question. He said he last saw Ms. Kandeh at work.

“Chey Gambia. Some people can lie. Why should I visit Isatou? For what?,” he quizzed.

Abdoulie’s denial never stopped Isatou’s lawyer friend from writing to Mr. Kandeh. He warned him that if anything sinister should happen to his friend, he was going to let the cat out of the bag.

“I know you are aware that I am aware of everything that is going on. I am not concerned with exposing anyone as it does not add any value to me. However, my priority was to ensure that the systemic sexual abuse was halted and comes to an end. That I have achieved.  Isatou is scared for her safety and am worried about her safety too. I wish to let all of you know that I have all the evidences including videos, voice notes and screen shots. If anything happens to Isatou, I swear, I will not hold back. She has informed me that she was woken up at 2am today to get her to make a statement contrary to what has happened.  I have contacted Pa Nderry Mbaye and have pleaded that the story not be published.  I didn’t do so to please any of you but to protect an innocent girl who is already going through a lot and that story will damage her further and beyond repair. Let Mr. Kandeh know in absolute terms, that the safety of Isatou must be guaranteed,” the lawyer wrote.

Just for the record, we never promised the said lawyer that we wouldn’t publish the story as claimed above. What we told him was that we were going to put the story on hold until further notice since he the (lawyer) said the girl was in a potential danger and if published she could risk family reprisals.

In one of the audio messages Isatou sent to Mama’s brother Abdoulie Kandeh, reporting the incident, Abdoulie has acknowledged receiving it. He implored the girl not to sit on her case, that it should be exposed so that his brother could stop his foolishness. He also said it was unbelievable for his brother to allegedly treat his sister in such a manner.

Mr. Abdoulie Kandeh thinks that his brother was a victim of political witch hunting. He says Mama has suffered a similar fate in the 2016 Presidential elections, in which he was accused of being planted by Jammeh, having affair with women, and was being sponsored by the Bokaharam terrorist group. He said such allegations later turned out to be false.

“It is almost 2021. They are out to get him. These are false allegations. No one can challenge God’s decision. If God says, Mama is going to rule this country, no one can stop that. I have respect for you and your newspaper. I couldn’t believe that I am talking to you. My brother raping his sister. That is not true,” he said.

Mr. Kandeh told us that he was going to ask his brother Mama Kandeh to resign from politics because there is too much hate on him.

“I think he should resign from politics. It doesn’t worth it. Mama is a good guy. He loves this country. With or without the Presidency, he is committed to helping his people,” he added.

Mr. Kandeh has repeatedly demanded to know our source, so that he could take him to court, but we refused. He was told that as journalists, we are obliged to protect our sources come what may.

Mama Kandeh had female protocol officers in his party. The girls often run his services while he is on tour and party functions.

A Gambian mother living in Norway, said she was recently contacted by a loved one, who was offered a protocol job at the GDC, for advice. She said the girl had questionable pictures with the GDC leader at a hotel pool. She advised the girl not to accept a job offer from the GDC leader.

Meanwhile, MC Cham, the GDC National Youth President, has accused “Mama Kandeh’s detractors” of paying women to level rape allegations against his party leader. He said Kandeh was a victim of such “false” accusations back in 2016.

“A similar smear campaign is being repeated. They are paying women to accuse Mama of sex crime. As party supporters, we should stand by Mama Kandeh. We shouldn’t allow anyone to jeopardize his Presidential bid,” Cham remarked.

Cham has accused President Barrow and his NPP of spreading lies against Kandeh. He warned that no amount of lies can stop Mama Kandeh from occupying the State House come 2021.

Mama Kandeh hasn’t commented on the story since the last time we spoke to him. Some of his party supporters both at home and in the diaspora have been calling on their party leader to set the record straight to avoid any further rumors.

Editors note: Mama Kandeh is presumed innocent until proven otherwise. The alleged rape case was never reported to the police.

In another development, the GDC National President Dr. Demba Sabally has defected from the GDC. He has defected to the newly set up NPP party.

Sabally has defected with dozens of GDC supporters to the NPP. Some of the defected GDC supporters were members of Kandeh’s female protocol team.

The defections would be made official during President Barrow’s meet the people’s tour, which has been slated for Monday. Dr. Sabally and co have been scheduled to announce their defections at an Essau meeting.

The post GAMBIA: ISATOU KANDEH SENDS ON LEAVE AMID RAPE ALLEGATIONS! appeared first on Freedom Newspaper.

A Gambian businessman has accused the former Gambian President Yahya Jammeh of sacrificing newborn babies for ritualistic purposes. He says the babies were taken from hospitals and sacrificed. Sillaba Samateh made the allegations before the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC) on Tuesday. As Pa Nderry Mbai reports from Raleigh, North Carolina, Jammeh’s supporters are denying the allegations.

Speaking before an interpreter businessman Sillaba Samateh claimed that he learned about Jammeh’s alleged babies’ ritual while he was under detention at the National Intelligence Agency in Banjul. Samateh said he himself was being used to transport the stolen babies into the office of the late NIA Director General Numo Kujabi.

The two former security officers Samateh named in his testimony Nfanli Jabang and Numo Kujabi have died.

“You know the seriousness of this accusations. That the President of this country, was taking babies from hospitals and take them to prison to Kanilai for human sacrifice,” Lead Counsel Essa Faal told Mr. Samateh.

Samateh still stands by his story. He says Jammeh was allegedly killing babies for ritual purposes.

Samateh was held at the NIA on drug trafficking related charges. He later jumped bail and fled to Holland.

He claimed that while at the NIA, he was often asked to pick up dead bodies and put them in body bags.

Dodou Jah is the Deputy Spokesman for the former ruling APRC party.

“If these allegations were true, where are the parents of those kids, they have relatives, knowing for example, my wife is pregnant, goes to the hospital to deliver, we are expecting a baby. Even if my wife happens to pass away, but the baby belongs to the family, if the family doesn’t see it, the hospital is responsible. And these are issues that cannot go under the carpet, the media would be in the epicenter of it and this news is going to spread, but how come no such story ever emerged,” Mr. Jah said.

Jah says Samateh’s claims should be treated with pinch of salt. He added that witnesses should testify the truth and stop making baseless allegations against Yahya Jammeh.

“Not I don’t trust the TRRC, but some of the revelations I don’t know what to believe and the lead counsel is proving to them that they are lying. A witness comes to the TRRC and the lead counsel is telling them you are lying, but people want me to believe what they are saying. You know until somebody said it is red, another said it is black, I am asking who do I have to believe,” Mr. Jah remarked.

Samsudeen Sarr is the former Gambian Ambassador to the United Nations. Sarr is also a sympathizer of the APRC party.

“If thing of that nature as gruesome that is, would have been talked about everywhere in this country. So, I have serious doubts as to the credibility of the story of Sillaba Samateh,” Sarr remarked.

Sarr says Sillaba’s reputation is questionable. He is not convinced that Samateh was being truthful to the Commission.

“His reputation in this country has not been very good. You that, you know better than I do, Sillaba’s name it was not associated with good things in the past and since the change of government, he has been trying to sanitize his name and join the Barrow government,” Sarr added.

Lead Counsel Essa Faal says given the seriousness of Samateh’s allegations; it is important for the Commission’s Investigation team to investigate the matter.

Samateh was in tears while giving evidence. He claimed that one of the NIA officers Omar Cham had even threatened to rape his wife while they were being held there.

In another development, a former NIA detainee, who wished not to be named has dismissed Sillaba’s claims. He has accused Samateh of lying to the TRRC.

“We were detained at the same location at the NIA. No babies were brought to the NIA for ritual sacrifices. That was a figment of Sillaba’s own imagination. I am calling you, because I feel that he was untruthful to the Commission,” he said.

“As you rightly pointed out in your radio show, Numo Kujabi and Nfanli Jabang are not alive to substantiate his allegations. He is using the death to sell a false story,” the caller added.

The post GAMBIA: EXILED GAMBIAN DICTATOR ACCUSED OF STEALING BABIES FROM HOSPITALS FOR RITUALISTIC PURPOSES; JAMMEH’S SUPPORTERS REJECT ACCUSATIONS! appeared first on Freedom Newspaper.

A former Gambian Liberia warlord has accused Samsudeen Sarr, the former Commander of The Gambia Armed Forces of inflicting brutal torture on him. Balo Kanteh, a former rebel Captain of Charles Taylor’s defunct National Patriotic Front Of Liberia (NPFL) made the allegations during a testimony before the TRRC yesterday. Kanteh was among the attackers of the Farefenni army barracks back in 1996, which left eight Gambian soldiers dead. Kanteh was shot in the leg during that failed rebel attack against Jammeh’s government.

Giving evidence before the TRRC, Kanteh explained how he was allegedly tortured by former security chiefs and NIA personnel while he was detained at the NIA main office in Banjul. He alleged that retired Army Colonel Sam Sarr, a Gambian United States citizen, and the former Gambian Ambassador to the United Nations was among the officers who allegedly tortured him.

He claimed that Sam Sarr, Babadining Jobarteh, Harry Sambou, Foday Barry, Salima Drammeh, and Joe Mendy had physically tortured him during his detention at the NIA.

Jobarteh, is a former NIA officer, cum lawyer. He had served as Attorney General and Minister of Justice under Jammeh’s rule.

Harry Sambou had served as NIA Director General before falling out with Jammeh. Foday Barry was also unit head Director at the NIA, while Joe Mendy was an Intel officer.

Kanteh recalled when Mr. Sarr came to the NIA with Baboucarr Jatta, the former Chief of Defense Staff (CDS) shortly after his arrest and allegedly assaulted him.

He was asked by Lead Counsel Essa Faal to demonstrate how he was allegedly tortured by Sam Sarr. Kanteh then took to the floor of the TRRC proceeding room, lying flat on the floor to demonstrate how Sarr allegedly walked over his body, while kicking and insulting him.

“He hit me, knocked me, walked on my body, and was calling me mother fucker, mother fucker,” Kanteh alleged.

Kanteh pointed out that Baboucarr Jatta even tried to restraint Sarr and “told him that if anything should happen to this guy, you would be held responsible. We do not know if this guy was part of the attack or not and you are beating him.”

In a lengthy testimony, Kanteh said he was allegedly exposed to three torture sessions, two of which, he said, the retired Army Colonel Sarr was allegedly part of. He added that he was stripped naked in the presence of his father, who was also arrested by the NIA.

Kanteh broke into tears while giving evidence. He said both him and the late Yahya Drammeh were brutally tortured. He recalled Drammeh’s torturers trying to insert a cotton that was laced with gas and other deadly substances into his anus.  Drammeh later died in prison because of the torture he suffered, he said.

According to Kanteh, Drammeh had suffered from blood urine, defecation, vomiting blood prior to his demise.

He told the Commission that he and his co detainees were denied access to shower for close to eight months. Their hands and legs were cuffed during this time. They were also served bad food.

Balo Kanteh was a migrant in Libya. He said he was arrested on Libya’s revolution celebration day and was forced to be trained as a combatant. At the time, he said, Libya was training some African leaders to help them topple governments on the continent.

Kanteh was part of the late Kukoi Samba Sanyang’s men who were trained in Libya. He was later deployed to Liberia with other Gambian fighters to help Charles Taylor topple Samuel Doe’s government.

He was assigned to oversee the Liberian border. He had 1500 rebels under his command.

Kanteh said he and his colleagues were later assigned by Kukoi to overthrow Jammeh’s government in 1996. That rebellion attack became a failure, as the attackers were defeated by Jammeh’s loyal soldiers.

Two of the attackers including Kanteh suffered gunshot wounds. They were later apprehended, charged, and sentenced to death.

Reacting to Balo Kanteh’s torture allegations, Sam Sarr in a Facebook posting said: “Essa Faal is really full of himself for saying that he wants to ensure that he gets the facts about how Kanteh was actually tortured and not saying that he wants to get exactly what he is claiming to have happened to him. I wrote this story in my book. When Farafeni was attacked, I was on an official visit to North Korea with Edward Singhateh, O. G. Sallah and Moses Jallow. We arrived two days after the attack when all of them had already been arrested including those extradited from Senegal. Yaya Drammeh was already arrested as well.”

“This man lied against Yaya Drammeh who refused to say that Senegal put them into the attack that he dogmatically insinuated. Baboucarr Jatta never went to the NIA with me but like I said earlier it was the current National Security adviser Col Momodou Badjie who can bear me witness to this event. I do not believe in torture and can categorically say that Mballo Kanteh is simply entertaining the Trrc or Essa Faal with the kind of lies they enjoy to hear. The way he lied to his father to sell his cattle to fund their deadly attack at Farafeni tells everything about this monster. He is a serial liar and killer who just confessed to the world that he was a rebel leader in Liberia where the worst atrocities were committed by people like him,” retired Colonel Sarr added.

Mr. Sarr has been scheduled to appear on Freedom radio’s Thursday Civic Education show. He had earlier contacted us requesting for airtime. He said he wants to clear the air “by debunking Kanteh’s false allegations.”

Sarr spent hours on Facebook yesterday trying to proof his innocence.

“Mballo Kanteh another attacker of Farafeni barracks in 1996 has just been sworn in at the TRRC and is now testifying. He was the chap who swindled his family into selling their only cattle for the cash that he used to purchase two local guns manufactured for their attack. He had told his family that he had vehicles to clear at the Dakar port imported from Europe after disappearing from the Gambia for years. They had even thought him dead somewhere. He was shot by friendly fire in the first minutes of their attack together with Sulayman Sarr but captured at the Farafeni hospital trying to get medical treatment,” he said.

“So the false story of John Dampha yesterday that no shots were fired much more anyone killed during the attack was unfounded. I saw the nasty AK-47 bullet injury he had sustained on his thigh and that of Sulayman Sarr’s in the same area.

He is a pathological liar which at some point, when I visited them at the NIA angered me so much that I couldn’t control myself from kicking him on his ribs, but only once, thanks to the current National Security adviser Col. Momodou Badjie who had restrained me. Yes, that was wrong, but considering the fact that we were just from the hospital to confirm the identity of our 8 killed soldiers, my emotions quickly took over my sense of judgement. It was his lies that caused the torture of Yaya Drammeh who was denying his allegations that Senegal paid them to attack the Gambia. The NIA for some strange reasons just wanted Maballo’s lies to prevail over Yaya Drammeh’s. I just couldn’t stand the guy,” he added.

Kanteh had served close to twenty years in prison before he was granted a Presidential pardon. He later resettled in Senegal. He returned home after the fall of Jammeh.

Kanteh said he lost his manhood because of the torture he suffered in the hands of The Gambian security officers. He became impotent because of the torture he suffered. He had to let his wife go. He said he divorced his wife because he can longer sexually function.

He said he later resorted to seeking local treatment to cure his impotency.  He recovered, remarried and had a baby with his new wife.

The post GAMBIA; BREAKING NEWS: SAM SARR DENIES TORTURE ALLEGATIONS; AS GAMBIAN LIBERIA EX WARLORD CLAIMED THAT HE WAS BRUTALLY TORTURED BY RETIRED COLONEL SARR! appeared first on Freedom Newspaper.

The passport acquired by the Canada Border Services Agency to deport longtime immigration detainee Ebrahim Toure was fraudulently obtained, according to an investigation by Gambian authorities.

A Gambian man, who appears to have been previously held in immigration detention in Canada himself, has been arrested by police in Gambia’s capital, Banjul, and charged with two counts of fraud-related offences, according to a report by the Gambian Immigration Department obtained by the Star.

The report says the man told Gambian authorities he was working for Canadian immigration officials.

The CBSA did not respond to specific questions for this story, but an agency spokesperson said “the matter is under investigation” and any decision on Toure’s deportation will “only be taken once the investigation is complete.”

Last month Toure’s lawyer, Jared Will, raised concerns about the authenticity of the passport and birth certificate obtained by the CBSA. In a four-day hearing at the Immigration and Refugee Board, Will cited irregularities in the documents themselves, the evasive and confusing testimony of the CBSA officer in charge of Toure’s case and the dearth of evidence disclosed by the CBSA.

Testifying at the hearings, CBSA officer Dale Lewis could not explain why he communicated with Gambian authorities on his personal email and WhatsApp, rather than his government email. He also admitted he may have lost or deleted his correspondence with Gambian authorities; that he relied on information from a single confidential informant whose identity was known only to him; that he never read CBSA’s policy on the use of confidential informants; and that he generally kept very few investigative records.

Neither Lewis nor the CBSA’s representative at the hearings could explain why Gambia had now agreed to issue Toure identity documents when for years it had refused to do so.

Will, who described Lewis as a “vigilante”with a “willingness to go rogue,” tried to ask him if he paid or otherwise incentivized the person he described as a confidential informant to obtain the documents for Toure. The CBSA objected to the questions, which were never answered.

The CBSA, which sought Toure’s continued detention at the hearing, did not disclose evidence of Lewis’s correspondence with Gambian authorities or his informant to the quasi-judicial tribunal, which ultimately found that Lewis’s testimony was not credible. On Nov. 18, the tribunal ordered Toure to be released from detention, pending his deportation, which was originally scheduled for Friday.

Will said it would have been a “gross miscarriage of justice” had the CBSA deported Toure as they intended. “The gravity of it is hard to overstate.”

He added that the fact the CBSA did not immediately conduct its own investigation into the authenticity of the passport following Lewis’s testimony on Nov. 13 suggests Lewis has been given “at least tacit approval” from the agency to conduct himself as he did. It’s possible, Will said, that prior to Lewis’s testimony his superiors could have assumed Gambian authorities simply changed their mind and decided to issue Toure a passport.

“From Nov. 13 onwards, however, everyone in the CBSA right up to the minister should have been aware that something was rotten in the state of Denmark,” Will said. “That the CBSA continued to seek Toure’s detention for ‘imminent’ removal in the days following what was revealed on Nov 13, that no one intervened to put a stop to the deportation … and that even now no substantive action has been taken, all speak volumes about the culture of impunity that continues to flourish in the CBSA.”

Bill Blair, the minister of public safety, under whose purview the CBSA falls, declined an interview request for this story.

A spokesperson said the CBSA is investigating Lewis’s conduct and, as such, it would be “inappropriate” to comment further on the specifics of the case.

The CBSA was planning to deport Toure, a 49-year-old failed refugee claimant, on Friday, but earlier this month — before Gambian authorities conducted their investigation — Will requested and received a 30-day deferral. The CBSA did not explain why they granted the deferral, Will said.

The Gambian investigation into the documents arose only after a friend of Toure’s in Toronto contacted a Gambian acquaintance and asked him to make inquiries at the passport office in Banjul. They subsequently enlisted a Banjul-based lawyer, Lamin L. Darboe, who requested a formal report from the Immigration Department. Darboe, who confirmed the veracity of the document in an interview with the Star, was then hired by Will to have the report authenticated by Gambia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Attempts to reach the Gambian Immigration Department in Banjul on Thursday were unsuccessful. Gambia’s U.S. Embassy, which also covers Canada, did not respond to questions sent by email. There was no answer at the phone number listed on the embassy’s website.

Source: https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2020/12/10/canadian-border-agent-under-investigation-after-passport-for-immigration-detainee-deemed-fraudulent.html

The post Canadian border agent under investigation after passport for immigration detainee deemed fraudulent appeared first on Freedom Newspaper.

Of Darboe’s Distateful Personal Politics

Why the UDP leader needs to sanitise his rhetoric and leave President Barrow’s father to rest in peace

By Yaya Dampha (Sweden) NPP Coordinator

I see it as a civic duty to respond to the unpleasant and ungentlemanly remarks by a veteran 72-year-old politician in the person of Lawyer Ousainou Darboe, the leader of the opposition United Democratic Party. Mr. Darboe’s statement that “President Barrow did not inherit anything from his father” symbolises bad taste, which depicts the character of a man full of anger, rage and hot temper. This is the man who had throughout preached against politics of mudslinging, character assassination or insult during the Jammeh dictatorship. I used to admire Darboe’s cool and collected approach to dealing with looming political conflicts. That is why his new line of politics has worried me, to call spade a spade and not a rake.

It is worthy to note that political parties that are devoid of ideological grounds or basis will have nothing to offer to the masses. Members of such political parties resort to talking about their opponents’ personal and private lives. Even the parents of their opponents are not allowed to live in peace. Instead of championing issue-based politics or politics of development, these parties will campaign along tribal lines, with its members touting sentiments like ‘ali Kari fasa’, ‘ali Kari la julo jo’ (delo len jugal) or ‘Kari batata bankola kula’.

Instead of selling his party’s programmes and policies to the or what he intends to do for them if he is given the responsibility to manage our meagre tax revenue, the doyen Lawyer politician chose to blow his own trumpet. Maverick politicians are like gifted salespeople who must master the art of sales pitching. Wise politicians allow others to tell their story, especially with regard to their sacrifices. Statements like “I suffered and sacrificed a lot during the Jammeh era” is simply laughable. Who hasn’t suffered? Even unborn innocent babies and their mothers are not spared by a regime whose leader sacrificed babies for rituals. Every Gambian tasted their own bitter pills or played their own part and sacrificed without expecting any personal rewards or benefits. All they care about was to free their once Sweet Country from a Mad Dog. Any attempt to defeat Mr. Jammeh was tantamount to solemn national duty.

Truth be told loudly and clearly, President Adama Barrow’s father (Mamudou Barrow) was not a politician. Mamudou’s name only came to the public limelight when his son defeated Yahya Jammeh. He was not under any obligation to give his inheritance to Adama Barrow to develop The Gambia. Where has that happened in the world? Mr. Darboe’s remarks corroborate the fact that he endorses the insults and arrogance being peddled by the UDP supporters. How can insult be a crime in a village where elders okay the use of vulgar language? I have now believed that use of vulgar language is an accepted standard of normalcy within the UDP.

If you see a child insulting and abusing others in the streets one should know that child learns that behaviour from home.

After more than half a century of self-rule, one might believe that politics of insult, violence, castigation and tribalism should have no place in our modern day Gambian politics.  A 72-year-old man should have been a good Role Model for the younger generations and not the other way around.

It is true that Lawyer Darboe used to get under the skin of former President Jammeh, although in a more responsible manner many a time. But what Darboe needs to understand is that President Barrow is not Yahya Jammeh who can easily be provoked to arrest or suppress his political adversaries. Such tactics are relics of the bygone era.

Democracy requires politics of issues and not of personal attacks. It elevates arguments and instils principle of mutual respect and tolerance. It is not the state or the governing party alone that should uphold principles and dictates of democracy. The opposition parties vying for power should also respect the same very principles of democracy.

Lawyer Darboe has failed the principle of fair play, mutual respect and upholding sacrosanct traditional values of limiting one’s remarks to one’s opponent and not to their parents or relatives. It would have been an explosive affair if such unpleasant remarks were uttered by President Barrow. Our lousy media would have drummed it up and labelled it a threat, yet a clear provocation and punch below the belt is instigated by a veteran politician and the outrage is minimal, which in itself is alarming.

Distasteful political remarks or innuendos are not what the world expects of Gambians to practice in a post-dictatorship era. We cannot build a Better Gambia in the absence of restraiing our utterances and allow our democracy to flourish. In essence, let us police ourselves and live in Peace rather than in pieces.

Ends

The post Of Darboe’s Distateful Personal Politics appeared first on Freedom Newspaper.

The Gambia Democratic Congress (GDC) has suffered another defection. The party’s Chairman at the Kuntaur Area Council Saikou Jawara has resigned from the party. Jawara has defected to the National People’s party (NPP).  He has branded the GDC as a party that has no benefit to him and his constituency.  

Jawara has told Star FM’s Nderry Touray in an interview that he has informed the GDC about his resignation from the party. Jawara has accused the GDC of being a party that hasn’t supported him when he was going to court with the UDP back in 2018. He was declared winner of the Kuntaur area council chairmanship position.

He said the GDC never supported him when he was going to court with the UDP. The UDP had filed a petition at the Supreme court challenging the outcome of that Mayoral elections.

According to Jawara, he used his own money to pay for his lawyer’s fees while defending his electoral victory. The GDC, he said, only came to  court when he won the lawsuit.

Jawara has also accused Mama Kandeh of not helping his constituency with boreholes. He also said the GDC leadership never visited him since he became a Chairman for the Kuntaur Area Council.

The only time that Kandeh and his Executive visited him was this December, he said.

Jawara says his political future with the GDC doesn’t look good and therefore he has decided to shift his allegiance to the NPP. He added that he wants to be reelected in office so that he could continue with his projects.

Ass Sowe, a GDC Regional Chairman, said Mr. Jawara was expelled from the GDC this past July. He added that Jawara was expelled from the party by Mama Kandeh. He said Jawara’s expulsion was rescinded, following an appeal from the party’s leadership.

The post GAMBIA: BREAKING NEWS: GDC KUNTAUR AREA COUNCIL CHAIRMAN DEFECTS TO NPP appeared first on Freedom Newspaper.

Three judicial workers at the Basse magistrates court have been detained by the Basse police after been accused of conspiring with thieves to steal cannabis (marijuana exhibits) that were kept at the Cadi’s Scribe office, Freedom Newspaper can reveal. Police sources said the burglary incident happened on Thursday night.

Accounts Clerk Matarr Kah, Scribe Madi Touray and Registrar George Camara are currently helping the Basse police in their investigations. They were arrested together with two thieves. The thieves who were caught at Basse Kabakama, had broken into the Scribe’s office at the Cadi court and stole the cannabis exhibits that were kept at Madi Touray’s office.

The watchman one Mr. Ceesay was also taken into custody. He has been granted bail.

The taxi driver, who carried the thieves, has also been arrested. Some of the stolen marijuana has been recovered from the thieves.

In the wake of the incident, detectives at Basse mounted a thorough search, which led to the arrest of two thieves. When questioned by the police, the thieves said they were informed by the judiciary Accounts Clerk Matarr Kah that some cannabis had been kept at the Scribe’s office. They claimed that Kah was complicit to the theft.

Matarr Kah was subsequently invited for questioning. He also told the police that Scribe Madi Touray was also complicit to the incident.

The police then arrested Madi Touray. Mr. Touray told the police investigators that Registrar George Canara was also part of the cannabis exhibit theft. He claimed that George has been calling him during working hours to ask him to open his office for him to get some cannabis to take it home to smoke.

George was also called for questioning. The three judicial workers are currently detained at the Basse police station.  Accounts Clerk Matarr Kah, Scribe Madi Touray, a native of Basse and George Camara, the Registrar are currently held at the Basse police. They are helping the police in their investigations.

The police spokesman Superintendent Lamin Njie said he was unable to get hold of the police Commissioner in Basse for details. But he has promised to make further calls.

“Am trying to reach the Commissioner but proving a bit difficult… am still following up. Will keep pushing,” the police Spokesman told  me in a Whatsapp message.

Written by Pa Nderry M’Bai

Email: panderrymbai@gmail.com

Tel: 919-749-6319

The post GAMBIA: BREAKING NEWS: THREE JUDICIAL WORKERS ARRESTED FOR CONSPIRING WITH THIEVES TO STEAL CANNABIS EXHIBITS AT THE BASSE MAGISTRATES COURT! appeared first on Freedom Newspaper.