| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Momodou |
Posted - 06 Jul 2016 : 00:46:16
http://fatunetwork.net/2016/07/05/27-senior-gambia-govt-officials-dismissed-and-are-currently-under-investigation/
27 Senior Gambia Gov’t Officials Dismissed, And Are Currently Under Investigation
A total of 27 senior officials of the Gambia government have been dismissed by Dictator Jammeh with immediate effect, and currently under detention and investigations at the notorious National Intelligent Agency in Banjul. The officials’ majority of whom are Permanent Secretaries includes deputy permanent secretaries, senior assistant secretaries, protocol officers and Principal Assistant Secretary amongst others.
They are been accused of fraudulently auctioning Gambia government vehicles and other unspecific items.
The Office of the President in a press release issued on Tuesday, informs the general public that these people have been dismissed from their positions and are currently under investigation for fraudulently auctioning Gambia government vehicles and other unspecific items.
They are as follows:-
Yira Jammeh, Senior Assistant Secretary , Ministry of Petroleum
Momodou Saidy Leigh, (SFO), Ministry of Fisheries
SannaGassama Chief Driver – Ministry of Justice
Fatoumatta Bah, (PO) Ministry of Fisheries
Roheyatou Kah, Deputy Permanent Secretary – Ministry of Petroleum
Dr. Cherno Barry Permanent Secretary –Ministry of Higher Education
Fafa Sanyang Permanent Secretary – Ministry of Petroleum
Cherno Njie (TC) Ministry of Agriculture
Momodou Lamin Jammeh, (SEO) Ministry of Lands
Bernard Mendy, Director of Protocol – Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Malang Jammeh, Chief Driver – Ministry of Trade
Abdoulie Jallow, Protocol – Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Aja Fatou Gaye (SDC) – Dept of Physical Planning
Abdoulie Jallow, Principal Assistant Secretary-Ministry of Lands and Regional Government
Abdoulie Jallow, Permanent Secretary – Ministry of Finance
Famara Darboe, former Ag. Director – Ministry of Fisheries
Naffie Barry, Permanent Secretary – Ministry of Trade
Lamin Ceesay, Chief Driver-Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Kaideng Sambou, (PO) Ministry of Finance
Jerreh Sanyang, Deputy Permanent Secretary –Ministry of Higher Education
Habib Jarra, Permanent Secretary Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Tijan Jeng (PO) – Ministry of Information Communication Infrastructure
Lamin Sanneh, Permanent Secretary (2) Ministry of Lands
Lamin Camara, Permanent Secretary Ministry of Information Communication & Infrastructure
Ousainou B. Jorbateh, (DoCV) Ministry of Lands
Aminata Samega-Janneh, Assistant Secretary – Ministry of Trade
Abdoulie Jarra, Permanent Secretary Ministry of Fisheries |
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| Momodou |
Posted - 20 Jul 2016 : 08:45:29
28 Civil Servants Freed on Bail
By Kebba Jeffang
Foroyaa: July 19, 2016
http://www.foroyaa.gm/archives/11264
The lower court in Banjul in exercising its discretion in accordance with the law freed the 28 dismissed civil servants on bail upon fulfilling the condition of depositing two hundred and fifty thousand dalasi (D250,000) each to the registrar of the court.
The Banjul Magistrates’ Court’s principal magistrate, Mr Omar Cham declared this in a bail ruling proceedings on Monday, July 18, 2016 in a packed-full court room.
Announcing representations for both parties, Inspector Sarja Sanyang appeared for the Inspector General of Police (IGP) whilst teams of lawyers including barrister Suharata Janneh, Hawa Sisay Sabally, Lamin S. Camara, Omar Njie, Musa Bachilly, Combeh Gaye Coker represented various accused persons.
The names that were confirmed as absent in court include Aussainou Jobarteh, Abdoulie Jallow and Famara Darboe.
Delivering his ruling, Magistrate Cham recalled that there was a bail application from lawyer Lamin S. Camara during the last proceedings that covers all the 28 accused persons, when he pointed out that the law gives the court power to exercise its discretion in giving bail.
However, he added that the prosecuting side opposed this application submitting that their investigation on the accused persons are still ongoing and they may tamper with it. He noted that the prosecution also urges the court to deny the accused persons bail.
Meanwhile, he said the law provides the court power to grant bail or deny the accused persons but judiciously. “Having looked at the charge, this court has the discretion to entitle them bail. Accordingly, I exercise my discretion to grant them bail on the following conditions:” he said.
He ruled that each of the accused persons must deposit the sum of two hundred and fifty thousand dalasi (D250.000); each must have two Gambian sureties both of who may have title deed valued at D250, 000 and must submit their identity cards; none of the accused person must travel outside the jurisdiction of the court.
The matter at this juncture was adjourned to 1st August, 2016 at 10:30am for the commencement of the trial.
After the end of proceedings, relatives, loved ones and friends could be seen mingling with their loved ones while others had already started working out the bail condition to enable the accused persons to reunite with their families after about 2 weeks of detention.
Twenty-eight senior civil servants of the Gambia government including Permanent Secretaries, Deputy Permanent Secretaries, Directors, Principal Assistant Secretaries, Chief Drivers and Drivers had earlier pleaded not guilty to charges of ‘Neglect of Official duties’ and ‘Abuse of office’.
They include Mr. Abdoulie Jallow, Mr. Kaiding Sambou, Mr. Bernard Mendy, Mr. Cherno Njie, Mr. Yira Jammeh, Mr. Abdoulie T.B Jarra, Miss Aminata Semega Janneh, Mr. Aussainou Jobarteh, Mr. Abdoulie Jallow, Mr. Fafa Sanyang, Mr. Cherno Omar Barry, Mr. Abdoulie K.M Jallow,Mr. Abdoulie Jallow, Mr. Lamin Camara,Mr. Lamin Sanneh, Mr. Tijan Jeng, Mrs. Fatoumatta Bah, Mr. Momodou Saidyleigh, Mrs Aja Fatou Gaye, Mr. Habib T.B Jarra, Mr. Jerreh Sanyang, Mr. Malang Jammeh,Mr. Momodou Lamin Jammeh, Mr. Lamin Sisay, Mrs Naffie Barry, Mr. Famara Darboe, Mrs Roheyatou Kah and Mr. Sanna Gassama.
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| Momodou |
Posted - 19 Jul 2016 : 22:49:10
28 Gov’t officials granted bail, asked to surrender travel documents
By Fatu Network
 Information reaching this network has confirmed that the 28 senior government officials dismissed, arrested and detained including permanent secretaries, deputy permanent secretaries and directors accused by state with neglect of official duties and abuse of office are all granted bail by the lower court in Banjul, Monday, July 18 following a ruling on a bail application file by their Attorney Lamin LS Camara.
They were bail for D250,000 with two Gambian sureties, were also asked to surrender their travel documents to authorities and to report to The Police Headquarters every Monday.
The accused persons are Abdoulie Jallow, Kaiding Sambou, Bernard Mendy, Cherno Njie, Yira Jammeh, Abdoulie T.B. Jarra, Aminata Semega Janneh, Aussainou Jorbarteh, Abdoulie Jallow, Fafa Sanneh, Cherno Omar Barry, Abdoulie K.M. Jallow, Abdoulie Jallow, Lamin Camara, Lamin Sanyang, Tijan Jeng, Fatou Matta Bah, Momodou Saidyleigh, Aja Fatou Gaye, Habib T.B. Jarra, Lamin Sisey, Naffie Barry, Famara Darboe, Roheyatou Kah and Sanna Gassama.
They were accused of neglecting their duties to engage the services of qualified mechanics or engineers to assess and diagnose the conditions of vehicles under their purview, leading to the wrong identification of vehicles for auction, between the year 2014 and 2016 in Banjul and diverse places, while serving as permanent secretaries, deputy permanent secretaries, chief drivers and drivers of their various government ministries and departments.
State prosecutors further accused them of abusing their offices, between the year 2014 and 2016 in Banjul and diverse places, by identifying the wrong vehicles for auction while serving as permanent secretaries, deputy permanent secretaries, directors, principal assistant secretaries, chief drivers and drivers of their various government ministries and departments.
The officials denied any wrongdoing when they previously appeared before a magistrate.
Source: Fatu Network
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| Momodou |
Posted - 06 Jul 2016 : 19:17:45
Gambia Government Must Respect the Rights and Dignity of Citizens
By Madi Jobarteh
The announcement on July 5, the eve of Koriteh (Eid-il-Fitr) by the Office of the President that 27 senior, middle and junior level government officials have been arrested, detained and dismissed from their jobs “accused of fraudulently auctioning Gambia Government vehicles and other unspecified items” is utterly untenable. The office of the President must realise that it must respect the due process according to the rule of law in matters of state and society. It is not the role of the Office of the President to investigate theft and misconduct in the public service. There are competent authorities whose task is to do that. Secondly there is no legal basis to dismiss a person from his or her job just on the basis of an allegation. The constitution provides for fair trial and presumption of innocence until proven guilty. Thirdly one cannot arrest and send an individual to jail only on the basis of an accusation. It is only the court of law through a transparent process that can determine that.
Therefore, it is dastardly repugnant that the Government has failed to recognise that it is not compassion to remove fathers and mothers and individuals from their families on the eve of Koriteh to send them to jail. What trauma would this have on the victims and their families during one of the most holiest feasts of the Muslim community. The Office of the President should be seen to respect the culture and religion of the society by showing that compassion and due regard. What is urgent in this matter that should warrant such a hurried action like this in total contravention of the constitution and the fundamental rights of the victims?
I demand that the Office of the President release these individuals with an apology and restore them to their positions. The investigations must be undertaken by the relevant authorities leading to prosecution in a fair trial to ensure that justice is done and seen to be done. The press release of the Office of the President is rather unprofessional, illegal and suspect because it has failed to indicate how many vehicles were auctioned? Where and when those vehicles were auctioned? What other items are being referred to? Who auctioned which vehicle and how and where was it done? When did the Office of the President itself conduct this investigation? Have these victims ever been notified of their alleged misconduct or told that they were being investigated? These are the fundamentals expected from such an investigation that the press release must provide. But it is clear that the Office of the President has not conducted any investigation that is worthy of the name yet went ahead to dismiss individuals who have been serving the Gambia for decades?
We have seen in the US how a one and half investigation of Hilary Clinton was conducted purely in line with the due process. The lady was never arrested and harassed by her government even when the issue deals with what is considered a national security matter. But all throughout the investigation it was a relevant government agency that dealt with the matter but not the White House. This is what is called democracy and adherence to the rule of law and respecting human rights.
We expect the Gambia Government to exercise similar civility and respect for the rule of law and human rights. Already scores of Gambians are under detention for more than two months without fair trial and bail for merely protesting illegal laws, arbitrary arrest and death in custody of Solo Sandeng. These are not hardened criminals or armed rebels and have not vandalised any public property or caused any public disorder. Yet their fundamental rights are blatantly abused with impunity and forced to spend the entire Ramadan in prison away from their families. Even when individuals commit the most heinous crimes they still have their fundamental rights and dignity intact that must be always respected and protected. May we ask therefore what values and standards does the Office of the President uphold? As Gambians, who believe in Islam and Christianity and respect human rights, should we condone these despicable disregard of the rights and dignity of our citizens by a State that has legal and political obligations to respect and protect the rights and freedoms of citizens including the culture and religions of the people?
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| toubab1020 |
Posted - 06 Jul 2016 : 15:29:24
This is another serious discovery of problems that recently have been exposed about The Gambia,it will be very interesting to see if and when any criminal charges are brought to court concerning those people who are, "currently under detention and investigations at the notorious National Intelligent Agency in Banjul." |
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