The fire officers actions was utterly heinous and i would like to know what
they were doing in the school in the first place. Why was the the police not
called and where was Mr Foster, the headmaster or his deputy? The school
administrators should have been in the classroom fixing the problem.
The officers responsible for this child's death need to be brought to
justice.
God Bless and Peace Be Upon All.
Alasana Bah

>From: Momodou Camara <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list
><[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: STUDENT BEATEN TO DEATH
>Date: Mon, 13 Mar 2000 14:23:02 +0100
>
>Gambia-l,
>Are the Fire Service personnel now doing the duties of the Police
>Force?
>The following story is from today's issue of Observer at
>www.qanet.gm.
>
>My condolences to the family of this student.
>
>I understand that Tombong Saidy is a member of the executive of
>Amnesty International in The Gambia. Tombong, what are you
>doing about such violations?
>
>Momodou Camara
>
>The Daily Observer Published Sunday, 12 March, 2000
>
>
>   STUDENT BEATEN TO DEATH
>
>Ebrima Barry, 19, a grade 10 student of Forster's Senior
>Secondary School in Brikama died on Thursday March 9, following
>torture by personnel of the Brikama Fire Service station.
>
>Ebrima Barry, a resident of Brikama was said to have been
>arrested on Wednesday March 8, whilst in school by some
>personnel of the Brikama Fire Service, after he was said to have
>failed to comply with sitting arrangements in his class.
>
>Ebrima Barry was reportedly arrested following a complaint filed by
>one of his teachers Mr Paul, that Ebrima Barry failed to comply
>with his instruction.
>
>Talking to the Daily Observer, Botto Sanneh, Ebrima Barry's
>mother said while she was sitting on her verandah, Ebrima came
>shivering with his head covered.
>
>She said she then followed Ebrima Barry into the room, where
>Ebrima told her of the maltreatment inflicted on him by some Fire
>Service personnel.
>
>She said Ebrima Barry told her that the fire service personnel
>ordered him to carry 60 bags of cement, which he did. He said they
>later took his shirt off, poured water on him and started beating
>him.  They kicked him and stuffed cement in his month and asked
>him to swallow it," Mrs Sanneh alleged.  She said her son died as
>a result of the alleged torture inflicted on him by the Fire Service
>personnel.
>
>Alieu Barry, Ebrima Barry's father said that when he visited the
>Brikama Fire Service station to look for his son after he was told
>that the son was there, "a top Fire Service official said my son was
>rude, because he insulted his teacher.  The official told me they
>would instil discipline in Ebrima Barry and shave his hair."
>
>Alieu Barry said he appealed to the teacher, Mr Paul, a Sierra
>Leonean to exercise mercy on his son who was suspended for
>three weeks.  He said the suspension was later reduced to one
>week.
>
>When contacted, Mr Colley, the station officer at Brikama Fire
>Service said "I am not in the position to comment on the story. I
>was not present at the time of the incident."
>
>Asked who were the fire personnel who witnessed the incident, Mr
>Colley said he doesn't know.  He referred our reporters to the
>Officer Commanding at Bundung Police Station, who could not be
>reached for comments.
>
>A police spokesman at Brikama Police station said a team of detectives from
>Brikama station were deployed to the Brikama Fire Service station to
>investigate the death of Ebrima Barry.
>
>According to our source, Ebrima Barry filed a complaint at the Brikama
>Police station shortly after he was assaulted by the Fire Service
>personnel.
>
>Our sources said Ebrima died at the Brikama Health Centre.  He was escorted
>to the health centre by a police officer.
>
>A source close to the Barry family said "this is an act of barbarism.  The
>murderers of Ebrima Barry should not be allowed to go scot free.  They have
>taken the law into their own hands and they should be brought to book.
>   Law enforcement agents are not expected to take the law into their own
>hands with impunity."
>
>Students protest
>
>Meanwhile, on Friday, some angry students of Forster's Senior
>Secondary School stormed the Brikama Fire Station in protest,
>following the death of their colleague Ebrima Barry.  The protesting
>students were holding banners and placards.
>
>A contingent of the Police Intervention Unit, was quickly deployed
>to the Fire Service Station to disperse the protesting students.
>
>The principal, Mr Forster could not be reached for comments.
>
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