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     EDITORIAL
  Jammeh's mercenary judges are at work once again. Despite a dissenting legal opinion advanced by  Justice Izuako , for the NADD three, trial to be heard by another judge, Savage and Agim connived to forward the politically motivated case to the disgraced High Court judge Justice Paul.We are convinced beyond all reasonable doubt that Paul, will jail Halifa, Hamat and OJ. You don't need to be a legal guru to know these basic legal issues. Paul, is Jammeh's hand picked so called legal luminary hired to jail and condemn voices of dissent in The Gambia. NADD'S future is bleak, in view of the recent court ruling. Jammeh's sole aim is to disintegrate NADD and he seem to be  achieving his desired objective, as the judiciary is aiding and abetting him.



  Justice Paul, must be jubilating by now, since Savage and his brother mercenary judge Agim had given him "green light" to jail Halifa, Hamat and OJ. As a journalist in The Gambia, I suffered Paul's persecution and threats to send Gambians to jail. I can vividly remember during the Baba K Jobe, economic crime case,  when Paul, picked on us the private press, accusing us of  unprofessionalism. Mighty Paul, as he is widely referred to, vowed in an open court that he was going to send us to jail if we fails to report the said Jobe proceedings properly. He wanted us to report in favour of the state and to avoid quoting revelations and arguments advanced by the defence.

  My encounter with Paul, was prompted by the Judge's threat to jail Observer reporter PK Jarju, who was accused by one of the parties involved in the protracted legal battle of misreporting the proceedings. I was so upset about the judge's unruly behaviour  and bogus accusations against the private press. I could not withstand Paul's lies against the press. I later  requested  to be heard by the court to defend the false and erroneous accusations brought against us by Paul. Paul, who is generally rude and pompous warned me to sit down or else, he will order the paramilitary to take me to mile Two.  "I will not allow you to be heard and if you insist, I will take you to jail. You journalists should be very, very careful with the way you cover the proceedings of my court. I will not hesitate to take you to Mile Two Prison." Paul retorted.  Justice Paul, if you are reading us at this hour, I  want to draw your attention to past editorials and commentaries written by my murdered boss
 and mentor Deyda Hydara, who also expresses concern about your independence as a judge and your threat against the media.  Paul, was an enemy to the Point and had never hidden his hatrate for our paper. We never spared the corrupt judge and as such it would be difficult for him to like us. It was the Point, who exposed Paul's intention to try and jail lawyers, which later resorted to a show down action spearheaded by The Gambia Bar Association.

  Paul, had time and time bragged in court that he feared nobody on this universe and his decision will prevail at the end of the day. Private legal practitioners, such as Mai Fatty, had suffered from the hands of the judge. Paul,  at one point threatened to deal with Mai.  We are not writing to vilify the judge. These are statements of facts and are available at  the Point Newspaper, achieves if anyone is interested to verify my assertions.

  It was Paul, who imprisoned Baba Jobe and lamin Waa Juwara. The same Paul, is assigned by Jammeh to jail Hamat, Halifa and OJ. A  well placed source at the State House  told us that the move taken by the government to clear Paul from any wrong doing in the AMRC, missing millions scandal was geared towards  motivating  the judge to deal with his perceived rivals,  messrs Hamat, Halifa and OJ. "The President, has special interest in the said case. He had been in constant touch with SOS Hydara and Justice Paul. He wanted the three to be jailed before the October, 2006 polls. The President had assured Paul, that the state will not press any charges against him,  and he also promised to give  him all the support he needed."said an insider at the State House.

  It is time, we start addressing this serious state of affairs.  While, others expressed the need for NADD to pursue the mercenary judges ruling in the supreme court, some believed that NADD should take to the streets to end the Jammeh madness. I'm inline with those who called for mass uprising. NADD should do away with the issue of appeal. Most of our judges are rotten potatoes and will always dance to  Jammeh's tune.  We are faced with a delicate situation and we should do whatever it takes to free the three political prisoners.

  It shame that a fellow judge of Paul, is questioning his impartiality and independence as an adavocator for justice in tiny Gambia. Hear  Justice Izuako, in her landmark ruling"On the issue of recusing the judge from the trial, she noted that there were pages of unhealthy exchanges between the judge and the appellants. She pointed out that every judge must seek to do justice noting that litigants must have confidence in the court. She pointed out that the safest thing to do under the circumstances was for the judge to recuse himself from the case."

  Justice IZuako's,  ruling is loud and clear. She is sending a warning message to butcher Jammeh and his allies that the rule of law should prevail in any  true democracy. She refused to be used by Jammeh to deny justice to Halifa, Hamat and OJ. Posterity will no doubt vindicates Justice IZuako. She is a role model and need to be emulated by other misguided and unprincipled judges in The Gambia.

  While, NADD is preoccupied with the said legal battle, Jammeh is campaigning across the country. Jammeh's third term bid is going to be bloody. Our 2006 elections, is not going to be violence free. Jammeh had a  list of opponents targeted to be killed.  We received such reports from credible sources at the State House. NADD should be extra vigilant and engage the dictatorship. Jammeh, will be surprised about how we are privy of such classified information. The world is watching. Jammeh, your days are numbered. We will attend your grand trial one day, god willing. Paul and co will spill the beans, if the inevitable change emerges soon.  Down with mercenary judges. Down with Jammeh. We rest our case.....

  The author is the former Secretary General of The Gambia press Union and also a former Voice of America radio Banjul Correspondent. Mr. M'Bai who now resides in the US State of North Carolina Raleigh was a leading political and crime reporter with the Point and Daily Observer newspapers respectively. He can be reached by email at the following addresses: [log in to unmask], [log in to unmask] or [log in to unmask]














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