Escaped Gambian Journalist ‘Arrives’ In Senegal

(JollofNews) – Gambian journalist Alagie Abdoulie Ceesay who was hospitalized while in detention has ‘arrived’ in Senegal, JollofNews has learnt.

Ceesay, who is on trial for false information and sedition was hospitalized on 11th April at Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital (EFSTH) in Banjul .

Two days later, according to the Gambia Press Union,  he was again rushed to the EFSTH where he was receiving treatment until his escape.

His escape was announced by the prosecutor in his case on Thursday when prison guards failed to bring him to court.

Ceesay was also reported murdered in detention with the United Democratic Party member, Solo Sandeng who was reported death by his party. However, the GPU later announced that he was alive and  hospitalized but denied visits.

Mr Ceesay was arrested on 2nd July 2 015 by the National Intelligence Agency after he privately shared by phone a picture in which a gun was pointed toward a photograph of President Yahya Jammeh. The image had been circulating on the internet, and Mr Ceesay was not its author. His radio station, Teranga FM, had been closed down several times over the past years.

During his detention Mr Ceesay has been held ‘incommunicado’ for two periods by members of the Gambian security forces. He was held in an unknown location from July 2 to July 13, then released.

He was rearrested on 17th July and detained at the National Intelligence Agency headquarters, which is not an official place of detention, without access to a lawyer or his family. He was taken before the High Court on August 25 and charged with six counts of sedition under Section 52 of the Gambian Criminal Code and publication of false news with intent to cause fear and alarm among the public. He is currently held at Mile 2 prison on the outskirts of the capital, Banjul. In February this year, he was denied bail for the fourth time.