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Foroyaa Newspaper Burning Issue 
Issue No.  41/2007, 11 - 12 April, 2007   

Editorial
FOOD!!  FOOD!! FOOD!!
ARE WE POISONING OURSELVES?
The country has experienced a  growth in Liver Cancer. Medical science tells 
us that groundnuts and other  grains that are kept until they are mouldy are 
likely to have aflatoxin which  can cause cancer.
In the same vein eating and swallowing hard things like  rocks which are 
found in low quality rice could increase chances of  appendicitis. One problem 
that the National Nutrition Agency and the National  Environmental Agency should 
look at is the use of chemicals to either preserve  food items or to spray to 
kill insects with regard to the food that is kept  unprotected. 
Just look at this scenario of a shop keeper having bread on the  table at 
night while he sprays to kill mosquitoes! What about this man who  sprays the 
bees before venturing to extract his honey. What about these women  who gathered 
all those nuts from Denton Bridge and then transform them into  groundnut 
paste for sale. What about this farmer who used chemicals to preserve  his beans. 
We can go on and on. It is necessary for our people to know the  dangers of 
eating mouldy foodstuffs just to fill stomachs while increasing our  chances to 
get liver cancer. What kills is not food. Let the Nation be informed  of all 
the dangers to ill health that goes with the food we  eat.

FORMER CHIEF AND CO. HELD INCOMMUNICADO
By Modou  Jonga
The former District Chief of Foni Kansala, Mr. Momodou Lamin Nyassi and  two 
other persons, all residents of Bwiam Village in the Foni Kansala District  
have been kept incommunicado for four months. 
The other two persons are  Ndongo Mboob, and Buba Sanyang. According to 
family sources, the trio was  arrested in November 2006 at their native village of 
Bwiam, in the Western  Region and access to them has been curtailed by the 
authorities. The reason for  their arrest remains unclear.
Respective family sources allege that they are  unable to locate the 
whereabouts of their loved ones despite making frantic  efforts.
“We visited the State Central Prison, the Police headquarters, the  NIA 
headquarters and numerous police stations but we were unable to know their  
whereabouts,” stressed a family source. Sources further claimed that the trio is  yet 
to be arraigned in court. When contacted, the police PRO, Nfamara Jobarteh  
stated that his office is unaware of the arrest of the trio and their 
subsequent  incommunicado detention.

IN THE SENEGALESE CUSTOMS TRIAL
“Court  Has Jurisdiction” Says Magistrate
By Bubacarr K. Sowe & Mustapha M.B.  Ceesay
Magistrate Pa Harry Jammeh of the Kanifing Magistrates Court, on  Tuesday, 
April 10th ruled that his court has the jurisdiction to try five  Senegalese 
customs officials accused of possessing and importation of firearms  in to the 
Gambia.
Magistrate Jammeh’s ruling came following an application  made by the defence 
counsel, Antouman Gaye that the court lacks the jurisdiction  to hear the 
case. Subsequently, Mr. Gaye’s  claim was objected to by the  prosecutor, N.B 
Jones-Nebo last week.
The Magistrate in his ruling said that  the defence exhibit, a letter from 
the Senegalese High Commissioner to the  Gambia which shows that the boat in 
which the accused persons were arrested is  not sufficient to prove the defence 
argument.
He therefore said that the  matter should proceed accordingly and hence forth 
it will be heard by his court  daily. The court now took off from where it 
stopped before the application of  the defence.
Cross Examination
In a cross examination  after the  ruling, one officer Omar, Fabureh of the 
Gambia Navy said he had been working in  the GPV, Sulayman Junkung Vessel, 
which apprehended the accused persons. Fabureh  added that they use the vessel for 
patrol and have three navigators and some  trainees at the navy.
Responding to the defence whether he knows an Island  dividing the Gambia and 
Senegal the navy officer said he knows Jinack  Island.
He identified the boundary of the Gambia and Senegal in a map shown  to him 
in court. He denied that the entry on their log book was made after the  arrest 
of the accused persons.
He told the court that the reason why they did  not obtain permission during 
the arrest of the suspects was that they were in  the Gambian territorial 
waters.
The trial continues today, April 11, at the  Kanifing Magistrates Court.

PRISONER ALLEGES BAN ON VISITORS
By  Fabakary B. Ceesay
Mr. Jean LUC Potaux, a French National, who is currently  at the Mile Two 
prison, told the Kanifing Magistrates Court on Wednesday 4 April  2007 that 
visitors were banned from visiting their loved ones during the course  of the 
previous week for almost eight days.
When his case was called before  Magistrate Buba Jawo, his lawyer was not in 
court. When asked about the  whereabouts of his counsel, the accused said that 
he may or may not come but  that he did not inform him.
He said the lawyer would not be in a position to  visit him at the prison 
because visitors were not allowed since the previous  week. He added that the ban 
on visitors did not apply to him only but to all the  other prisoners. He 
said that his lawyer would have been in court had he had  access to him since the 
previous week.
The state prosecutor, 1748 Mballow,  told the court that the counsel for the 
defendant is just a “so-called,” since  he had never appeared before the 
court concerning the case. He added that the  lawyer only announced his 
representation for the accused person, but had never  attended the case. Magistrate 
Jawo, ruled that the case cannot proceed because  the French Interpreter was 
bereaved and was out of work. Mr. Potaux, had been  held for almost seventeen 
months now. His trial has suffered many  setbacks. 

COURT REVIEWS SITUATION OF REMAND PRISONERS
By  Modou Jonga
In a rare move, Magistrate Martins of the Brikama Magistrates’  Court 
reviewed more than ten remand prisoners’ bail and other conditions on  Wednesday 4th 
April 2007. 
The remand prisoners were questioned on the  allegations against them, the 
bail circumstance, duration of their detention,  among others.
On their part, Ebrima Jallow and Pa Jali Njie all charged with  committing 
impersonation, stated that they have been remanded in custody for  eight months. 
According to Ebrima Jallow, he was granted bail but later the bail  was 
revoked. 
Another remand prisoner Hatab Sanneh noted that he has been  remanded in 
custody for nine months and was further refused bail by the court.  Three accused 
persons jointly charged for alleged stealing told the court that  they have 
been remanded for ten months. The said three accused persons were  subsequently 
granted bail. Ebrima Njie, also a remand prisoner alleged that his  bail was 
revoked since 3 April, 2006 because he could not fulfill the bail  condition.
Another remand prisoner Momodou Yorro Jallow asserted that, he had  been in 
custody for three months. According to a prosecutor, the said accused is  
alleged to have committed murder. The magistrate said due to the nature of the  
offence he would not grant this accused bail.
Another remand prisoner, Alieu  Khan, was cautioned and discharged by 
Magistrate Martins after hearing from the  prosecutor about the substance of the case.

LETTER TO NADD  EXECUTIVE BY 
EX-FLAG BEARER, HALIFA SALLAH
Continuation
I made it  abundantly clear that the executive is entrusted with the 
responsibility of  appointing secretaries of state or ministers who are to oversee the 
work of each  department. That such people are required to formulate 
policies, prepare  programmes and projects and see their implementation. I indicated 
to them that  these secretaries of state work with their technical advisers to 
prepare and  cost the running of departments of state and various programmes 
and projects and  then submit their requests to the National Assembly for 
approval. That they are  to ensure that the resources are utilized to enhance 
prosperity and general  welfare. It was made clear that it is the local councils 
that should bring up  development of towns and wards, that it is the executive 
that should bring about  the development of the Nation as a whole.
That if there is any claim by  anybody in the APRC that a certain 
constituency is not developing the APRC  executive and Councillors should be asked to 
render account. That those areas  which are neglected by the executive and 
councils should select such other  representatives during Presidential and Council 
elections who would cater for  their needs from their tax monies. I intimated 
that the revenue of the country  comprises tax and services with the tax 
component constituting the largest share  for financing the day to day operation of 
the government; that the development  budget depends on loans, grants and 
local contributions. That the loans and  grants take up to 90% of the development 
budget. That the total recurrent and  development budget is over 4000 million 
dalasis.
I made it clear that the  councils collect duties and other fees, licences 
and taxes from hotels, shops,  business concerns including the markets and car 
parks and compounds to meet the  services needed by the people. 
I added that with such huge monies entrusted  to the executive and councils 
there is need to have an oversight institution  responsible for monitoring the 
way the resources are managed. I indicated to  them that the National Assembly 
is to prepare such oversight responsibility. I  proceeded to show them in 
practical terms what the National Assembly members do  to scrutinize how the 
country is governed as well as set laws, international  agreements and policies. I 
gave them the following examples of my work in the  National Assembly:-
TO BE COTINUED

MORE TESTIMONIES IN THE TRIAL  OF MAIMUNA TAAL
By Bubacarr K. Sowe
Two more prosecution witnesses namely,  Abdoulie Jammeh and Howsoon Semega 
Janneh were last Wednesday, April 4th, the  latest to testify in the economic 
crimes trial of Maimuna Taal, Former  Directress General of The Gambia Civil 
Aviation Authority (GCAA).
Messrs.  Jammeh and Janneh are Director Generals of GCAA and Acting Director 
General of  The Gambia Public Procurement Authority (GPPA) respectively. 
Testifying before  Justice S.M Monageng at the High Court, 38 year old Mr. Jammeh 
said that he has  worked for the GCAA for 10 years at different capacities.
He told the court  that he has worked with the accused person and in August 
2005 he was acting on  her behalf as Director General while she was on an 
official mission outside The  Gambia.
Jammeh said that he remembered signing contracts for the  rehabilitation of 
senior staff quarters, adding that he signed them based on the  approval of the 
contract committee. The contract he said was approved by the  Director 
General, Taal, which he read on the contract minutes.
“Usually,”  Jammeh said, he does not sign contracts when the Director 
General is present,  and he did so this time due to her absence. He attested that he 
worked under the  Director General’s Office which was part of the contract 
committee, but played  no role apart from signing it in the absence of his boss.
Currently, he said,  he is a member of the airport improvement project since 
April 2006, “But always”  acted as project manager at different times in the 
past.
Under  cross-examination with Antouman Gaye, counsel for the defence, the 
GCAA Deputy  Director General agreed that he was receiving allowances when he 
acted as  project manager. All other members of the contract committee according 
to Mr.  Jammeh received allowances including the accused person. Pursued by 
the defence  if anything unusual happened, he responded, “It was perfectly in 
order.”
Also  appearing in the same hearing, Mr. Semega Janneh said he is currently 
serving as  Director General of GPPA which is mandated to monitor the 
procurement activities  of Departments of States, Public Enterprises and Local 
Government Authorities.  The Civil Aviation body GCAA he said, is a public enterprise 
and falls under  their mandate. 
The procuring organisation Janneh said has to meet the  requirement of the 
act, which stipulated different methods of procurement  tenders.
When procuring more than one million dalasis according to him, the  GPPA 
needs to approve every stage of the procurement. Janneh told the court that  there 
is nothing in records at the GPPA regarding the procurement of contracts  on 
the Director General’s official residence, the flight safety  manager’
s/residence, the engineering manager’s residence and the VIP lounge at  the airport. 
He said that there is no record of procurement of a contract for  the air 
traffic control manager’s residence.
The GPPA, he said by statue is  to ensure compliance with procurement laws; 
the GPPA Act and Regulations. It  also ensures detecting of fraud and other 
malpractices and generates  transparency and accountability in public 
procurement. He added that there is no  assessment to see whether the civil aviation 
contract’s value for money.
In a  brief cross-examination by the defence, Mr. Janneh said that there is 
no penalty  in the act in case it was not obliged to. He told the court that 
the GPPA made a  query to the GCAA which was before the accused person’s tenure. 
There might be  other queries he said, as different officers could write to 
the GCAA.
Mrs.  Taal will be back in court on Thursday.

AFRICAN CIVIL SOCIETY  CONSULTATION ON AU/EU
Amie Sillah Reporting
African Civil Society  Organisations had a consultation on AU/EU joint 
strategy for Africa’s  development in Accra, Ghana from 26 to 28 March 2007. They 
made the following  conclusions and recommendations

Main Conclusions and  Recommendations
Representations came from Civil Society Organisations in  North, West, 
Central, South and the Islands of Africa. The Deliberations took  two days. The 
participants agreed that there is a wide range of opportunities  and issues 
inherent in engaging with Europe. However, they firmly believe that  an enduring 
partnership must place equal emphasis on process and substance. On  process, the 
consultation decided that a joint African-Europe Strategy must be  one of 
equal partnership, mutual respect and mutual accountability. Europe  must  be 
prepared to change the current mode of interaction in which it is  perceived and 
behaved as a senior partner. On its Part Africa need to unlearn  many things 
including the syndromes of dependency that have developed over the  years in 
order to play its role as a full and equal partner with Europe.  Accordingly, 
Africa and Europe should strive to develop the continent living  side by side in 
peace, security, dignity, harmony and prosperity. The  participants noted with 
concern that the issue of shared vision cannot be  discussed outside the 
existing framework.
On Substance
Priorities  are:
Ø         Social development as  foundation to economic  development;
Ø         Good  Governance values on democracy, rule of law, social justice, 
social inclusion,  gender justice, participation and  citizenship;
Ø         Strengthening  of public institutions and  services;
Ø         Emphasis on  regional integration and continental unity as pillars 
of partnership  arrangements e.g the indivisibility of  Africa.
Ø         Infrastructural  development;
Ø         Balance  integration into the world economy encompassing trade, 
labour movements and  investments;
Ø         The necessity  for the relationship to bring dividends in terms of 
development and prosperity  for African peoples.
Recommendations:
Cluster II Peace and  Security

Ø         Africa  to develop a predictable and continent-based funding 
mechanism to support  conflict management and resolution. Europe’s support for 
Africa peace operations  must embrace the spirit of partnership and not 
conditionality.   
Ø         Joint strategy must place  equal emphasis on both conflict 
resolution and management as well as post  conflict reconstruction and  development;
Ø         Africa to  insist EU takes a strong stance on controlling 
international arms transfers to  prevent the escalation of future  conflicts;
Ø         Negotiations on  international Arms Treaty to fully reflect 
existing standards of international  human rights and humanitarian law and must focus 
on regulation of arms transfer  from EU;
Ø         Joint strategy to  emphasis the role of faith-based groups as 
partners in Africa’s Peace Process to  promote tolerance and inter-religions  
understanding.
Ø         The joint  strategy must recognize and limit unhelpful external 
interventions to avert the  recurring cases of proxy wars. To also reject 
unilateral external interventions  in African conflicts unless on the basis of a UN 
or AU  authorization;
Ø         The joint  strategy must contain provisions to address impunity. 
Strengthening of African’s  legal and judicial systems to deal or try 
perpetrators of impunity in Africa and  not at some foreign venue;
Ø          Obligation for joint pursuit and prosecution of mercenaries must 
be entrenched  in the proposed AU-EU joint  strategy;
Ø         Fair treatment of  Africa refugees outside the continent; social 
responsibility of European  multi-national companies in Africa; a wholistic 
conflict early warning and early  response system to be instituted;
Cluster III: Governance
Governance both  as a process and outcome to be seen as a work in progress 
for both continents.  There should be best practices and mutual  learning.
Recommendations
Africa’s ownership in the formulation and  implementation of national 
economic policies-economic  governance;
Strengthening of governance and oversight institutions; promotion  of 
constitutionalism; rule of law and popular participation in  governance;
Recognition and involvement of the African  Diaspora;
Monitoring mechanism on the side of the Joint Strategy;
A  specific CSO consultation or seminar to support the Joint Strategy in  
preparations for the Lisbon Summit;
EU to support AU’s APRM (African Peer  Review Mechanism) to ensure the 3 
billion euros is spent on AU governance; the  governance of aid to be discussed
Cluster IV: Regional Integration and  Trade
African States to resist the pressure by the EU to sign the Economic  
Partnership Alliances by the end pf December 2007 and insist that the deadline  for 
the conclusion of the negotiation be extended by at least three  years.
Ø         Extended period be  used by AU governments to conduct independent 
impact assessments on  EPAs;
Ø         No reciprocal removal  of tariffs should be accepted until the full 
achievement of developmental of  bench marks and AU must insist on its right 
to use tariffs, subsides and other  measures in support of industrial policy 
and to modify them as their economies  develop;
Ø         Essential Public  Services such as education, health, water and 
sanitation to be excluded from  liberalization commitments, AU to reserve to 
themselves the sovereign right to  effectively regulate the entry of foreign 
investors in service sectors in the  public interest;
Ø         AU to  ensure participation of all stakeholders also to catalogue 
all existing  agreements and their ratification  status;
Ø         To Also remove  obstacles in inter African  Trade;
Ø         Joint Strategy to  help build local investors capacity i.e ICT to 
ease the movement of goods and  services.
Ø         AU to support the  development of African peoples’ productive  
capacity
Ø         Governments to  protect and promote core labour standards e.g ILO 
Declaration on Fundamental  Principles and Rights at Work, and Commitments to 
protect women workers and  workers in precarious  employment;
Ø         Exclude  agricultural tariff lines which undermine food security 
and rural  livelihoods;
Cluster V Key Development Issues
AU document to unpack and  better integrate its contents.
Higher Education is viewed as a priority;  creation of Employment 
Opportunities; revival of regional and national planning  processes and mechanisms to set 
targets and restore social contract. Integrated  transport system i.e a 
review of AU’s aviation policy; Migration to be made a  priority in regard to the 
brain drain. A correlation made between capital flight  and brain drain. The 
participants called upon AU to down play the Bretton Woods  institutions 
emphasis on inflation control and called on more state intervention  as basis for 
social and economic development;
Mainstreaming gender into  programmes and polices in all key area of 
development was emphasised.
The  strengthening of Agriculture was linked to the need to strengthen 
agrarian  policy regime.
Health was also sighted as a key development issue i.e.  HIV/AIDS, Malaria 
and TB.
A new steering committee was constituted. Its  life  would be up to three 
months after Lisbon. Its mandate is to interface  between CIDO and AU CSOs, 
information dissemination, drafting of roadmap,  timeframe etc.
Criteria was based on expertise, geographical representation  as regional 
Focal Points; Gender, Institutional  representation, CODESRIA  as a technical 
research institution to be defacte member of the steering  committee; a youth and 
Diaspora membership; ECOSOCC is also  represented.

Seyfo’s Preston in 4 Match Losing Streak
By Modou  Nyang
Scorpions midfield strongman Seyfo Soley and his English championship  side 
Preston North End, has continued their poor form in the English second tier  
league, after falling 3-2 at home to Southend United over the weekend. This is  
their fourth defeat in a row.
Preston who are pushing for promotion to the  more glamorous top flight, are 
fast throwing away their chances. 
Southend’s  injury time winner through Kevin Maher who earlier on put his 
side on the lead,  was the hero as he volleyed into the Preston goal with the 
second ticking away.  Preston fought level terms after falling behind in the 
first half through  defender Sean St Ledger before taking the lead from the 
penalty spot.
But  Southend who are in the relegation drop zone leveled in the 88th minute 
and  Maher sensationally sealed the day with his stunning strike in injury 
time.  Preston, who have spent most of the campaign in the top four, now face a 
fight  even to make the play-offs for promotion to the Premiership. They have 
spent  most of the current season in the top four positions keeping a firm 
chance of  making it to the top flight.
Preston coach Paul Simpson has warned his  players they must improve to make 
the play-offs for the third successive season.  He said: “If we carry on being 
as poor as we have been looking, we don’t deserve  to get in the play-offs. “
People who have seen us all season can see that  players shining earlier are 
not doing it now. It needs to be addressed. “I was  hoping I wouldn’t feel as 
low as after we lost at QPR last Tuesday. But I  do.”

Division 1 League Heat’s-up
By Modou Nyang
Hostilities  in the GFA division 1 league is on the high as clubs continue to 
battle for  supremacy in the ten team championship. 
Over the weekend in week six of the  competition, 2005 winners Wallidan who 
currently sit top of the league table,  saw their lead reduced by two points in 
a 1-1 tussle against struggling Bakau  side Steve Biko, at the Serrekunda 
West playing grounds. Wallidan are currently  with 13 points in 6 matches, they 
have no pending match. On the same day at the  Banjul grounds defending 
champions Gambia Ports Authority FC fought back to  conquer a well spirited Sait 
Matty side 3-2 to move second in the rankings.  Ports climbed to second spot after 
crashing out of the CAF championships league  last month albeit with two 
matches in hand.
And on Sunday CAF confederations  cup dropouts Hawks pinned Real de Banjul to 
a lone goal defeat in a tightly  contested encounter at the Banjul grounds. 
Hawks’ first half strike by under-20  starlet Pierre Gomez, ensured Hawks’ 
position in third spot on the league table.  Hawks also has two matches pending. 
Gamtel also conquered Sea view FC 2-0 at the  Serrekunda East grounds to claim 
fought spot on the league table. 
The  matches continue today and at Banjul, Ports will take on Real de Banjul 
in a  tasty encounter whilst Sait Matty will play Steve Biko at Serrekunda 
West. The  other fixture on the same day will witness struggling Sea view battle 
it out  with Gamtel at the Serrekunda East playing grounds. All matches kicks 
off at  5pm.
Tomorrow’s matches will witness Hawks take on Wallidan in a David and  
Goliath style tussle at the Independence Stadium in Bakau. Gamtel will also seek  to 
maintain their winning ways against relegation battling Bakau United at  
Serrekunda West.

LAMIN FATTY’S TRIAL ADJOURNED
By Bubacarr K.  Sowe
The trial of Lamin Fatty of The Independent Newspaper which was closed  
almost a year ago did not proceed on Tuesday, April 10th before Magistrate Buba  
Jawo at the Kanifing Magistrates Court.
This setback arose following an  indefinite deferring of the case in December 
2006 due to the lack of a trial  Magistrate. The then trial Magistrate, Kebba 
Sanyang was appointed Secretary of  State for Justice and Attorney General.
Mr. Fatty who is accused of “false  publication” told the court that his 
counsel, L.S Camara is engaged in another  proceeding at the Court Martial at the 
Yundum Army Barracks.
Police  Prosecutor, Momodou Mballow also informed the court that his witness 
was on the  way coming, as he was reported to have been busy.
Magistrate Jawo then  adjourned the case till today April 11, following the 
accused person’s request  that his lawyer wanted the matter to be adjourned for 
a short  period.

STANDARD CHARTERED HONOURED
The Global Finance magazine  has named Standard Chartered Bank Gambia the “
Best Foreign Exchange Bank in The  Gambia, 2007”. This was revealed by a 
statement issued by the bank.  
According to the statement, the magazine announced the “Best Foreign  
Exchange Banks” in an exclusive annual survey that was published in the January  2007 
issue. The statement also noted that Global Finance editors with input from  
industry analysts, corporate executives and technology experts selected the  
winners based on objective and subjective factors. The annual survey covered 79 
 countries and regions as well as the best online foreign exchange trading  
systems both bank-owned and independent.
On being selected, Lamin Drammeh,  Head of Global Markets, Standard Chartered 
Bank Gambia said: “We have an  ambition to continue being the best 
international bank and lead the way in The  Gambia. Being recognised as the leader in FX 
in Gambia proves that we’re  out-selling, out-serving and out-performing our 
competitors”.
The criteria  for choosing the traditional and online winners included 
transaction volume,  market share, global coverage, customer service, competitive 
pricing and  innovative products and technology. 
“The Global Finance magazine in its  survey established that Standard 
Chartered Bank Gambia is the biggest  participant in the local foreign exchange 
market, with a market share of  approximately 35%. It is the market maker in 
Gambian dalasi, which is freely  convertible but not widely available outside the 
country. The Bank trades all of  the major currencies, with the support of 
Standard Chartered’s global network,”  the statement concluded.

TREASON TRIAL
ANOTHER INDEPENDENT  WITNESS APPEARS IN VOIR DIRE
By Bubacarr K. Sowe
Babou Loum, on Wednesday,  April 4th became the second independent witness to 
appear in the voir dire  (trial within a trial) at the treason trial of the 
civilian suspects in the  March 2006 foiled coup plot. The case being heard at 
the High Court in Banjul  went to a voir dire to test the voluntariness of the 
statements made by the  accused persons while under custody.
Testifying before Justice Yeboah, Mr.  Loum, a video operator, said on the 
6th of April 2006, he was in Barra, when  Sergeant Ndure called him to say that 
he was needed at the National Intelligence  Agency (NIA) headquarters to serve 
as an independent witness when a cautionary  statement was being obtained 
from the fifth accused person, Tamsir Jasseh.
He  said upon arrival at the NIA he introduced himself as the one who was 
called by  Sgt. Ndure. He said he was then escorted to where Sgt. Ndure was and 
Sgt Ndure  introduced him to a Police detective called Lamin Cham.
According to Loum,  detective Cham also introduced him to Jasseh as the 
independent witness which he  said Jasseh agreed to.
He narrated that Cham told Jasseh that he is to write  down all he knew in 
connection to the alleged coup plot. He added that Jasseh  wrote it to his 
satisfaction after which both of them signed the cautionary  statement.
Loum told the court that he was called on March 28th, 2006, by the  same Sgt. 
Ndure to be an independent witness when a statement is being obtained  from 
Alieu Jobe and Omar Faal Keita, the sixth and seventh accused persons  
respectively. He added that he was introduced to Keita as an independent witness  and 
Cham cautioned Keita that he is free to state all he knew about the coup  plot.
Loum said that Keita dictated his statement in a local language while  Cham 
wrote it in English. He said that it was read over to the accused person in  
the language he claimed to have understood to his satisfaction after which both  
of them signed it.
On the 2nd of April 2006, he said, he was again called by  Sgt. Ndure to be 
an independent witness when an additional statement was  obtained from Keita.
Testifying further, Loum said on the 30th of March 2006,  he also witnessed 
it when a statement was being obtained from the eighth accused  person, Demba 
Dem at the NIA. There, he said, detective Cham informed the  accused person 
that he was free to state what he knows about the abortive coup.  He added that 
it was read to Dem to his satisfaction and both of them signed the  cautionary 
statement.
He went on to say that on the 19th of April 2006, he  was at the State 
Central Prisons in Mile 2 so as to witness the voluntary  statements from the 
accused persons. He attested that he witnessed the taking of  all the statements in 
the presence of detective Lamin Cham, Boto Keita and  Abdoulie Sowe plus the 
suspects themselves.
Loum also said he could recognise  and identify the fifth, seventh and eighth 
accused persons, Tamsir Jasseh, Omar  Faal Keita and Demba Dem respectively. 





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