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General Tamba & Co face death sentence
Thursday, 01 July 2010 09:33
The Gambian government is demanding the death penalty for the former chief of defense staff of the army, Lt. General Lang
Tombong Tamba. In the ongoing treason trial being heard at the High Court in Banjul, Tamba and seven (7) other accused are facing three counts charges of “conspiracy to commit treason and treason, contrary to Section 35 (a) (d) and (g) of the Criminal Code Cap 10, Vol. III Laws of The Gambia.”
The director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Richard Chenge, filed his demand in a written statement, in response to the presiding Judge, Emmanuel Amadi’s order, at the close of the entire evidence that both prosecution and defense submit in their written addresses.
Former ally and close confidant of President Yahya Jammeh, Lt. General Tamba fall out of grace when he was sacked last October and subsequently arrested and detained. About some five months later, the government announced treason charges against him and a number of other senior officials in the military for allegedly attempting to overthrow the government, last year. His alleged accomplices include the former head of the country’s National Intelligence Agency (NIA) and the exiled former chief of defense staff, Col. Ndure Cham, who stands accused for another ‘coup’ attempt earlier in 2006.
Most Gambians here avoid open reference to the coup allegations, and those who talk about it believe it is just a farce, considering the caliber of prosecution witnesses and general evidences at hand. Expressions of doubt about the authenticity of the coup claims have been compounded by the government’s recent announcement, accusing Lt. General Tamba of involvement in the 2006 ‘coup’ plot he was earlier widely praised for for foiling.
In a voluminous document submitted to the court, DPP Chenge argued that the prosecution witnesses were consistent and harmonious in their evidence. He went on to point out several examples of agreement in the prosecution's evidence and submitted that the little discrepancies therein were characteristic of the truthful witnesses “as no natural human being can be expected to remember everything whilst giving evidence.”
DPP Chenge claimed that there were contradictions on the part of the defense, such that “no reasonable court can believe” its evidences.
The entire evidence given by the defense, he said, is a tissue of lies. And he added that “all the ingredients of the offence of conspiracy to commit treason and the offence of treason as provided in the criminal code have been satisfied by the evidence of all the prosecution witnesses.”
On this basis, he said, the court should convict the accused persons as charged and sentence them to death.
Accordingly, the Defense is expected to reply to the DPP's submission within seven days after which presiding Justice Emmanuel Amadi will be expected to adopt the addresses on July 5, 2010.
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Comments
Comment
Malick that’s evident in Tamba’s pronouncements in the trial proceedings in the kangaroo courts. This is why I don’t feel much sympathy for him though he’s being wronged in the process. Whilst Essa Badjie & co are determine to spill the beans & voice out the truth about who they engage with in cohort in their drug peddle, lang’s stooping with the loyalty card. Nobody must be surprised that he will be nailed down by Nigerian mercenaries in wigs.
In the Senegambia region you cannot find a tribe more fiercely loyal and brave than the Jola.This is a characteristic Jammeh has exploited to the max!In this case the Jolas are themselves victims of Jammeh's craving for power.When the situation suits him,he calls on their tribal loyalties but when he is done with them,he sets them up and conveniently puts them away as in Tamba's case.From his killer henchmen like Musa Jammeh and Tumbul Tamba etc. this pattern is easy to see.A large number of his tribesmen are part of the prison population today.The question is will they learn? While i genuinely hope so,i have the feeling that if given a chance, Tamba will stoop even lower to please Jammeh again.
We need absolute country wide simultaneous uprising.
SOLUTION? ==== BUYAKA! BUYAKA!
Gambians are selfish people and we tend to think in the line of "If it does not affect me I do not care" Well mr general you should have cared
Don't even bother...... i remember them calling you chicken,now i wonder who the REAL chicken are? They have no stomach for this debate.They will run their mouths when it is about "development" but they won't show themselves when it comes down to what their master is really all about,a cowardly and brutal killer who has made so many Gambian children orphans.
But then Jammeh's children will grow up too and they will have to face the children of his victims and the whole vicious cycle of murder and revenge will be passed on to the next generation. Great job Professor!
It certainly will be wrong to say we never had problem, but never did use to be like this before 1994, Gambians runing away from their country, ppl arrested and accused of committing unimaginable crimes; the govt feeling not answerable to the ppl.... Yahya Jammeh is wrecking Gmbian apart and we are watching him succeed... Oh! God!
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