Ex-Gambian Information Minister Gets Life

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Ex-Gambian Information Minister Gets Life

Tuesday, 17 January 2012 21:15

(JollofNews) - A former Gambian information minister was today sentenced to life in prison with hard labour for plotting to overthrow the government of Yahya Jammeh.

Dr. Amadou Scatred Janneh, 48, was found guilty of treason for conspiring to carry out an enterprise with force with the intent to usurp the executive powers of the state.

Three other defendants Modou Keita, Ebrima Jallow, Micheal Ucheh Thomas were given six year jail terms with hard labour. CCG_PIX

They were found guilty by Nigerian born, Judge Emmanuel Nkea on charges of printing and distributing T-shirts bearing 'Coalition for Change the Gambia, End to Dictatorship Now' with intent to usurp the executive powers of the state.

In handing down his verdict, Justice Nkea said he was satisfied that the prosecution had proven its case against the defendants whom he said were preparing to hold mass protest in the country aimed at unseating the democratically elected government of Yahya Jammeh.

Justice Nkea said he was also satisfied that the defendants had intended to use the T-shirts bearing the slogan 'Coalition for Change the Gambia, End to Dictatorship Now' for unlawful purposes.

Dr. Janneh and colleagues were arrested early June 2011 by state security agents and detained for many days incommunicado before being paraded in handcuffs on state television. They were later indicted on treason and sedition charges which they denied.

During the trial, the prosecution which has demanded the death penalty called 14 witnesses who gave evidence against the accused persons. However, Dr. Janneh and his colleagues declined to open their defense or call witnesses. Instead, their lawyer Lamin Camara filed a written address to the court.
Written by Abdoulie John

Comments

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+2 #45 2012-01-23 11:10

Oooooo I think you just farted.???

It definatley wasn't me.....honest.

Cum on now dear..own up..

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-1 #44 2012-01-21 19:59

Mike Scale you are full of shitts....

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-2 #43 2012-01-21 14:13

My friend...I take your criticism with shame and humility.

Perhaps I cannot see anything but humour in this. It is a complete "sick" joke.

It is too easy for me to sit here so far removed from the realities on the ground.

..and try to make sense of outrage !!!

Meanwhile Dr Janneh and collegues are interned in that Hell Hole...for what?

..and what say the American Ambassador?

or the European Union...or the UK?

As the "white guy" on here..do not hold back your anger at me.

We the Wazungu are completely useless.

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0 #42 2012-01-21 13:01

mike you make good points sometimes but you do joke sometimes as well and most of us Gambians do not intertain such kind of joke whenever brutal things like this happened in the Gambia and am sure that's why you have been criticised/rejected by some writters here to the extend of potraying you based on what they think about you and how some of your jokes get interpreted in their minds. Thank you.

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-3 #41 2012-01-20 16:21

Karafe...thankyou for your respect.

I work on proof and evidence not speculation.

Gambia is a fully paid up member of the international community and conventions guarding freedom of speech and expression.

Your consitution gurantees such high values.

I am aware that the EU and Britain urged the GG..to treat Dr Janneh under international human rights Law.

What puzzles me just now..is the silence from the US Ambassador and Europe.

As such I have written to Foriegn Secretary William Hague to query the matter.

It is my democcratic right to expect and review his reply.

I have met Dr Janneh and exchanged messages with him prior to his arrest.

I believe him to be a man of principal who would never advocate violence.

I was also an eye witness to April 10th 2000.

I am advising great caution. You would do better to challenge your opposition to take a view. Peace !!!

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+3 #40 2012-01-20 13:13

The judge as a professional knew very well what he was doing and does not regret it. He is playing a with someones life and cannot talk from both sides of his mouth.
So like I said Gambians should stand up and show Jammeh and his cronies(both Gambians and non-Gambians)fire and hell. That's the language they understand. We don't have anything of interest to the likes of the US to come to our aid.
So lets remember that evil must be matched with evil. All brutal regimes are usually removed through brutal means- Sadam, Gadafi etc. unfortunately thats the language they understand.

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+3 #39 2012-01-20 13:12

Mr Scales
While I have been following your positive contribution and concern about Gambian issues I will disagree with you this time on thoughts both about Dr. Janneh and the Idiotic judge who sentence him. It is easy to brand Jammeh as the monster but the fact remains he is enabled by Gambians and non-gambians alike to do these heinous crimes.
So I solidly believe that on the contrary Dr Janneh would care less about this judge as he cared less about him and condemn him to die in jail.

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-4 #38 2012-01-20 09:42

I would appear to value African lives more than you.

This may be an African newspaper...but it is based firmly on British soil.

We do no sanction killing by anonymous cowards...seeking the death of innocent people....by missplaced feelings of revenge.

As much as I deplore the jailing of Dr Janneh...do not think it merits the danger posed by your careless words of killing spree.

Do you hear me sonny boy?

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+2 #37 2012-01-20 08:47

Quoting Mike Scales:

Fulbeh...

So you want to "go on a killing spree"

I am so sorry...but I could not advise you with any great certainty on such matters.

I am sure there are those closer to you ...who can advise you much better than I....?

My greatest exposure to death..would probably be cigarettes, fast cars, or too many pork pies...

or even a heart attack !!! from the "fright" of reading too many online African newspapers.

I lead a very "risky" life.

{Regretably}

this stupid white man is married to a nigerian lady,so whenever people talk about nigerians he would defend them no matter what.THIS SHOW YOU HOW SELFISH THEY ARE.

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+5 #36 2012-01-20 01:48

Yahya is a bastard ad not a president but a bastard. His days are coming soon. We will teach him a lesson he will never forget. You are right MASSAHH..amadou could have have been living his confortable life in America and don't give a shit about whatever is going on in the Gambia but he has a patriotic citizenship spirit in him that gave him the sacrifices to go speak against gross human rights we are suffering in Gambia which caused him his life, its high time for Gambians all to unite against dictatorship..

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