Jaiteh, it is true that in a court of law like the ones we have people
should be treated as innocent until proven guilty. However, that is
irrelevant to what we are talking about here. No one is in a court of law
here on G_L convicting Barrow and Sanyang for crimes they are innocent of.
Statements have been revealed and attributed to these people. Whereas Ebrima
and his Sources have vowed for the authenticity of these Statements, you and
people like you have NOT brought anything to show that these Statements are
not authentic. I put it to you that it is your duty (not the journalist's)
when you accuse people of peddling untrue stories that you prove that these
are bogus stories. The journalist already did his part. Until you prove
otherwise, I am going with what Ebrima and his Source said about the
authenticity of the Statements. If later you help us to determine that these
Statements are NOT authentic, then we will treat the Statements accordingly.

We cannot just say that the Statements are fake when we do not have proof to
that effect. On the contrary, we have people in Banjul vowing for the
authenticity of these Statements. So I do not know what you mean when you
say that we are treating innocent people as guilty of a crime they might not
commit. I am not a lawyer or judge in this case. I cannot do anything to
Barrow or Sanyang. Am I not within my rights to look at statements and give
my take on them? Granted if my statements are detrimental to your family
member you have the right to attack me. But for Heaven's sake, show me where
my statements hurt Lalo or any of the accused for that matter.

You still have not shown how our statements are hurting the accused persons
yet you did not apologize for insinuating that we are indifferent to the
plight these victims. Again, I reiterate and ask how did what I said put the
accused in more jeopardy? And please do not give us that garbage about
'element of surprise in court proceedings'. That is nonsense. What court
proceedings? Do you know what the prospects are for this case proper to be
heard in court? Besides, what is wrong in showing that the government does
not have a strong case against these innocent citizens? That the government
will see their weaknesses and hide? Just how is the government going to do
that from my statements? That is the crux of the matter. How did what I said
hurt Lalo?

I do NOT profess to be a real defense lawyer, but I sure know more about
what they do than you apparently do. Where were you during the OJ Simpson
Case? See, why I said that you to not have to be a real defense lawyer to
know what they do? The many hours Simpson's defense team spent before
camaras I wonder what you think they were doing. Jaiteh, the influence
information has on the minds of certain people is very vital. The government
side is out there. What we sought to do, was bring out Dumo et al's side.
What you are trying to say now is that we should just sit down and leave
that information to be unleashed on our people while we wait for a trial
that might never happen in order to surprise the government. Meanwhile the
whole world will think that Dumo et al are guilty because Barrow and
Francesco said so. If people do not believe in the innocence of Dumo et al,
do you think they will agitate for the government to bring this case to
court? By being silent and leaving the government side out there, we might
encourage the vermin to keep these innocent citizens in jail forever without
trial.

Unlike you, I will not accuse you of being indifferent to the plight of
those implicated by Barrow and Francesco. I just assume that you do not know
what you are talking about. Again, I challenge you to go to your real
defense lawyers and ask them to look at my statements and tell me how it
jeopardize the defense case. You always caution people about being civil and
sincere, yet you make the most insulting statement insinuating that we are
irresponsible, without backing up what you are saying.
KB



>From: "Malanding S. Jaiteh" <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list
><[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: On Dumo Saho, Barrow and others
>Date: Tue, 19 Jun 2001 13:42:28 -0400
>
>Mr. Kebba Dampha,
>I am sure you will agree with me that:
>
>- in a true court of law, one is treated innocent until proven guilty- the
>same standard must be applied to either Barrow or Sanyang even if they
>appear to be part of a government conspiracy
>
>-real defense lawyers do not go about debunking the prosecutions case
>before
>they get into the court room- an element of surprise is always an advantage
>in a trial
>
>-it is the responsibility of the journalist and not the public to verify
>the
>authenticity of the news they bring to us. I do not think either you or I
>are any qualified to lecture Ebrima Ceesay about that.
>
>Thank you
>
>Malanding
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Dampha Kebba" <[log in to unmask]>
>To: <[log in to unmask]>
>Sent: Tuesday, June 19, 2001 12:55 PM
>Subject: Re: On Dumo Saho, Barrow and others
>
>
> > Jaiteh, for you to suggest that us talking about this case in public is
> > irresponsible and we are putting people's lives in jeopardy, is grossly
> > unfair and misleading. You made this erroneous attack on G_L the other
>day
> > and pretended that you sent the mail to us inadvertently. I took it in
>good
> > faith and sought to explain to both you and Bamba Laye that I do not
>think
> > that this discussion will hurt the accused persons. Despite that you
>have
> > not shown an iota of proof that what we said is going to hurt the
>accused
> > persons, you still insist that we are being irresponsible by engaging in
> > this discussion. If you doubt whether these Statements are authentic,
>why
> > don't you ask Lalo's lawyers for your own personal consumption? I
>understand
> > Lalo is family to you. Why don't you quit making these vague statements
>and
> > innuendo and come up with specific facts? Prove that Ebrima's Sources
>are
> > wrong about the authenticity of these Statements. If you really do not
>want
> > to talk about it publicly, tell me or Ebrima in private why you believe
> > these Statements are not authentic. You should not take lightly how you
> > constantly question people's motives and integrity.
> >
> > For your information, I do NOT discuss everything I know about these
>cases.
> > My latest posting to G_L illustrates that point. I know more about the
> > Emanuel Joof case than I just said. Do you know the reason why I did
>that
> > even before you sent this your ill-advised piece? I think about the
> > repercussions of my statements on these cases before I utter them. I
>will
>be
> > the last person to say something that will put the lives of these
>innocent
> > citizens in jeopardy. I can even go further and say that I could be more
> > guarded than some of the accused persons themselves. None of them is
>family
> > to me. Matter of fact, I do not know any of them personally. But I am
>very
> > concerned about their plight. I hate what is happening to them. I do not
> > assume from your silence on G_L about this matter that you do not care
>about
> > Lalo. I give you benefit of the doubt. Why don't you accord us the same
> > courtesy and not insinuate that we are irresponsible? Before you make us
> > aspersions, you should be ready to show how our statements negatively
>impact
> > the lives of Dumo et al.
> >
> > Do you realize that your statements even affect family members of
>victims
> > that partake in these discussions you are querying about? Are you
>suggesting
> > too that those people are irresponsible and are indifferent to the
>plight
>of
> > their loved ones? I know you do not mean to inflict more misery on these
> > poor victims. But it is mind-boggling to me why you keep attacking
>people
> > that are trying to help without substantiating your beliefs.
> >
> > There are some List members that can attest to you that since last year
>I
> > would send private mails to certain individuals cautioning them about
>what
> > to release regarding this case. You would not know that. Those were
>tactical
> > calls in order not to jeopardize the defense of these innocent citizens.
> > Those were NOT the calls of someone that is indifferent to the plight of
> > these victims and would discuss their case in public to their detriment.
>I
> > challenge you or anyone to show me where in my discussions I jeopardize
> > these people's lives.
> >
> > Like I told Bamba Laye, what did you want people to do once this
>'damaging'
> > Statements were out there? Granted that even to the amateur there is
>nothing
> > damaging on Lalo. You want for us to us to ignore the Statements
>entirely?
> > You want the whole world to take what Barrow, Sanyang and Francesco said
>is
> > the truth? Or do you want us to lamely argue that the Statements are not
> > authentic without providing proof? If you have proof that the Statements
>are
> > fake, fine. Let us know and we will stop talking about these Statements
>as
> > if they are authentic. That is better than just throwing accusations at
> > people and pretending that you care for Lalo and we do not care about
>his
> > life.
> >
> > Let me also inform you that I am not looking at this as a political
>matter.
> > I feel that some innocent citizens are being victimized by a lawless
>regime.
> > I feel what happened to these citizens could have happened to any of our
> > family members. As I keep pointing out, my main focus is on the way the
> > threshold has been lowered for all of us. Now it does not take much to
> > arrest and incarcerate innocent citizens. I will appreciate it a great
>deal
> > if some of you people on G_L were more forthright. Speak directly to
>people
> > if you have something to say. No one will kill you. Talk directly to me
>if
> > you have a problem or directly to Ebrima if you have a problem with his
> > Sources.
> > KB
> >
> >
> > >From: "Malanding S. Jaiteh" <[log in to unmask]>
> > >Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list
> > ><[log in to unmask]>
> > >To: [log in to unmask]
> > >Subject: Re: On Dumo Saho, Barrow and others
> > >Date: Tue, 19 Jun 2001 11:46:31 -0400
> > >
> > >I tried to avoid this discussion two reasons. 1. There is no evidence
>that
> > >these so-called cautionary statements are indeed authentic and 2. Even
>if
> > >they are authentic I am troubled about publicly debating the case. This
>is
> > >because whatever the argument, pro or against  could be used by the
> > >prosecution who would do anything to see that these people are guilty
>as
> > >charged. Jammeh's refusal to bring this matter to court should tell us
>all
> > >what there is in it.
> > >The reality is the case is not just politics, it is a matter of life
>and
> > >death for the accused.
> > >
> > >
> > >Malanding Jaiteh
> > >
> > >
> > >----- Original Message -----
> > >From: "saul khan" <[log in to unmask]>
> > >To: <[log in to unmask]>
> > >Sent: Tuesday, June 19, 2001 9:05 AM
> > >Subject: Re: On Dumo Saho, Barrow and others
> > >
> > >
> > > > KB,
> > > >
> > > > Is it me, or is there something amiss in this whole
> > > > "coup plot" business? Looks like Alagi Kanteh was
> > > > supposed to be the leader. The guy was a Captain in
> > > > the army, so one would assume he knows a few things
> > > > about security. Yet, from the US Embassy Guard -Ablie
> > > > Sanyang's "Cautionary Statement," rtd Capt. Kanteh,
> > > > just out of the blue asked him -someone Kanteh DID NOT
> > > > EVEN KNOW - whether he knows how to fire a gun, so he
> > > > can become part of the conspiracy to topple Yaya
> > > > Jammeh. Possible? Maybe.  Probable? I can't imagine.
> > > > Kanteh would have to be the biggest fool to talk coup
> > > > d'etat with people he doesn't even know. Did I miss
> > > > something?
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > On a related note, I understand that this Kanteh
> > > > fellow has always had a problem with the APRC's
> > > > lawlessness, for which he was once dismissed only to
> > > > be re-hired. I understand Modou Soma Jobe (Baabaa
> > > > Jobe's cousin) used to be his Deputy, but the two
> > > > couldn't get along because Kanteh wouldn't allow the
> > > > harassment of opposition sympathizers. That he was the
> > > > only Commissioner who declares publicly that he's
> > > > apolitical. Could this whole "coup" thing be part of
> > > > the war to get rid of him, and people considered a
> > > > thorn in the govt.'s side? I'm really stunned by what
> > > > is happening to Emmanuel Joof right now. Are these
> > > > people ever going to stop acting God? Will they ever
> > > > settle for anything less than the total subjugation of
> > > > ALL THINKING Gambians?
> > > >
> > > > Good morning.
> > > >
> > > > Saul.
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > --- Dampha Kebba <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> > > > > Ebrima, my heartfelt thanks for the tremendous
> > > > > journalistic work you did to
> > > > > unearth these statements. In my humble opinion, the
> > > > > victims and their
> > > > > families should be grateful to you and your Sources
> > > > > for bringing this to the
> > > > > open and showing the whole world how these innocent
> > > > > and defenseless citizens
> > > > > are being railroaded by the illegal and callous
> > > > > government we have back
> > > > > home. I hope journalists in the country follow your
> > > > > cue and do some further
> > > > > digging in this case.
> > > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > __________________________________________________
> > > > Do You Yahoo!?
> > > > Spot the hottest trends in music, movies, and more.
> > > > http://buzz.yahoo.com/
> > > >
> > > >
> >
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