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2 Gambian journalists forced to testify
Tuesday, 10 August 2010 11:47
Two Gambian journalists were summoned to court on Monday to explain a report on the trial of the country's ex-police chief Ensa Badjie, in which they
said he claimed he had been tortured in custody.On Friday the independent The Point newspaper carried the headline "My client was tortured to obtain statement" in an article citing Badjie's lawyer. The former police chief is on trial for alleged involvement in drug-trafficking, along with the ex-head of the drugs agency.
"There was no time when this statement was said in court. This is not what the defence counsel said," Justice Emmanuel Amadi told deputy editor in chief Abba Gibba and senior reporter Sainey Marenah.
The journalists' lawyer Antouman Gaye pointed out "that for the sake of clarity and in the interest of justice, two other major newspapers wrote the same thing as The Point did".
He then handed the judge copies of the Foroyaa and Daily Observer newspapers. Defence lawyer Borry Touray then told the judge: "Yes, my lord, I said this in court."
Amadi then concluded: "Fine since, it is himself (defence counsel) who said so, let the world take it that he said it but I did not hear this said in court. Okay then, you (the journalists) can go."
Gambia is regularly criticised for its lack of media freedom.
Amnesty International said earlier this year in a report that a government crackdown on press freedom had seen about 29 journalists flee the country since 1994.
In December 2004, The Point's editor Deyda Hydara, who was also an AFP correspondent, was gunned down by unidentified gunmen in his car.
Source: AFP
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Comments
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There’s more to this story than meet the eye. Emmanuel Amadi’s beef’s with the Point newspaper & NOT mere sake of clarity purpose. Why prosecute only Point News personnel when Foroyaa & the Daily Observer, yaya’s own paper, both reported same story??? Just the same preferential/differential treatments accorded under yaya’ ‘animal farm’ scenario?!
My sentiments exactly. I do not fell sorry for these people. When Ensa said" promotions in the force depended on loyalty to the President." he did not think this day will come.
Hope many more get burnt so that one day might be one day gambian's will learn that we have a shared destiny. We are all in the boat call Gambia, when one Gambain is mistreated we need to stand together and put a stop to it.
Who occupy the most beds at Mile 2 today? Who are being paraded on national tv on coup plot and conspiracy charges? Who were executed in the forest of Nyambai? The answer to all of the above questions? YOU!
On the other hand, who is really behind this thug we call a President today? The answer again is YOU.
Yes, the civilians have it rough but it should get through your thick skulls that you are backing a snake that has decimated your ranks, not sparing even the most senior among you! It is an open secret in Banjul today that even the great Tamba was not spared by those torture gangs operating in our prison system!
Comment
So this mercenary cum justice/judge chooses to hear what he likes & what not? How dare this ‘thug-in-wig’ claim to serve humanity as he was quoted that he was “only accountable/answerable to God” in the earlier trial of Lang tombong & co. Well, maybe it could be yaya jammeh/money he refers to as his God here for all knew lang & co were caged on the lies fabricated by yaya jammeh in paranoia through the staging/posing of a professional thief & drug peddler probably from a cartel belonging to General Bubo Nachuto & yaya jammeh who were hired to get rid of yaya’s own loyalist he perceived as enemies. God will deal with Amadi for dragging his Glorious name in mud.
How does it feel Jesus? You presided over a system that oversaw the the torture of many people but since you were unaffected, it could have been happening on Jupiter for all you cared.And now you can't stop weeping and complaining? Wait till Jammeh's turn comes!
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