More people dragged to court for guaranteeing Cruise Ship Crew absconders

By Bruce Asemota

 July 26, 2023, The Standard newspaper

The Cruise Ship Crew Company Limited has again filed civil suits against more guarantors of recruited crew members from Gambia who absconded.

The plaintiff is claiming the sum of US$50.000, being the amount the defendants stood as guarantors for the recruitment of the deserters.

The respondents are: Amat Njie and Amat Nyang, who guaranteed Awa Njie from Kukunjang Keitaya; Lamin Jarju from Lamin village who guaranteed Joseph Mendy; Alieu Barry from Brikama Jamisa who guaranteed Saja Bangura; Bakary Saidykhan from Brikama who stood as guarantor for Musa Saidykhan; Dodou Colley from Latrikunda Sabiji who stood as guarantor for Fanta Colley and Biran Jallow from Lamin village, and Amadou Jallow from Tujereng who stood as guarantors for Burrie Njie, from Serekunda.

Meanwhile, the motion was moved yesterday before Justice Ebrima Jaiteh and he ordered that these defendants be served with the copies of the court order, the writ of summons and the accompanying processes. The case was adjourned to 20  October, 2023.

 

D25K reward for information on police station robbery

Press release

 July 25, 2023, The Standard Newspaper

The Guardian Intelligence and Investigative Service, a private security firm, is offering up to D25,000 for information leading to the location or identification of the armed robbers who attacked the Kunkujang Keitaya police station on Wednesday 3 May 2023, which left some officers injured. The robbers allegedly attacked the station and stole a mobile phone owned by one of the police officers.

The reward offered by the organisation on Monday also covers any information that could lead to the arrest of individuals responsible for the attack.

The organisation’s statement reads: “On Saturday, 25 February, 2023, we wrote an article about our security analysis and risk assessment on how there are security vulnerabilities at police stations, court houses, and other government institutions in the Gambia and offered some tips on what countermeasures to put in place to make sure that officers and civil servants in these facilities are well protected and prepared for incidents like the robbery that happened on 12th February, 2023 at the PIU checkpoint in Fass Njaga Choi and on 3rd May, 2023 at Kunkujang Keitaya Police Station (according to What’s On Gambia news platform).

“On Thursday, 2nd February 2023, we also urged the government especially the interior minister, Seyaka Sonko to put measures in place to train and arm our officers with handguns and rifles especially the ones on the frontline to make sure that these armed robbery attacks at police stations or checkpoints do not happen again. Internal security access control such as CCTV cameras, digital Daily Visitor Log (DOL), police reception desk with glass shield, and security doors should be put in place at our police stations, immigration, courthouses, and ministry offices to digitally keep track of visitors. This would have been a great advantage in the robbery attack at Kunkujang Keita-ya police station because investigators would have been able to go back and trace activities prior to the incident and seek help from the public to see if anyone would recognise the suspects based on their clothing, the way they walk, or talk, but because countermeasures were not put in place, identifying, apprehending, and bringing the robbery suspects to justice would almost be impossible to do because investigators do not have anything that would direct them to the suspects.

It has been long overdue to take back the country from these criminals who have no regards and respect for our law enforcement officers and laws of the land by legally and aggressively enforcing the laws to the fullest.”

 

POLICE CONFIRM ARRESTING SABALLY

  The Alkamba Times

December 21, 2022

275

By: Foday Manneh

The Gambia Police Force has confirmed the arrest of opposition United Democratic Party campaign manager Momodou Sabally on Wednesday, December 21, 2022.

The Police say Sabally’s arrest is connected to an alleged video circulating on media suggesting President Barrow will be unseated before the local government elections in 2023. As a result, he has been invited to the Police for questioning, said the Police.

This came barely less than 24 hours since the government confirmed an alleged attempted coup to overthrow President Adama Barrow, which several military officers foiled.

In an earlier reaction to his arrest, the opposition politician said: “I have been invited to Brusubi Police station by the usual suspects. Heading there right now.”

 

UNCONFIRMED REPORTS OF AN ATTEMPTED COUP IN GAMBIA?

By

 The Alkamba Times

 -

December 21, 2022

3292

 

 The Alkamba Times is closely monitoring unconfirmed reports of an attempted coup that was foiled on Tuesday evening involving some members of the Gambia Armed Forces who planned to unseat President Adama Barrow.

To ascertain the veracity of this rumored coup attempt, three different sources prodded by this medium have confirmed the news.

 

TAT contacted deputy Army PRO Malick Sanyang, who dismissed the rumored attempt, saying, “No, I am not aware of any coup, and it’s not true.”

Multiple sources within the security and intelligence services said the attempted coup was foiled by the military and Ecowas battalions stationed in the Capital, Banjul.

Some arrests have been made, one source told TAT, but the deputy spokesman of the Gambia Armed Forces said he’s not aware of any reported military takeover.

As the story develops, TAT will continue to monitor the situation and update its readers.

 

ECOMIG mandate in Gambia extended for another year

The Point Newspaper

Dec 12, 2022, 9:39 AM

The sixty-second Ordinary Session of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) on 4th December 2022 extended the mandate of the ECOWAS military intervention in The Gambia for another year.

 

 

The Ordinary Session was held in Abuja, Federal Republic of Nigeria under the chairmanship of H.E. Umaro Sissoco Embalo, President of the Republic of Guinea Bissau, and chair of the Authority.

“The Authority welcomes the contribution of the Peace Support Missions deployed by ECOWAS, particularly the ECOWAS Mission in The Gambia (ECOMIG) and the Stabilisation Support Mission in Guinea Bissau (SSMGB),” said a communiqué by the Authority.

 

“The Authority decides to extend the mandate of ECOMIG for a further year from 1st January 2023 and instructs the Commission to consider, within that period, a gradual downsizing of the Mission and commence the training and reorientation of The Gambia Defense and Security Forces to enable them to play their constitutionally assigned roles in a democratic dispensation,” added the communiqué.   

The Authority urges the Gambian government to diligently implement the Security Sector Reforms (SSR) and instructs the Commission to ensure that the ECOMIG Forces composition reflects a balanced regional outlook comprising troops from the ECOWAS Member States beyond the current countries participation in the Mission,” the communiqué also said.

The Authority reaffirmed its commitment to the promotion of peace, security and stability in the region as prerequisites for the economic development and integration of the region.

www.thepoint.gm

 

Mob attacks Bakau police demanding suspect in missing driver’s murder

December 2, 2022

By Tabora Boajng

The standard newspaper

A mob attacked Bakau police station demanding to deal with a suspect arrested in connection with the disappearance of a taxi driver from Bakau whose body was found reportedly mutilated in Salagi.

A number of police officers, civilians and a cameraman were wounded while the police station was vandalised in the melee as police threw tear gas to disperse the mob who burnt tyres and rampaged the main highway and other roads in Bakau.

 

The mob stormed the station after learning that a dead body found wrapped in a bag in Salagi was identified by the family to be that of Omar Sonko, the missing driver.

Immediately all attention focused on the 46-year-old suspect held since Tuesday by the police investigating the missing driver’s case. 

Scores of youths turned up around the station chanting “We need justice!”, “We want to kill him the same way he killed our brother!” and demanded the police hand over the suspect to them.

A small contingent of soldiers from nearby Fajara Barracks came to the scene to help calm tensions before the arrival riot police.

The Bakau station officer Foday Conta and Deputy Police Superintendent Modou Faye, worked hard to calm the protesting youths telling them the suspect was not in their custody and was transferred to Banjul.

However, the situation got out of hand following the arrival of a heavy reinforcement of PIU officers whose arrival agitated the mob and stones started to rain, beginning a five- hour long running battle between the PIU and the protesters.

Unable to contain the situation as they ran out of tear gas, the police pleaded with the protesters to calm down but the atmosphere continued to get tense as more and more youths emerged with cutlasses and machetes.  

The police brought in more reinforcement and fired more tear gas.

As the tension continued, the police resorted to calling the Bakau Alkalo Dodou Bojang to calm down his people. He arrived and was seen talking to the mob to restrain calm but the youths did not listen to him and the tension mounted.

“What has happened is unfortunate but we have laws governing this country. No one takes the law into your hands. What the youths are doing here is unlawful. We spoke to them and some moved but some are still around,” the alkalo said.

Speaking to journalists on the ground, Police SpokespersonCadet ASP Binta Njie, said they have have gathered sufficient information and will proceed with prosecution as soon as possible.

“It is unfortunate that the station that is meant to be the place where people can go and express their grievances is targeted by the people it is meant for. However, we are urging every resident of Bakau to maintain restraint calm and understand that we are going to do our best to ensure justice is served in this matter,” she said.

At the time of going to press a number of PIU officers were deployed to the Atlas petrol station in Bakau to protect it from getting burnt amid sustained firing of gas canisters, stones and bottles.

Death Of Soldiers Of The Presidential Convoy

 PRESS RELEASE: ACCIDENT INVOLVING GAF PERSONNEL OF THE PRESIDENTIAL CONVOY

 

1. The Gambia Armed Forces (GAF) High Command regrets to inform the general public of a Road Traffic Accident (RTA) involving its personnel serving in the State Guards Battalion. The accident which involved 5 soldiers who were travelling as part of the rear party of the Presidential Convoy occurred today Thursday 11 August 2022 around Ndemban Village.

 

2. According to reports gathered so far, there were several fatalities. However, the Military Police in collaboration with the Gambia Police Forces are investigating the circumstances leading to the cause of the accident. The general public would be duly informed of any developments as the situation unfolds.

 

3. We fervently pray for the deceased to rest in eternal peace and for the speedy recovery of the injured soldiers.

 

 

 

LAMIN K SANYANG

​​​​​​​​Lieutenant Colonel

for the Chief of Defence Staff