EDITORIAL:FIVE COUP SUSPECTS KILLED IN THE GAMBIA? WHAT? 
      EDITORIAL 
  The news about the alleged execution of the five coup suspects is very, very disturbing. The government’s claim that the men escaped from custody,after the somersaulting of the automobile they were traveling with sounds like a daydream to us Gambians. That these detainees can escaped without the heavily armed soldiers capturing them bid our imagination. There are more questions than answers. Remember, those named in the said alleged execution used to man sensitive positions under Jammeh’s watch. Already, people believed that the government story was a ploy to deceive Gambians.
  
  In any accident, there is bound to be causalities or injuries. So far there is no word on the side of the government to explain the fate of the soldiers assigned to guard these detainees. Secondly, we still cannot fathom the rationale behind transferring the inmates to Jangjangbureh, when the courts were yet to decide their fate. It is only the high court that has the jurisdiction to hear alleged treasonable offences. Is Jammeh telling us that there is a High court in Jangjangbureh? What motivated this action? 
  The Freedom Newspaper, was informed by well placed sources close to corridors of power that the five men were subjected to brutal torture by their captives. It is gathered that the men were in a state of coma and had little chances of surviving the said torture inflicted on them. We challenge the Jammeh government to produce these alleged escapees in the interest of transparency. Failure of which, this government stands to be accused of taking the lives of the coup suspects. 
  The government statement was empty and was hardly believed by the average man in the streets of Banjul. As we stated the other day, a manufactured lie will certainly fail the test of time. Gambians are increasingly becoming aware. This government needs to do its home work better to convince us about their story telling business. 
  The government accident story involving the coup suspects resembles that of the Korro Ceesay car accident. The same government ran with a press release to say that Finance Minister Ousman Korro Ceesay was found death in his official vehicle, after it was gutted into ashes. Korro’s death still remains mysterious. The government of the day refuses to set up a serious investigations into the Minister’s death. The incident happens few days before the Minister was scheduled to present the nation’s budget speech, which government sources say its content was not appreciated by his colleagues. 
  The November 11, abortive coup is still fresh in the minds of Gambians. The coup suspects were summarily executed in grand style. Testimonies from the survivors of that incident hinted about mass graves at the Yundum and Fajara Barracks respectively. 
  If it is true that Daba marenah, former NIA boss, Lieutenant Alieu Ceesay, Alpha Bah, Sergeant Malafi Corr and Lieutenant Ebou Lowe escaped as alluded to by this government, then Jammeh’s national security mechanism is put into question. Imagine, the whole army was unable to prevent these people from escaping. This is ridiculous. It makes no sense. We need facts and not fiction. Jammeh need to talk to convince the world. Unless, the truth is told, speculations are bound to rife in days and weeks to come. 
  If this was in other countries, the Interior Minister, Immigration boss and other security heads will tender their resignation letters. If the government’s story is to go by then, there is total lapse of security in The Gambia. That these five men can outnumbered those heavily armed soldiers. What message is this government trying to send? That our country’s security is so fragile that anyone can do whatever he or she wanted to do in The Gambia without being traced? 
  We gathered that Jammeh was very upset about the alleged involvement of LT. Lowe, who worked at his Kanilai villa at the time of the purported coup. Lowe, we are told was incriminated by Captain Wassa Camara, who said he was supposed to control Kanilai if the planned coup went ahead. If Camara’s story is to go by then, there are ruminants of rebel soldiers still at Kanilai and at the State House in Banjul. But the question that comes to mind is : Was this a coup or cooked coup? 
  Daba Marenah, also knows a lot about this government. He headed the NIA during the early days of the coup. It is reported that Jammeh was upset about the intelligence failure on the alleged coup. That Daba was also perceived as a security threat by the government since he one way or the other carried out some atrocities on behalf of Jammeh. 
  Having said all these, we maintain that the government owe an explanation to Gambians and families of the coup suspects about the whereabouts of their loved ones. The story circulating in Banjul and its surroundings is that these five men have been killed. Jammeh need to clear the air. We want facts and not manufactured stories. We rest our case.
   
   
    
Posted on Tuesday, April 04, 2006 (Archive on Tuesday, May 23, 2006)
Posted by PANDERRYMBAI  Contributed by PANDERRYMBAI
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