Ex MOJA-G member disappears
     

Annika Renberg has said that her husband, Modou (Dumo) Sarho, a key figure in the once proscribed Movement for Justice in Africa-Gambia (MOJA-G), has been abducted and not been seen since Saturday, June 24. 

The Swedish wife of Mr Sarho told Daily Observer  yesterday that she was informed that three men in an ash-colour BMW with registration number BJL 3716-A  and driven by one 'Mo' "abducted Modou from his mother's house in London Corner by 3pm." 

Annika who is a co-founder and manager of the NGO, Boka Loho, said she she and Modou's brothers inquired from Banjul Police Station about his whereabouts but the police denied detaining him. 

"Yesterday, I went to the NIA and spent two hours outside the gate but they said he was not there. I filed a formal report at the Banjul police station about my missing husband. I have contacted representatives of foreign missions including the Swedish foreign ministry and Amnesty International. Whoever is keeping him should release him because 72 hours has elapsed since his detention," Annika Renberg said. 

Asked the motive for her husband's detention, Annika said, "I would suppose it is politically motivated. He was a well-known political figure in The Gambia since the 1970s. He was a member of MOJA-G and was detained several times during Jawara's regime. The last time he was arrested, he was detained for one year without trial in 1981-82." 

Modou Sarho fled to Sweden in 1985 as a political refugee. Ten years later, in December 1995, he returned to The Gambia and set up Boka Loho with his wife and others. 

"Since we came back, he was not politically active. Most of his friends joined rank with the current government but he was not interested in doing that and never hesitated to say he would not do that," Annika explained. 

Contacted, the police denied detaining Sarho. The NIA could not be reached. 

The police licences department refused to tell Daily Observer  the owner of the BMW, BJL 3716-A saying a letter of request must be submitted for their consideration before they would reveal the identity of any motor vehicle registered with them.

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