VERY GOOD POINT Beran!

--- Beran jeng <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> Annika,
>
> I share your summary that the government does not
> have convincing
> evidence to prosecute the case , but i'm not of the
> view that the government
> is embarrassed because it simmply does not exist in
> the government's
> vocabulary.
>
>
> Beran
>
>
> >From: Annika Renberg <[log in to unmask]>
> >Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing
> list
> ><[log in to unmask]>
> >To: [log in to unmask]
> >Subject: Dumo - Summary of events
> >Date: Wed, 13 Jun 2001 09:09:06 +0200
> >
> >Friends on the L,
> >
> >I think it is good to have access to this summary
> when you go through the
> >statements published by Ebrima Ceesay. Look at the
> dates when the
> >statements were made and ask what took the state so
> long to prosecute. It
> >certainly looks as they are embarrassed by
> something. This summary was made
> >by me and has been sent to Amnesty and other
> institutions and authorities.
> >
> >Regarding the authenticity, I am convinced.
> >
> >Annika (Dumos wife)
> >
> >SUMMARY OF EVENTS
> >
> >Momodou Ousman (Dumo) Sarho
> >
> >24 June 2000 Abducted from his family compound in
> London Corner,
> >Serrekunda, The Gambia, by three men in an
> ash-coloured vehicle (BMW; BJL
> >3716A). Mr Sarho was allowed to inform his mother
> that he was being
> >arrested and taken to Banjul. One of the men was
> later identified as one
> >Alhaji Moor, son of late Peterson Jobe.
> >
> >The same evening Banjul Police Head Quarter denied
> any knowledge of Mr
> >Sarho - including having him under custody.
> Attempts to reach the NIA
> >(National Intelligence Agency) for confirmation was
> fruitless during the
> >whole weekend.
> >
> >26 June The NIA denied having detained Mr Sarho. A
> formal complaint,
> >reporting Mr Sarho as abducted/missing, was
> submitted to Banjul Police.
> >
> >27 June Amnesty International - Gambian branch
> office was informed.
> >
> >30 June An open letter to the Attorney General of
> The Gambia was submitted
> >to his office.
> >
> >Copies were distributed to the local newspapers, as
> well as human rights
> >organisations both locally and internationally.
> >
> >10 July African Commission of Human & People's
> rights was notified.
> >
> >14 July The State (Inspector General of Police, NIA
> and the Attorney
> >General) represented by one lawyer Wowo was called
> to answer to the Banjul
> >High Court on the matter of Modou Sarho's arrest
> and detention. In their
> >affidavit they then admitted having him and that he
> was suspected of
> >planning to overthrow the government by force and
> to have attempted to kill
> >the head of state in order to seize power. The
> state further claimed that
> >it would have detrimental effects to both the
> investigation and the public
> >if Mr Sarho and his co-suspects were released
> (Ruling in the case was
> >scheduled to July 18th)
> >
> >14 July Mr Sarho, together with 5 others, were
> taken to Kanifing Magistrate
> >were they were said to be suspected of treason on
> two accounts:
> >
> >     1.. March 1999 - June 2000 having planned to
> overthrow the Gambian
> >government by
> >     force.
> >
> >     2.. March 1999 - June 2000 having attempted to
> kill the president of
> >the Gambia.
> >The prosecutor explained that:
> >
> >     1.. She was aware that treason was a too
> serious crime to be heard by
> >the Magistrate
> >     2.. She had not been given enough time to go
> through the evidences.
> >     3.. Provided she found the evidences binding,
> she promised to file
> >charges in the High court on Monday July 17th.
> >     4.. She further appealed that the suspects
> should be kept in remand,
> >since "treason is not a bailable offence"
> >The magistrate ruled that the suspects should be
> kept in remand and
> >complimented the prosecutor for her intention to
> file charges
> >expeditiously. No lawyer to assist the suspects was
> present at the hearing.
> >
> >18 July In Banjul High Court, Judge Mam Yassin Sey,
> ruled in the case of Mr
> >Sarho's arrest and detention, that it was clearly
> against the Constitution
> >and laws of the Gambia as well as the African
> Charter of Human Rights. She
> >explained that Mr Sarho's basic human rights -
> granted to him in the
> >Constitution - had been seriously violated. She
> further stated that, had it
> >not been for the magistrate ruling from Kanifing,
> of which she were not
> >aware at the time of the hearing, she (Judge Sey)
> would have ordered for Mr
> >Sarho's immediate release.
> >
> >The state explained that they intended to appeal
> the ruling.
> >
> >18 July Mr Tambadou, lawyer, wrote a letter to the
> Secretary of State for
> >Interior, appealing for a permit to visit Mr Sarho
> in his place of
> >detention. Referring to the serious crime of which
> Mr Sarho was suspected,
> >Mr Tambadou emphasised the need for legal
> counselling.
> >
> >27 July A second open letter was addressed to the
> Attorney General of the
> >Gambia.
> >
> >19 August The Secretary of State for Justice during
> a Press Conference on
> >the issue of illegal detention of Mr Dumo Sarho and
> others, said that: "
> >Those who expect to enjoy the rights guaranteed in
> democracy must play by
> >the democratic rules. No one expects government to
> treat anyone, bent on
> >under-mining its very existence as if he only
> committed a minor traffic''.
> >And he added that due to the nature of the case,
> families and lawyers have
> >been denied access to the detainees.
> >
> >19 October A motion was heard by Justice Kabalata
> in the Banjul High Court,
> >regarding the right to file an appeal against the
> ruling in Kanifing
> >Magistrate, although the stipulated time for filing
> an appeal was overdue.
> >No representative for the state was present and the
> hearing was adjourned
> >for 30 minutes, while attempts were made to call a
> representative. Since no
> >one appeared, Justice Kabalata decided to proceed
> and finally ruled that Mr
> >Sarho's legal representatives should be granted the
> right to appeal against
> >the ruling of Kanifing Magistrate in the High
> court,
> >
> >25 October An appeal against the ruling in Kanifing
> Magistrate was filed at
> >the High Court in Banjul.
> >
> >30 October The lawyers, Mr Tambadou and Emanuel
> Joof were informed by the
> >High court, that the State, referring to the fact
> that
=== message truncated ===


__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Get personalized email addresses from Yahoo! Mail - only $35
a year!  http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L
Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html
You may also send subscription requests to [log in to unmask]
if you have problems accessing the web interface and remember to write your full name and e-mail address.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------