Bereaved Family Returns State Money


The Point (Banjul)

January 10, 2001

Banjul

The bereaved family of the late Abu Karamba Kassama, UDP National Assembly
member, yesterday returned the money given by the State to KMC chairman Abodulie
Conteh to deliver to the family, in protest at the perceived slight by the
government when it denied laying the late MPs body in state at the National
Assembly, before burial.

Family members numbering about 10 persons stormed the KMC offices yesterday at
about 1 p.m. to return the money, believed to be more than D20,000 sealed in an
envelope, to KMC chairman.

According to Alhaji Kebba Gassama, uncle to the deceased MP, the vice president,
Isatou Njie Saidy, the Secretary of State for Works and Communications, Edward
Singhatey, Tourism Secretary Yunkuba Touray and the KMC chairman among others
visited last Monday morning to condole with the family, and handed over the
package believed to contain money.

Mr. Kassama noted that later when the whole family met, it was decided to return
the money, he said, because they were unhappy about the way the state failed to
give the deceased the traditional honours as a member of the National Assembly.

"The deceased has a right to be honoured being a Member of the National
Assembly. Since this right had been denied, we cannot allow them to compensate
us, to be honoured was more important than the money," he pointed out.

Sidi Jawneh, a close associate, said this was not only a family affair, but a
constituency matter also, arguing that they elected the deceased to represent
them at the National Assembly. So since his rights had been denied we felt that
we should not accept anything from the Government. E D Njie of UP, Bakary Karama
NCP MP and Amang Kanyi a PPP minister were laid in state when they died as MPs.
Then why not Abu and Samura," he said.

He said the speaker had promised them that it was going to be a state funeral,
but when he contacted the government this was rejected. He said they would not
have rejected the money if it was donated by Yahya Jammeh or Edward Singhatey as
a person, but did so since it emanated from the State which denied the deceased
his rights.

Bintu Kassama, the deceased MP's daughter, said "we were very disappointed by
the state's attitude."

The Point has learnt that the money given to Buba Samura's family was handed
over to Imam Karomo Touray in Brikama, after the family had rejected it. It
could not confirmed before going to press whether it was returned to the state.

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