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Momodou
Denmark
11715 Posts |
 Posted - 21 Dec 2010 : 18:57:04
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Man charged for saying, ‘Senegal will attack The Gambia’
By Bakary Samateh
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
A man was yesterday arraigned at the Banjul Magistrates’ Court before Magistrate Dago, charged with conduct conducive to breaking of the peace.
Karamo Saidy Fatajo, a businessman at the Albert Market in Banjul, pleaded not guilty to the charge, and was subsequently granted bail of D50,000, with one Gambian surety.
According to the particulars of offence, on 16th December 2010 at Banjul Albert Market in the city of Banjul, the accused, Karamo Saidy Fatajo, conducted himself in a manner conducive to breaking of the peace, by saying that “Senegal will attack The Gambia”.
Superintendent Sainey Joof represented the IGP.
The case at that juncture was adjourned till 10th January 2011 for hearing.
Source: The Point
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A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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Momodou
Denmark
11715 Posts |
Posted - 22 Dec 2010 : 17:59:24
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Senegalo-Gambian Issues Lands Man In Court
By Fabakary B. Ceesay
22-12-10
The recent issues concerning the relationship between the Gambia and Senegal which are the subjects of discussions at “Bantabas” and market places have landed a man in police detention, on Thursday 16 December. He was arraigned in Court on Monday 20 December.
Mr. Karamo Saidy Fatajo, a resident of Tallinding Kunjang, who hails from Baddibu Salikenni, and a businessman at Albert Market, was arraigned before magistrate Dago of the Banjul Magistrates’ Court on one count charge of breach of peace. He pleaded not guilty.
The statement of offence states, “Prohibited conduct conducive to a breach of peace contrary to section 9 of the Public Order Act.” The particulars of offence states, “Karamo Saidy Fatajo, for that you did on or about 16 December 2010, in Banjul market in the city of Banjul, Republic of the Gambia, conducted yourself in a manner conducive to breach of peace by saying that Senegal will attack Gambia, thereby committed an offence”.
Mr. Saidy has no legal representation. The court granted him bail in the sum of D50,000 and that he was to produce one Gambian surety, who must sign the bond. The accused who met the bail conditions, was released by the court. The case was adjourned till 3 January 2011.
Source: Foroyaa |
A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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Karamba
United Kingdom
3820 Posts |
Posted - 22 Dec 2010 : 22:59:27
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| This criminal government will cling on anything. Desparate times make desparate moves. Is the man Fatajo not entitled to personal opinion? |
Karamba |
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Momodou
Denmark
11715 Posts |
Posted - 05 Jan 2011 : 19:30:51
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Witnesses Testify in Karamo Saidy Fatajo’s Case
By Mamadou Dem
05-01-11
Seedy Ceesay and Musa Babanding Ceesay on Tuesday 3rd January testified before Principal Magistrate Emmanuel Nkea of the Banjul Magistrate’s Court in the case of Karamo Saidy Fatajo who is accused of saying that Senegal will attack The Gambia.
The first Prosecution Witness, Seedy Ceesay told the Court that he lives in Banjul and he is a business man at the Albert market in Banjul. He said he recognised the accused and can recall the 16th of December 2010. He said on this day, he was in Banjul at the said market and whiles he was there, he said he was chatting with the accused person. He added that he met one Musa Babanding Ceesay (P W 2), Yaya Trawally, and Karamo Saidy (the accused) at the said place. He said during his chat with the accused, he told him that he heard the Secretary General Dr. Njogu Bah speaking over the national TV (GRTS) and he heard him mentioning the names of Mauritania, Senegal and The Gambia. He added that he told the accused that the SG displayed a document over the TV when he was speaking, but he (Seedy) did not know what type of document was it, because he could not tell whether it was an Identity Card or Passport. The first prosecution witness informed the Court that the accused asked him what the SG said, but he told him that he cannot speak English and that is how he left and went back to his place to take lunch. He said while on his way, his son called him and asked whether he did not create any problem, and he responded in the negative and told the son that he did not quarrel with anyone nor did he has any problem with anybody. He added that he did not know anything about this case and that he gave a statement to the Police.
Giving his testimony Musa Babanding Ceesay (P W 2)told the Court that he lives at number 22 New Street in Banjul and he is a businessman and that he knew the accused a long time ago, adding that he can recall the 16th of December 2010 when he was at the Albert Market in Banjul. The day he said was a public holiday and he met the accused sitting with the first prosecution witness; adding he was passing from the opposite direction to where they were sitting and the accused person he said called the first prosecution witness and asked him whether he heard what the Minister was saying over the TV last night. He added that the accused did not say Secretary General, but said whether Seedy heard what the Minister was saying last night, He said Seedy responded to him and said he cannot speak English, but pointed out Seedy said he heard him (SG) saying Senegal, Mauritania, Gambia, and Nigeria.
He further testified that the accused then told the first Prosecution Witness that he (PW1) did not hear what they said but he heard that they were speaking about the country. He said then the accused told PW 1 “I don’t know whether SG or Minister, but they say bad words that can spoil the relation between the two countries”. He added that the accused said, “if you don’t mine, Senegal will close their boarder the next morning and this will create chaos”. Mr. Ceesay (PW2) said the accused said that The Gambia is no more stable.
“P W 1 was called for the second time by the accused and he told him, you hear what I said you should try and put all your family together, because there will be a catastrophe. Then I told him all what you are saying is nonesense” He testified.
He further explained to the Court that the accused can mix the two countries because there are both Senegalese and Gambians at the said market and if there is any problem, the accused himself will not escape. “Then I told him that is bad and he told me you are a bad son” P W2 testified.
He said he told the accused not to move from where he was sitting because he will know that Gambia is a law abiding country; and he said the accused told him to go anywhere he wants because he has freedom of speech. “That is how I went to the NIA and they (NIA) called the Police for the accused to be arrested. I was asked to go with them and I pointed the accused to them,” Said Ceesay (P W 2).
He finally testified that the accused was asked to board in his vehicle, but he refused to do so and he was escorted to the Police Station and he gave a statement to the Police.
The case is adjourned to 5th January 2011. The accused is still in security custody.
Source: Foroyaa |
A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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Momodou
Denmark
11715 Posts |
Posted - 07 Jan 2011 : 15:24:48
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Magistrate Fails Promise
By Binta A. Bah
Friday, January 07, 2011
Emmanuel Nkea of the Banjul Magistrate’s court Wednesday failed to honour his pledge to grant bail to Karamo Saidy Fatajo as he promised during the previous sitting.
Karamo Saidy Fatajo, a trader at Albert Market in Banjul is being tried for what the state called, ‘breaching the peace’ by saying that Senegal will attack The Gambia after Gambia government branded Senegalese president, Abdoulie Wade enemy, accusing Wade of engaging in a smear campaign against The Gambia.
The saga came hard on the heels of mounting allegations in Senegal and beyond linking The Gambia to the controversial arms shipment seized in Nigeria from UN-sanctioned Iran.
Fatajo was arrested last month and his lawyer Lamin LK Mboge who has been pushing to secure him bail gestured in a manner observed to be a surprised at the magistrate’s decision to disallow his client to re-join his family until next hearing.
Meanwhile, Mr Fatajo’s fellow trader at Banjul Albert Market who admitted reporting him to the police told the court that he is aware there is freedom of speech, but subjected to the law.
Mboge however put it to the witness that the accused was just analyzing the Secretary General’s speech and exchanging ideas but Mr Musa Ceesay, the witness insisted that Mr Fatajo was expressing ‘bad opinion.’
The witness denied abusing the accused when Mboge asked but only confronted him as saying ‘nonsense’. He said he has no personal relationship with the accused person and cannot remember when he last talked to him.
"I always greet him whenever I find him sitting and that does not leave anyone out," he said.
Mr Mboge however accused the witness of roaming the market and not concentrating on his business but the witness responded that he was the chairman of the Albert market and could go anywhere he wanted within the market.
The witness told the court that he wouldn’t know what the accused was discussing with one Yaya Trawally about the SG’s speech before he arrived at the scene because he was not a ‘saint’. Mboge put it to him that they were just exchanging ideas but the witness said that was not true.
"You told the court that you are not a saint. How can you know that" Mboge stressed.
"I don’t know" said the witness.
The case resumes January 12.
Source: Dailynews |
A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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Momodou
Denmark
11715 Posts |
Posted - 14 Jan 2011 : 18:05:45
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KARAMO SAIDY CROSS EXAMINESS WITNESS IN HIS CASE
By Mamadou Dem on 14-01-11
The case of Karamo Saidy Fatajo, who is charged with breach of peace for allegedly saying Senegal will attack The Gambia continued on Wednesday 12th January at the Banjul Magistrate’s Court. The case continued in the absence of Lamin K Mboge, counsel for the accused.
Fatajo: I’m putting it to you that we were malice for eight to ten years?
Ceesay: I am not aware of that.
Fatajo: We had a business transaction and you disappointed me?
Ceesay: I am not aware of that and we don’t do the same type of business.
Fatajo: I’m putting it to you that I had a business transaction with you?
Ceesay: We don’t do business.
Fatajo: Do you speak to me on that day?
Ceesay: We spoke very well.
Fatajo: I’m putting it to you that I came without greeting you not to talk about talking to you?
Ceesay: You did not greet me but I greeted you.
Fatajo: I’m pitting it to you that you were sitting together with Yaya Trawally and I greeted Yaya by shaking hands with him, but I did not even tell you hello?
Ceesay: I was sitting with Yaya.
YAYA TRAWALLY TESTIFIES
Yaya Trawally, the third prosecution witness in this case on Wednesday 12 of January testified in this case.
Giving his evidence in Chief, Mr. Trawally told the Court that he lives at Tallinding and he is a businessman at the Albert Market in Banjul. He added that he could recall the 16th of December 2010. On this day, he said he was at the said market and he saw the accused and Musa Ceesay (P W 2) at the said market.
“I heard the accused said something about the Secretary General’s speech” Said Trawally. He indicated to the Court that the accused said he saw the SG on the TV speaking about Gambia and Senegal; adding that the accused said he did not know what had happened, but Senegal has removed its Ambassador from Iran. Trawally was quick to add that the accused did not say anything about Senegal and Gambia because he did not know what had happened. Trawally further informed the Court that he did not hear the accused say anything about the Government; adding the accused did not say that Senegal will attack The Gambia.
At this juncture the case was adjourned to the 19th January 2011 for cross examination.
Source: Foroyaa |
A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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Momodou
Denmark
11715 Posts |
Posted - 10 Feb 2011 : 20:26:22
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Karamo Saidy Fatajo Opens his Defence
By Mamadou Dem
10-02-11
Karamo Saidy Fatajo who is charged with breach of the peace, on Monday 7th February, opened his defence before Magistrate Alagbe Taiwo Ade of the Banjul Magistrates’ Court.
When the case was called, Sub Inspector Camara who held brief for Superintendent Sainey Joof announced his appearance for the Inspector General of Police while Lamin Mboge announced his representation for the accused person.
Mboge applied to the Court for him to be served with the charge sheet in order to guide the accused person in his defence. The accused, he said, was not served with a copy of the charge sheet.
During his defence, the accused told the Court that his names are Karamo Saidy Fatajo and that he lives at Tallinding. He said he knows Musa Babanding Cessay (Prosecution Witness number 3) and Yaya Trawally (Prosecution Witness number 4) and that he can also remember the 16th of December 2010. He said on this day, he was at the Albert Market in Banjul at around 12:30 Pm and while he was there, he met Yaya Trawally (P W 4) and P W 3 (Musa Babanding Cessay) and he greeted Trawally by shaking hands with him; adding he went to sit down without greeting P W 3 and the reasons why he failed to greet P W 3 was that P W 3 had not been talking to him for almost ten years.
He said after greeting PW 4 and got seated, one Seedy Ceesay came and asked him whether he saw the Secretary General on the Television the previous night and he responded in the positive; adding Seedy told him that he heard the S G speech over the TV but he did not understand English, but he heard him mentioning Senegal, The Gambia and Cassamace and he (Karamo) told Seedy that he does not understand English either but what he understand is how the Gambia is helping Senegal and Cassamace to have peace. “I also told him that Gambia is doing everything to have a cordial relation with Senegal”, Said Fatajo.
He said Seedy Ceesay then said that is very good if that is what the Secretary General was saying over the TV. He said Musa Babanding Ceesay insulted him during their discussion and said that if Senegal attacks The Gambia and there is fighting that is not their business because they don’t want the peace of this Country. He added that Babanding Ceesay stood before him and started insulting him. He said Ceesay hurled invectives at him which were directed at his mother’s privacy. He said he then retaliated and told him that he will also take the entire Albert Market and put it in to his mother’s privacy. Ceesay, he added, then told him that he will lock him up and that he should not run away. He said he told Ceesay that he is a good Citizen of The Gambia and it is not possible for him to lock him up.
He further testified that Ceesay then called the Secretary General, Njogu Bah, and the Director of National Intelligence Agency, Numo Kujabi. He pointed out that while he was sitting at the Market, one female Police and two plain clothes officers with Ceesay arrived at the market and Ceesay pointed at him and told the officers to arrest him. He said he was asked whether he is Karamo Saidy Fatajo, and he responded in the affirmative and the officers told him that he is needed at the Police Station and he was asked to board Ceesay’s Vehicle, but he refused and was then escorted to Banjul Police Station by two officers on foot. He said at the Police Station, the Secretary General called Musa and before his statement was taken, the Director of NIA,
Mr. Kujabi came and he asked Musa who is the suspect and Musa pointed at him but Kujabi said, “I know this man”.
At this juncture the prosecutor objected to that statement and urged the Court to expunge it from the record.
But Mboge indicated that the witness is narrating what Ceesay said and urged the Court to overrule the objection.
The trial magistrate overruled the objection and the accused person then continued his testimony. He said that Kujabi took his name and telephone number and then closed his file and left the Police Station. He said later a statement was obtained from him and he was detained at Banjul Police Station for five days and after that he was taken to Court and granted bail.
Lawyer Mboge said, “The charge against you is that you said Senegal will attack the Gambia, did you say that? Asked Mboge, “I did not say that” said Karamo. Mboge further asked, “Was there anyone who said that? “Yes” It was said by Musa Babanding Ceesay,” replied Karamo.
Mboge finally asked him whether he behaved in any manner that will breach the peace, he replied in the negative.
The case is adjourned till Monday 14th February 2011.
Source: Foroyaa |
A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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Momodou
Denmark
11715 Posts |
Posted - 21 Apr 2011 : 15:13:33
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Trader Fatajo Found Guilty
By Binta A Bah
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Karamo Sainey Fatajo, a trader at Albert Market in Banjul, yesterday dissolved into tears after he was declared guilty of ‘breaching the peace’ for saying that that the neighbouring Senegal will attack Gambia.
The atmosphere that greeted the conviction of Mr Fatajo was a sorry one. Grief-stricken family members and other sympathysers who hoped relief at the end of the four-month long trial, could not hold-back their tears.
Later, they helplessly looked-on as their loved one, a family bread-winner was being escorted to remand at Mile 2. He will be held under the custody of the state until today when the sentence will be handed-down.
Mr Fatajo was arrested December 2010 at the Albert market in Banjul when Mr Musa Babanding Ceesay, a fellow trader reported him to the police and other state authorities, including the then Secretary General and Head of Civil Service, Dr Njogu Bah.
He is said to have told fellow traders at the market that ‘Senegal will attack Gambia,’ thereby breached the peace. His alleged comment came in the wake of a recent diplomatic row between Senegal and Gambia over alleged Gambia-bound controversial arms shipment impounded in Nigeria from UN-sanctioned Iran when Gambia branded Senegalese president as enemy.
Despite denying the charge and allegation of uttering the said words, the presiding magistrate in Banjul claimed that he has enough evidence to convict Mr Fatajo.
Magistrate Taiwo Ade Alagbe agreed with Mr Musa Babanding Ceesay’s tesmony in court that Mr Fatajo did say that ‘Senegal will attack Gambia.’
“I was shocked when the defense said that Mr Fatajo was exercising his right to freedom of expression,” he said, adding that comment could lead to disarray.
According to the magistrate, issues of national topics should not be discussed in public places such as a market.
“Certainly the convict has learned his lesson that he will not discuss sensitive and political matters in public,” said lawyer Mboge, in pleading with the court to exercise mercy on his client.
Mr Fatajo is the bread-winner of his family, who has none but him alone to depend on for their survival, Mboge told the magistrate, whose decision on what penalty Mr Fatajo will face, will be known today.
Source: Dailynews
Man fined for saying ‘Senegal will attack Gambia’
By Bakary Samateh
Thursday, April 21, 2011
The Banjul Magistrate Court yesterday convicted and sentenced a man to a fine of D10, 000 in default to serve three months in prison for saying that “Senegal will attack The Gambia.”
Karamo Saidy Fatajo, a businessman at the Albert market in Banjul, was earlier arraigned and charged with conduct conducive to a breach of the peace.
According to the particulars of offence, the convicted person on 16th December 2010 at Banjul Albert Market in the city of Banjul conducted himself in a manner conducive to a breach of the peace, by saying that “Senegal will attack The Gambia”.
In his plea of mitigation on behalf of Karamo, defence counsel L.K. Mboge told the court that the convict is a family man who is living from hand to mouth. He added that the convict had shown remorse, and was also regularly coming to court since the case commenced.
“I therefore urged the court to temper justice with mercy,” he added, pointing out that a custodial sentence would cause more hardship to the family.
In passing sentence, the trial magistrate told the court that he had listened to the mitigation of the counsel for the accused person.
However, the offence committed was a serious one, he added.
Consequently, the magistrate convicted and sentenced Karamo Saidy Fatajo to a fine of D10, 000 in default to serve three months in prison.
Source: The Point |
A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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toubab1020
12311 Posts |
Posted - 21 Apr 2011 : 16:00:52
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| Yes, quite fair in the circumstances of Gambian Justice rules. |
"Simple is good" & I strongly dislike politics. You cannot defend the indefensible.
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Karamba
United Kingdom
3820 Posts |
Posted - 21 Apr 2011 : 23:05:25
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| This case is so foolish to waste court time on. What type of Gambia do we have under a disgraceful inhumane system! |
Karamba |
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