The Independent Published Monday, April 23, 2001
New twist to murder of Gambian woman in UK
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With reference to our lead story of Friday captioned; Ex-Prisons Commissioner faces murder charges in UK, we have been reliably informed by relatives of the dead woman that she actually died of stab wounds instead of gunshots as was indicated in our story.
According to a brother of Mrs. Fatou Jawo-Ceesay (deceased), Momodou Ceesay the husband allegedly stabbed her on the chest, leading to her instant death.He said it happened on Thursday 5th April but that it was not discovered until the following Monday 9th April.
He added that when Ceesay allegedly stabbed and killed her, he locked the house and went away with their one-year-old baby. According to Fatou's brother, it was only when Momodou Ceesay attempted to leave the baby in a children's home claiming that the mother had traveled that people's suspicion was aroused, prompting the police to be alerted. He said when the police accompanied the ex-Prisons Commissioner to the house the following Monday, they were welcomed by the stench of Fatou's decomposing body. It was there that Ceesay was arrested, he said.
President Jammeh and the gifts
Foroyaa in its issue No. 32/2001 tabulated the amount of money and other gifts dished out by President Jammeh in a space of less than a month. We found it to be a very interesting food for thought for all Gambians and herewith reproduce some excerpts of the report: Foroyaa reported in our issue of No. 29/2001 that between 16th March and 4th April the President has given over D675, 000 plus a Pajero and Mitsubishi Pick Up as gifts. We argued that with a salary and allowance of D26, 000 per month, the president is expected to earn at least D312, 000 a year or one million, five hundred thousand Dalasis in five years. D675, 000 is close to half of the president's salary (for that period). It is important for the sovereign Gambian people to know what is expected of their president irrespective of which personality is in office. The role of the president of The Gambia is not one of a benevolent monarch who dishes out money to citizens. Section 68 of the constitution makes it quite clear what the attitude of the president should be to businesses and wealth. The president should not rely on his or her office to make financial gain. He is not supposed to run any company while being president and can only participate in agriculture such as farming. Section 68 (4) clearly states that "The president shall not-
a) while he or she continues in office as president, hold any other office of profit or emolument whether public or private, occupy any other position carrying the right to remuneration for the rendering of services, or directly or indirectly carry on any trade, business or other undertaking; Provided that the president may undertake and carry on any agricultural business including farming, horticulture, livestock rearing and artesanal fishing;
(b) undertake any activity inconsistent with his or her official position or expose himself to any situation, which carries with it the risk of a conflict developing between his or (her) official concerns and his or her private interests;
(c) use his or her position as such or use information entrusted to or received by him or her in an official position directly or indirectly to enrich himself or herself or any other person." Subsection 5 adds: "Where the president was engaged in any trade, business or other undertaking before assuming the office of president, he or she shall, if he or she wishes to continue such trade, business or other undertaking, do so under a trusteeship."
The president's declaration of assets in the next presidential election in comparison to his declaration before the last presidential election would be interesting and closely watched. What is however important is for the people to realize that they are the taxpayers. Their money is utilized to pay representatives.
What they should expect from a government are just laws, which promote their welfare and ensure the environment that would enable them to earn an income and survive in dignity. The farmers, especially the women without markets, need guarantees for their produce or sale of their crops and more facilities to remove them from earning less than two thousand Dalasis per annum.
The unemployed need more companies or cooperatives to find employment. Over 130, 000 children will be out of school in ten years to join those who are already in the streest. What does the future hold for such young people? Are their problems going to be solved by cash donations from a benevolent president?
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