Gambia’s Information Minister Ebrima Sillah has clarified that President Adama Barrow was not referring to Ousainou Darboe, when the President recently raised the issue of a particular prisoner, who recited the Quran, (ZIGARR) upon hearing that he (Barrow) was the winner of the 2016 Presidential elections. Sillah tells Freedom Radio Gambia’s Leral show, which is about to air shortly, that Mr. Barrow was referring to a Senegalese inmate at mile two prison, when he made the statement and not Mr. Darboe.
“When I also saw this particular issue making the rounds on social media, I had a discussion with the President over it. I went to the State House to meet him on Thursday, to actually find out what he meant about this; because the issue of prisoners anywhere is a sensitive matter. You have been arrested in The Gambia; I have been arrested about eleven times; and it is not something anybody takes lightly; for a joke or whatsoever. The President categorically told me, that actually in fact, the person, who was singing was a Senegalese national, who was arrested and was in mile two; and he was singing the “ZIGARR”, we call it in the Wollof, the Baifaal; and in fact, he further clarify to me, that because of the fact that former President Jammeh was defeated, some of the inmates because of that happiness were jubilating; and some of them even fasted for two or three days. But it is a matter that is a sensitive joke and I think for the record that this something that we have learned a great lesson; and hopefully such kind of statements would not be coming from the President, especially about prisoners because whenever prisoners are mentioned; these are people under captivity; these are people actually most of them their rights were violated,” Sillah remarked.
When asked whether he believed in the President’s claims that he was not referring to Mr. Darboe, Sillah replied in the affirmative. He added that he has no reason to disbelieve the President.
Mr. Sillah used the interview to assure Gambians about President Barrow’s commitment to observing the rights and welfare of prisoners. He said there are plans put in place by the government to build a new modern prison in The Gambia. He says mile two prison would be closed once the planned new prison is ready.
For more on the story, tune in to Freedom Radio Gambia’s Sunday prime time Leral show.
Written By Pa Nderry M’Bai
The post PRESIDENT BARROW WAS REFERRING TO A SENEGALESE INMATE, AND NOT OUSAINOU DARBOE-INFORMATION MINISTER SILLAH CLARIFIES appeared first on Freedom Newspaper.