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Thu, 24 May 2007 21:55:36 EDT
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Foroyaa Newspaper Burning Issue
Issue No.  59/2007, 23 – 24 May 2007

Editorial
DICTATORS CANNOT LIBERATE,  MR PRESIDENT
When the President visited Venezuela, he delivered a speech when  he was a 
guest of the mayor of Caracas, the capital of Venezuela. GRTS  television 
broadcast the speech on 22 May.
In his speech, the President  indicated that he would rather be a dictator 
that would liberate his people than  a democrat who would sell his country to 
the west. 
It goes without saying  that a dictator cannot lead a people to liberation. A 
dictator can only oppress  and exploit a people; a dictator can only stifle 
the minds of a people; a  dictator can only jail political opponents without 
observing the due process of  law; a dictator can only torture, maim and kill 
his/her people.
Liberation is  an act of the people, not an act of a leader. A leader guides 
his people to  liberation. By their exemplary deeds and moving words a 
conscious movement  emerges and the people become liberated.
The liberation of a people starts  with the liberation of their minds. The 
people must be awakened from their  slumber. They must know themselves, their 
country and the world in order to  become the architects of their own destiny.
Take Gambia, for example, if the  people continue to vote on the basis of who 
gave them a few coins, or on blood,  ethnic, religious or other sectionalist 
sentiments they will be vulnerable to  the manipulations of demagogic 
politicians who will continue to mislead  them.
In short, without enlightenment a people cannot make informed choice.  They 
will not be in a position to free themselves from one tyrant or another, or  
one dictator or another.
Power lies in the people. An individual is powerless  without the support of 
the people. When a people are determined and united no  dictator can stand on 
their path. The sophisticated weapons of the Shah of Iran  and his notorious 
Shavak (secret police) could not save him from falling from  grace. Where are 
the Idi Amins, the Mobutus, etc?
To conclude, we must  emphasize that the issue we are faced with, in this 
21st century, is not  colonialism. The strife now is for the liberation of the 
people, their economic  prosperity and their human dignity. And you cannot talk 
about human dignity if  you crinch and crawl before a dictator.
The point is that liberation cannot  be divorced from democracy. What is “
western” about people being free to carve  their destiny by voting in free and 
fair periodic elections, participating in  public affairs, freely expressing 
themselves and enjoying the protection of law  and fundamental rights?

RE-ARRANGEMENT AT THE JUDICIARY
By  Bubacarr K. Sowe & Fabakary B. Ceesay
At least three magistrates have  recently been assigned to new jurisdictions, 
said judicial secretary, Nguie  Mboob-Janneh.
According to Mrs. Mboob-Janneh, Magistrate Kayode Olajubutu of  the Banjul 
Magistrate Court has been posted to Mansakonko and Farafenni as a  travelling 
magistrate. She said Magistrate Sheriff Tabally, who was at the  Brikama 
Magistrate Court, has also been moved to the Janjanbureh area and  Magistrate Lamin 
George of Banjul Magistrate Court will also be overseeing the  Barra area.
Mrs. Mboob-Janneh told Foroyaa that the judiciary is aiming to  bring the 
justice system to the door step of The Gambian people. In a similar  development 
Magistrate I.I. Mboto has been moved from Kanifing Magistrate Court  to the 
Banjul Magistrate Court and Moses Richards of the Bundung Magistrate  Court has 
been elevated to the position of Principal Magistrate at the Kanifing  
Magistrate Court.
Our reporter at the Kanifing Magistrate Court was also  informed by the 
Judicial Secretary, Mrs. Nguie Janneh that Magistrate Richards  has already 
occupied the position and has commenced sitting two weeks ago. He  was also told by 
sources that Magistrate Abdoulie Mbacke has gone on vacation  for two months. 

JUDICIAL COMPLAINTS BOARD WILL BE  INDEPENDENT
By Bubacarr K. Sowe
The newly established Judicial Complaints  Board, under the Chairmanship of 
the chief Justice Abdou Karim Savage, will be  an independent body, said the 
Judicial Secretary, Nguie Mboob-Janneh.
In an  interview with Foroyaa on Tuesday, May 22, Mrs. Mboob-Janneh who is 
also the  Secretary to the board said that the Judicial Complaint Board is 
pioneered by  the Chief Justice and the Attorney General, Kebba Sanyang. According 
to her,  other members of the board are the Director General of the National 
Intelligence  Agency, the Inspector General of Police, Secretary of State for 
Interior and the  Master of the High Court.
“We decided to form this board in order to remain  an independent board which 
will look into all the complaints that have been sent  to the president’s 
office,” the Judicial Secretary said.
Mboob-Janneh said  that people have been writing to the President, the Chief 
Justice and to the  Secretary of State for Justice complaining about the 
justice delivery  system.
She said: “We want to have a committee which will be made up of not  only 
people in the Judiciary, but outside as well, an independent body will now  look 
at them (complaints). Some of the complaints are malicious, fictitious and  
are taken out of grudge. Some of them are very genuine. The board will look at  
these issues. If it is a genuine case, we will look into it and if not, the  
board will see how to solve it.” The Judicial Secretary added that the  
complaints board is not going to look into cases before the court, but will only  
look into matters already decided by the courts.
Mboob-Janneh expressed that  they will deal with matters transparently 
inorder to restore people’s confidence  in the judiciary.
“Some people write because they misunderstood something.  Some people do not 
know what the law is all about; the procedure in the law.  Sometimes they 
misinterpret some of these procedures to people as corrupt  practices. We have to 
follow due process and sometimes in trying to follow due  process, people feel 
that you are wasting too much time and you have a reason  for doing that. 
Then they start writing petition. By the time things are clear,  we will be able 
to forge ahead and, at least, restore the confidence of the  people in the 
Judiciary,” the judicial Secretary said. 

IEC  FORGERY TRIAL PW4 TESTIFIES
By Fabakary B. Ceesay
Mrs. Sarah Grey Jonhson,  a commission member of the Independent Electoral 
Commission (IEC), has testified  in the alleged forgery trial involving the then 
chief electoral officer, Mr.  Kawsu Ceesay, on Monday 2 May. Mrs. Jonhson 
testified as the fourth (4)  prosecution witness at the Kanifing Magistrate 
Court. 
Mrs. Jonhson said that  she was appointed as a commission member in 2001. She 
said that the IEC used to  buy electoral materials from Code Company. She 
said that in March 2006, the then  Chairman, Mr. Ndondi Njie called a meeting 
which was attended by the commission  members and that the accused (Mr. Ceesay) 
was present at the meeting. Mrs.  Jonhson said that the then chairman stated 
that he has been receiving lots of  emails from Code Company in Canada. She 
noted that as far as she can recall, the  accused (Mr. Ceesay) did not say 
anything at that meeting. She said at that  meeting, she did not see any approval or 
authorization document with regards to  the purchase of electoral materials. 
She said that sometime in July 2006 when  Mr. Ndondi Njie was removed from the 
office, she received a memo from Mr. Kawsu  Ceesay (the accused) about an 
approval with Mr. Njie’s signature on it. She said  that she was shocked when she 
saw the memo because nothing was said about it at  the commission’s meeting. 
She said that the accused person (Mr. Ceesay) did not  say anything at that 
time. She said that the time she received the memo from Mr.  Ceesay, the then 
Chairman was removed from office. During cross examination,  Mrs. Jonhson said 
that Mr. Ceesay was ordered by the commission to look for  invoices concerning 
the electoral materials. She indicated that as far as she  knows, Mr. Ceesay 
got an invoice from Code Incorporated in Canada. She said that  during the 
commission’s meeting where the then Chairman was denying giving  orders to Mr. 
Ceesay to look for an invoice, Mr. Ceesay did not say anything.  “Your colleagues, 
Sulayman Sait Mboob, Mr. Njie and Saffie Njie told the court  that Kawsu 
defended himself by saying that he was given instructions by the  boss,” said 
lawyer Batchilly.Mrs. Jonhson said, “I cannot recall what he said,  but he said 
something.” Mrs. Jonhson said that the commission members should  know what is 
going on at the IEC, but that she did not know whether the matter  involving 
Mr. Ceesay was laid to rest. She indicated that the memo that she  received from 
Mr. Ceesay was asking for an approval for payment to be made to  Code. She 
said that Mr. Ceesay was asking for an approval from the Chief  Accountant for 
payment. 
The state counsel, A.S Umar, told the court that  they intend to call two (2) 
more witnesses. The defence counsel is Musa  Batchilly. Mr. Kawsu Ceesay, the 
Chief Electoral Officer is charged for  allegedly forging the signature of 
Ndondi Njie, the former Chairman, to purchase  electoral materials costing D6 
million. He pleaded not  guilty. 

NIAMINA EAST INDEPENDENT CANDIDATE ACQUITTED AND  DISCHARGED
By Yaya Dampha
Mr. Ebrima L. S Marenah, the independent  candidate who contested for the 
Niamina East constituency seat at the last  National Assembly election, was on 
Tuesday 22nd May acquitted and discharged by  the travelling Magistrate, Mr. 
Tony Baldeh of Jareng Magistrates Court. The  candidate was arrested and charged, 
together with his campaign manager, Mr.  Talibo Ceesay, and the two were 
standing trial for alleged public  disorder.
The presiding magistrate said the prosecution and all its witnesses  have 
failed to prove their case beyond reasonable doubt. The full text of the  
judgment will be published later.

CORRIGENDUM 
RE- GPU  COMMEMORATES WORLD PRESS FREEDOM DAY
Dear Sir,
I refer to your report on  the GPU’s Commemoration of World Press Freedom Day 
in your issue of Monday  21st  May 2007.
In the said article, the President of the GPU, Madi  Ceesay was quoted as 
saying that “the Independent Newspaper, Citizen FM and Sud  FM all remain closed, 
with the exception of Citizen FM, without a court  order.”
For the record, I want to make it categorically clear that no court  order 
has ever been issued for the closure of Citizen FM.
Yours sincerely  

Baboucarr M. Gaye
Proprietor 
Citizen FM

Press  Release!!
Four Representatives of the Executive Committee of the Comrade Ebou  Madi 
Sillah Memorial Foundation and the Widow of the decease, Ya Joor Ba, called  on 
the Vice President, Mrs Aisatu Njaay Seydi, this afternoon, to brief her on  
the main objectives of the Foundation and the activities that it has carried out 
 since its inception in March this year.
The Representatives include, Baaba  Sillah, Baboucar Gaye, Usmaan Silla, arid 
Ya Joor Ba Sillah.
The Foundation  was borne out of tile initiative of Friends of Ebou Sillah 
and the backing of  his Family. The Foundation’s principal objectives are to;
(i) Perpetuate  Ebou’s legacy for eternity by establishing a Foundation in 
his honour
(ii) To  preserve and protect Ebou’s work
(iii) To encourage young and budding  Artists, especially those at School and 
other Institutions oh learning in order  to create the conditions through 
which they can augment their skills, knowledge  and attitudes so that they can 
roll back the frontiers of Art in file  Gambia
(iii) To Promote Art and Art education with a view to complementing  tile 
work that is already being carried out by Institutions in both tile formal  and 
informal sectors
(iv) To create a new mind-set - tile purpose of which is  to open up some 
vistas in tile general public’s appreciation of Art and in the,  especially as it 
pertains to the development of Gambian Art and artefacts in the  Country’s 
Tourism Industry.
(v) To support Ebou’s young Family.
Since its  establishment, two Months ago, tile Foundation has, among other 
things, put up  an Art Exhibition in Ebou’s honour, at the Alliance Franco 
-Gambian, from the  19th of April to tile 26th of April, culminating in the 
official launch of the  Comrade Ebou Madi Sillah Memorial Foundation.
The Foundation has got off on a  good start! It has won the hearts and 
support of a cross-section of the Gambian  community, both at home and abroad, 
Non-governmental Organisations, tile  Expatriate Community, Private Enterprise, 
Public and Para-statal Institutions  and Private Voluntary Organisations
Within a short period of time, the  Foundation has generated a fair amount of 
funds and has garnered resources  through the sale of reproductions of Ebou’s 
work, through the personal  contributions of its members and donations from 
Individuals, from Friends and  Institutions. The Foundation plans to 
plough-back into its projects the funds  and resources so that it can accomplish tile 
objectives it has set itself, both  ill tile medium and in the longer term 
Already, we have enlisted three members  of our Staff on a training programme with 
tile Association of Small Scale  Enterprise in Tourism (ASSET), to enhance 
their skills in the day to day  Operations in Information Technology and in 
Records Management. It is  anticipated that this will make for greater efficiency 
in the judicious use of  resources and in the setting up of the requisite 
Administrative  procedures.
The main plans for the corning year are to extend the Exhibition  to tile 
Gambian diaspora and to tile lovers of Art in the Sub-region and beyond.  Tile 
other project is to set up a Museum cum Art Gallery at an ideal location,  
possibly at the TDA, where the Foundation hopes to establish a strategic,  
permanent operations base.
The Executive Committee
22 May  7007

PRESS RELEASE FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF THE GAMBIA
The  University of The Gambia (UTG) wishes to bring for the general 
information of  UTG and the general public that Alh. Gumbo Touray has been appointed to 
the new  position of, Director of International Affairs and Information of 
the University  of The Gambia with immediate effect
Mr. Touray will have the responsibilities  both as an academic as well as 
being responsible for international matters of’  the university
His other responsibilities will  include
•            Devising strategies towards attracting Gambians and non- 
Gambians in the  Diaspora to support the  university.
•            Fostering university linkages internationally and with national  
institutions.
•            Establish a vibrant alumni association for  UTG
•           Responsible  for the development and spread of information such 
as the university newsletter  brochure website and other publications.
With the creation of’ a special  office UTG aims to have better outreach and 
to promote the academic mission by  strengthening institutional capacity

Sincerely
Lamin Sam  Jaiteh
Registrar 
University of The Gambia

Rethinking  Conflict Prevention and Resolution: 
Strategies, Instruments, Institutions  and Post Conflict Responses
[Lessons on the Pan African Parliament’s mission  to Darfur]  
Halifa Sallah
Part 3
The European Parliamentarians  For Africa requested for Halifa Sallah to rely 
on his experience as the  rapporteur of the mission of the Pan-African 
parliament on Darfur to write the  following article on the role of Parliaments in 
Handling conflict trends in  Africa .The article has been published by The 
Association for the Constructive  Resolution of Disputes based in South Africa.
We have so far published Part 1  and 2. We now published 3. for those who 
wish to get the whole article we refer  you to the letter at the end of  this 
article.
THE  SOLUTION
None of the armed opposition groups advocated the secession of  Darfur from 
mainland Sudan. They called for a new Sudan where power and  resources will be 
shared without distinction to race, tribe or religion. The  government also 
maintained that it had started a process in the south aimed at  implementing a 
comprehensive peace agreement that would lead to the equitable  sharing of 
decision making powers and resources to ameliorate the historical  disparities w
hich could be replicated in Darfur.
The PAP mission concluded  that when the vast majority of people in a region 
or state are alienated and  traumatized the sovereignty and legitimacy of a 
government becomes the casualty.  It recommended that all those interested in 
the stability of Sudan as a  sovereign state should work for a peaceful 
resolution of the conflict and  promote post conflict responses that would lead to the 
sharing of decision  making powers and resources to remedy past  injustices.
RECOMMENDATIONS
The PAP mission observed that if action  was not taken to contain cease fire 
violations then the integrity of the AU  mission in Sudan would be 
compromised. It therefore recommended that the  military observers mandated be 
transformed into a robust protection force to  provide security for the inhabitants of 
Darfur. The mission further observed  that since the armed opposition wants a 
new Sudan while the government is also  amenable to the sharing of decision 
making powers and resources, negotiation for  political settlement of the 
conflict should be accelerated in order to inspire  hope among the combatants and to 
deter them from resuming hostilities. The  mission cautioned that if the 
negotiations for a political settlement were not  time bound insecurity would gain 
primacy through repeated cease fire  violations.
History has shown that the PAP mission’s observations were  correct .In 
short, the AU assembly did not conclude political discussions until  5th may 2006 
.The Abuja peace talks did not include the PAP in its mediation  efforts nor 
did it involve the Darfur and Greater Sudan civil society.   There was more 
reliance on the executive power of governments to facilitate the  negotiations . 
Despite the legitimacy of the mediation team, led by Salim Ahmed  Salim, as 
well as the presence of Chad, Libya, Nigeria, Eritrea and Egypt as  facilitators, 
the Abuja talks did not achieve its principal aim. The Darfur  Peace 
Agreement was only signed by two parties in the conflict , that is , The  Government 
of national unity of Sudan and a faction of the SLM/A led by  Minni  Minawi 
.The other SLM faction led by Abdulwahid Al Nour and the SJEM  led by Khalil 
Ibrahim refused to be signatories to the Darfur Peace Agreement .  Even though an 
ultimatum was issued for then to sign the Agreement by 31st May  2006, failing 
which sanctions in the form of travel bans and asset freezing  would be 
applied, their positions still remained unchanged In fact, the two  movements have 
since formed a united front known as the Darfur National  Redemption Front to 
prosecute the war .The Front issued a declaration rejecting  the Abuja peace 
agreement as faulty. They appealed to the people of Darfur and  the 
marginalized communities of Sudan to join the Front. It was evident that a  more 
participatory approach to conflict resolution was necessary to address this  impasse.
The mission further noted that in its short stay in Darfur it was  able to 
engage the SLA representatives in talks to reverse a decision by the  external 
wing to dissociate itself from the Humanitarian Cease Fire Agreement of  8th 
April 2004. The mission noted the cautious openness of the combatants, the  
Sudanese authorities, the people in displaced camps and judges in consultations  
with the PAP mission once they realized that they were dealing with  
parliamentarians who were not imbued with any powers to impose their will on  them and 
were not agents of any government  but were in Sudan as  representatives of the 
peoples of the continent .This confirmed that parliament,  civil 
administration and civil society have a significant  role to play in  crisis prevention, 
management and resolution as well as post conflict responses  to accelerate 
reconciliation, reconstruction and nation building in the civil,  political, 
social, economic and cultural sense.
This is precisely the reason  why the mission called for the strengthening of 
the AU’s civil administration in  Darfur by incorporating effective 
political, humanitarian, human rights and  information departments. Such institutions 
could easily involve displaced  persons and those in villages, especially 
women, who bear the costs of war in  the search for solutions and the 
implementation of any agreements. The mission  observed that the PAP, in partnership with 
civil society and relevant AU and UN  specialized agencies could develop new 
initiatives to draw the civilian  population  as partners in developing  and 
implementing  conflict  management, resolution, peace building and nation 
building strategies .This  partnership aspect of conflict resolution planning is 
often neglected in  orthodox  conflict responses. 
It was therefore recommended that the PAP  standing committees should engage 
the civilian population in Darfur,  specifically the committees on gender, 
family, youth and people living with  disabilities, the Committee on Justice and 
Human Rights, the Committee on  Education and Culture and the Committee on 
Cooperation, International Relation  and Conflict Resolution. These committees in 
collaboration with the specialized  AU agencies and civil society could 
easily incorporate the civilian component of  any comprehensive peace agreement.
The PAP mission also conveyed  the  need for institutional development to 
address the emerging issues from conflict  .For example , during discussions with 
UN International Enquiry members on  Darfur issues of war crimes , genocide 
and crimes against humanity were raised  .The International Criminal Court is 
extending its operations to handle cases  pertaining to war crimes , genocide 
and crimes against humanity .Article 4H of  the AU’s Constitutive Act 
safeguards  “the right of the Union to intervene  in member states pursuant to a 
decision of the assembly in respect of grave  circumstances, namely  war crimes , 
genocide and crimes against humanity .”  The question then arose: What will the 
Union do to address the cases of those  who are suspected to have perpetrated 
war crimes, genocide and crimes against  humanity after intervening in a 
country? This question merits legal and  institutional responses of a continental 
dimension .If Africa is to attain  primacy in handling its conflicts it must 
develop instruments and institutions  that can address all conflict 
manifestations and ramifications. Herein lies the  need for the establishment of an 
African Criminal Court to address the issues of  war crimes, genocide and crimes 
against humanity .To avoid the proliferation of  institutions for their own sake 
the AU may consider the enlargement of the  mandate of The African Court on 
Human and Peoples Rights to incorporate the  powers of a special criminal court 
to handle cases of war crimes, genocide and  crimes against humanity.  
To be continued

JOURNALIST LAMIN  FATTY TESTIFIES IN COURT
By Fabakary B. Ceesay
Lamin Fatty, a reporter  with the closed Independent Newspaper, has on Monday 
21 May opened his case. The  trial has been dragging on since 12 June last 
year, at  the Kanifing  Magistrate Court. Mr. Fatty opened his case after the 
trial Magistrate, Buba  Jawo, overruled the defence submission of no case to 
answer.
Mr. Fatty, told  the court that he has been a journalist since 2001. Mr. He 
said that he was  arrested on the 10 April 2006, and was detained for sixty 
three (63) days. He  said that he was not told the reasons for his arrest until 
12 June 2006, when he  first appeared in court; that the charge sheet was read 
out to him and that he  is standing trial for false publication. He said that 
he has been detained at  the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) in Banjul. 
Fatty said that his job is to  gather news and submit it to the editors. Fatty 
denied publishing the  Independent newspaper dated 24-26 March 2005. He 
indicated that even though his  name appeared under the lead story on the newspaper, 
he did not write all the  content in that story. Fatty noted that he wrote the 
government’s press release  with his own caption, “An attempted foiled coup,” 
but that it was summarized by  the editor with the caption “23 coup plotters 
arrested.” Fatty said that  reporters have no right to decide which story 
should be published. He said that  the story was published by the Independent 
media company limited and was printed  by the Eagle Printing Service. He said that 
the Editor-in-Chief was Mr. Musa  Saidykhan, but he did not know where Mr. 
Saidykhan is at the moment. Mr. Fatty  asserted that the caption “I was not 
arrested,” is a rejoinder but that he did  not know who wrote it. Fatty said that 
he did not know Samba Bah personally and  that he never published that Samba 
Bah was arrested, that he was never aware of  any Samba Bah being arrested. “In 
my story there was no arrested person’s name  mentioned,” he said during 
cross examination by 1748 1st Class Mballow. Fatty  said that he was a freelance 
Journalist but was issued an identity card by the  management of the 
Independent Newspaper. Fatty said that he did not sign any  voluntary and cautionary 
statement at the Major Crime Unit, but at the NIA  headquarters. He said that 
the charge sheet was signed on the 11 May 2006. “I am  putting it to you that, 
you are not truthful when you said you came to know  about the charge sheet on 
the 12 June 2006,” said Mballow. Fatty replied, “I’m  truthful, I was aware 
of it in the morning of 12 June 2006.” Fatty said that his  sources in that 
story was from the government’s press release which was clearly  written in that 
story in the second paragraph of it. Mballow asked him whether  it is correct 
that reporters do sit beside editors when editing their stories.  Fatty said 
that was not always the case. “That is a gross violation of the  ethics of 
Journalism on the part of the editor and the reporter,” said Mballow.  Fatty said 
that was not a violation. He said that he did not know who reported  the 
written caption, “I was not arrested,” because there is no byline for that  
caption. He said that under the caption “23 coup plotters arrested,” the byline  
was Lamin M. Fatty, but that he is Lamin Fatty. “I am putting it to you that you 
 wrote that story and that there is no press release on that story,” said  
Mballow. Fatty maintained that he did not write that story and that there was a  
press release in the second paragraph of the story.

FATOU JAW  MANNEH’S TRIAL ADJOURNED
By Fabakary B. Ceesay
The sedition trial of  Journalist Fatou Jaw Manneh, has been adjourned due to 
the fact that the defence  counsel, Lamin Jobarteh was absent in court. The 
case was called at the Kanifing  Magistrate Court on Tuesday 22 May.  The state 
counsel, E.O Fagbenle, told  the court that Mr. Jobarteh has called his 
office to inform him that his vehicle  has a breakdown at Kerewan (NBR). Mr. 
Fagbenle applied for a short adjournment  for the continuation of the cross 
examination of the prosecution witness by the  defence counsel. The case was adjourned 
to 1 June 2007. Fatou Jaw Manneh is  standing trial for sedition, since April 
3, 2007. 

THE NATION  BACK ON THE STANDS
The new Management of THE NATION Newspaper is pleased to  inform the general 
public that it will commence publication of the Newspaper on  Friday 25th May 
2007.
The new edition of THE NATION Newspaper will  concentrate on investigative 
journalism while retaining its old and well known  characteristics for balanced 
and transparent journalism; putting the interest of  the people above all and 
glorifying The Gambia; and reporting on all significant  achievements in all 
sectors of the economy and society as well as those  registered by individual 
personalities and institutions, either operating in The  Gambia or whose 
operations are relevant to the socio-economic development of the  Gambia.
Get your copy of the maiden edition on Friday 25th May 2007 for only  D10.00 
(Ten Dalasis) and learn more truths about The Gambia, the society, the  
government and other issues of national interest as never  before.

UDP CANDIDATE FOR JOKADU ARRESTED
By Ousman M.M  Jallow
Reports have it that the United Democratic Party candidate for Jokadou  
Constituency in the last National Assembly Election, Mr. Sait A. Joof, was  
arrested on Tuesday 15 May at his home town at about 10:00 am by an NIA  officer.
According to the relatives, the National Intelligence Officer came  to the 
village around 9:30 in the morning with a red motor cycle, an A.G type.  It was 
reported that about five minutes following his arrival in the village,  the 
NIA officer arrested Mr. Joof and then took him to Ndungu Kebbeh. 
The  reason for his arrest is not yet known.
However, according to police sources,  Mr. Sait A Joof was granted bail on 
Friday 18 May.  It is not clear whether  he has been formally charged, but 
information that was received has indicated  that the case is with the prosecution 
office. 

RON FORD MURDER  TRIAL DEFERRED
By Fabakary B. Ceesay
The protracted murder trial of a  British citizen, Ron Ford, was on Monday 
adjourned to a later date due to the  absence of the defence witness. The case 
is before the Kanifing Magistrate  Court..
Defence counsel, Mrs. Mendy, who was also holding brief for counsel,  Haddy 
Dandeh Njie, told the court that the witness was in court on the last  sitting. 
She said that she did not know the reasons for his absence, but that  she was 
hoping that he would be in court. She therefore applied for a short  
adjournment. The state counsel, E.O Fagbenle did not object to that and had also  
equally asked for a short adjournment. Dawda Bojang and Kawsu Jarju are standing  
trial for allegedly killing, Ron Ford, a British tourist, almost five years 
ago.  The case has been dragging since then and has so far been assigned to two  
Magistrate Courts.  




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