WOMAN CHARGED, REMANDED FOR USING ABUSIVE WORDS TO PRESIDENT

Magistrate AR Bah of the Brikama Magistrates’ Court last Friday ordered for Fatou Badjie, a woman from Jabang village to be remanded at the Mile 2 Central Prison following a prohibition of conduct conducive to breach of peace charge leveled against her by Police prosecutors.

Prosecutors accused Fatou Badjie of using abusive or insulting words to Gambia’s president and one Awa Jadama with intent to provoke a breach of peace on 19th February, 2017. She pleaded not guilty.

Sergeant 2202 Fadera, the police prosecuting officer applied for adjournment of the matter and objected to the granting of bail to Fatou, saying the matter is still under investigation. He said if Fatou is granted bail, she may tamper with the investigation or even abscond the jurisdiction.

Prosecutor Fadera also told the court that because a second suspect is still at large, Fatou may equally take the same decision if she is granted bail. He urged the court to use its discretion and refuse her bail.

Fatou had however told the court that she is a single parent of many children but Magistrate Bah denied her bail and granted the prosecutor’s application. She also gave the prosecution the opportunity to complete their investigation and bring the second suspect if possible.

The magistrate further said her denial to grant bail to Fatou is not a judgment, saying such application can be brought or done Suo Moto (on its own motion) by the court to grant bail. “The accused is still presumed innocent until proven guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction per Section 24 (3) of the 1997 Constitution.”

The matter is adjourned to 2nd March for hearing of the first prosecution witness’s evidence

Unionists Mourns death of their President- Ousman Drammeh

The Gambia National Transport, Agriculture, Food and Industrial Workers Union (GTFAIWI) mourn the death of their President- Ousman Drammeh, who passed away last week Thursday, 16 February 2017 at his resident in Manjaikunda.

The late Mr Drammeh was survived with two wives and children.
He was re-elected President of the Union in 2016 to serve a second term in office. He succeeded Daddy Sowe as union President, following his predecessor demise. His death followed months long illness.

The news conveyed by the union executive members regrets to extends this sad news to The Gambian President – H.E Adama Barrow, his Cabinet the entire Coalition members, the Inspector General and all staff of The Gambia Police Force, Ministry of Transport, the Interior Minister, Department of Labour, Director General of Custom, and Director General and staff of the Immigration Department, and the all staff Senegalese Embassy in The Gambia.

The sad news is also extended to The Gambia Truck Owners’ Association, Insurance Companies, IEC Staff, the media fraternity, and all transport and workers’ unions, association members and partners in The Gambia and beyond. The sad news is also extended to Mr Alasan Ndoye- President of the Senegalese Transport Union and his executive, and all stakeholders and partners in the transport sector in the ECOWAS sub-region and beyond. 

Ginack Imam found guilty of Trafficking

Magistrate Malafy Jarju of the Banjul Magistrates’ Court, last week convicted and sentenced Abdou Bojang, Imam of Ginack to pay a fine of D50, 000 by installment in a Cannabis case he was involved in. The magistrate ruled that should Bojang fail to pay the fine, he would serve two years imprisonment which; he said would run from the first day of his arrest.

Delivering the judgment, presiding magistrate Jarju said Bojang was charged with possession of prohibited drugs for the purpose of trafficking which, he said is contrary to Section 43(4) of the 2003 Drug Control Act. He said to prove their case; the prosecution called four witnesses and tendered several exhibits.

The magistrate said Bojang testified as a lone witness in his defence and failed to disapprove his ownership of the bag as alleged by the prosecution. He said the main issue to be determined in the case is whether Bojang was caught with the bag that was containing the cannabis.

He said Bojang admitted knowing that the content of the bag he was carrying was cannabis, saying Section 75 of the Evidence Act provides that in any civil proceeding admitted needs no further proof.

The magistrate said the prosecution has proved that Bojang had the cannabis in his possession and he (Bojang) did not deny or disaprove the fact, saying his only defence was that the bag was given to him by one BakarySonko, even though he knew that the content was cannabis.

He said Bojang’s failure to lead the investigating officers to Bakary Sonko made it difficult to believe that he would accept a bag containing cannabis from a total stranger in the ferry. “Even in the event that he does not know Bakary Sonko, he must not take the bag out of the ferry.”

Magistrate Jarju said the prosecution had established a ‘prima facie” case against Bojang and he therefore resolves the main issue in favour of the prosecution.

Allocutus

“I am very grateful to the court for allowing me to take a seat instead of standing in the dock. I ran away from the DLEA officer because of shame.  I am the Imam of Ginack and I am currently very sick. I am appealing to you to have mercy on me. I have a large family and I am not a drug dealer.  I have never consumed or engaged myself in drug  trafficking.  Bakary Sonko is said to have absconded to Libya. I therefore beg the court to temper justice with mercy on me,”

Following Bojang’s plea in mitigation, Magistrate Jarju said he considered his age and the fact that he had been showing remorse throughout the trial, the court would temper justice with mercy on him even though he (Magistrate) was convinced that the cannabis was found in his possession. “The convict has no intention to engage in drug  trafficking,” the magistrate said.

He released Bojang on bail on terms that he shall provide one surety who shall deposit a valid national identity card with the registrar and swear to an affidavit of means to pay D50, 000 for a period of twelve months. He ruled that an amount of D4, 166 shall be paid every month and the payments shall be made on or before the 5th of every month, commencing February, 2017.

 by journalist  Amie Sosu

African Dream Volleyball Festival set for Friday in Farafenni

The date is set for the maiden African Dream Volleyball Festival in Gambia and the venue is identified in Farafenni from 24th – 26th February 2017.
The Gambia Volleyball Federation had identified Farafenni to host the 2017 African Dream Project volleyball festival as efforts toward decentralization of volleyball to rural Gambia. Atleast 100 participants from West Coast Region, Banjul and Kanifing Municipality will join their counterparts in Farafenni to celebrate the success of Africa Dream Project two years after the implementation.
The festival will also symbolize the official launching of the project in provincial Gambia following the National launching in Banjul in February 2015. Currently there are more than 200 kids learning volleyball at the four centers and close to D1.2m had being invested at all centers.
This is one of the most important requirements of the funders that each country should organize a festival for the participants to showcase their talents and socialize with other participants the Project Director Bai Dodou Jallow was quoted as saying.
Jallow added’’ this is also part of our efforts to regionalize volleyball in the Gambia and we believe this is the best way to start that passage’’.
We are all set for this event and the people of Farafenni are ready as well, we had sent an advance team to meet authorities there and the feedback was positive he said.
We will do this in Farafenni were all the three centers in the greater Banjul will travel to Farafenni for a weekend to play volleyball and socialize with other kids in that region Director Jallow concludes.
The African Dream Project is an initiative of FIVB president Dr Ary S. Graca with support from CAVB president Dr. Amr Elwani. The project is meant for Africa with the main aim of seeing an African nation on the podium in World championship. And is a four- year flagship program in Volleyball development for Africa’’.
The project was launched in The Gambia in February 2015
 by
MK Saidikhan 

Fire engulf Jerreh Lodge in NBR

 Three houses at Jerreh Camp lodge and resort he North Bank of the
Gambia 3km outside of the village of sittanunku burn
to ashes as nothing gets out of the houses.
 Fakebba,  Senghorr  proprietor of the lodge, told journalists that,
the  incident happen on a Sunday which was very  windy on that day
whiles the children were clearing some area of the  lodge, and
unfortunately it got in to the houses, and it happen when all of our
guests were all out and left out their belongs in the houses , “
He said  the incident happen whilst  he  was in Barra Village, that the
lodge is on fire I rushed and I  fine the youths  of the Sittanunku
village and the fire and rescuers services were putting off  the fire
but the fire over powered due to heavy winds , and nothing could be
remove out of the houses  which is well futures .
 My Senghor who is very worry about compensation of his guest stated
that, and one of the guest told him that in his room an amount of four
thousand Dollar were kept in his house, and if they claim for
compensation I will fine difficult because is about two Hundred
thousand Dalasis and there is like to be claimed by their insurances
companies and will not be easy to settle it down as a family man and
many people rely on the lodge for survival.
Mr Senghor appealed to the general public , NGO for assistant to
rebuild the lodge as he employed 12 youths working in the lodge ,
whilst expressing gratitude  to Gam Tours for the unflinching support
since inception of the lodge, “am really great full with Gam Tours
they really supported they have been given me guests all the time and
I really appreciated, because of this incident I have stop all the
booking of this month “ he revealed
 Saiku Senghor, a brother of the proprietor, who transported the
journalists unceremonial journey from Banjul to the lodge by board
described the incident as biggest disaster and appealed to general but
for assistant
The Jerreh Camp lodge and resort was set up on 2007 as restaurant and
become lodge and resort, offering Boat trips, hunting , fishing trips,
walking and trekking tours sessions cookery demonstration, jet ski
hire, trip to main town and market Etc