Four Years After Extradition, Four Men Still Languish in Jail Email This Page Print This Page The Independent (Banjul) August 24, 2001 Posted to the web August 24, 2001 Alhaji Mbye Banjul, the Gambia Sources close to the Attorney General's Chambers have confirmed to The Independent that four men who were extradited from Senegal since July 1997 accused of trying to overthrow the government are still languishing in jail without trial or even being charged with any offence. The sources also acknowledged that accused persons should either be charged or released as stipulated in the constitution but that he cannot understand or explain the reason why the alleged coup plotters are still held without charge. Recently family members of the victims who approached The Independent claimed that the alleged coup plotters namely Ebrima Waa Drammeh alias (Bamba) from Tujereng, Suwanding Camara from Bondali; Abdourahman Baldeh alias (Ghadafi) from Basse, Gibril Jallow alias (Paco) from Banjul, and Ousman Wan alias (Ninja) from Wuli are said to be held without being charged in any court. However the sources also confirmed that Suwanding Camara, hired a lawyer who challenged the Gambia government on the legality of his continuous detention without legal backing and that after a court battle Mr. camara was subsequently released and now said to be a free man. Concerned family members said that the four detainees, who cannot afford the services of a lawyer like their fellow inmates were allowed only an hour's rest for a whole day and given poor food rations and appalling toilet facilities. The family members still maintained that they are not always given chance to bathe at times and refused food from their family members. "An empty gallon is all that we are allowed to use as toilet facilities," one of them claimed. The accused persons who were said to be in Liberia were reportedly arrested in Dakar when the Gambian authorities convinced former President Abdou Diouf that they were wanted for trying to gather arms to overthrow the Jammeh administration. Despite the accused persons persistent denial of such claims however, family members indicated that the former Inspector General of Police Sankung Badjie and the former GNA Commander Samsideen Sarr who is currently in exile in the United States including some paramilitary officers went to Dakar to effect their extradition. The family members also acknowledged that later the International Committee of Red Cross were allowed to visit the accused persons and provided them with two blankets each and two-inch mattresses, but that despite numerous complaints by the detainees nobody paid them heed. They further complained that the accused persons were held in Senegal for a year, and detained at Cent Metre central prison in Dakar where they were reportedly freer and better looked after. They said they were provided with proper food from friends and family members and allowed to rest from 8am to 5pm outside that prison. Family members added that they were also allowed to listen to news and read newspapers, drink "ataya" or smoke cigarettes, while they said that in The Gambia they are not allowed to enjoy such privileges. Family members who appealed to President Jammeh for the release of the detainees also called on the international commu-nity and human rights organizations including the Gambia Bar Association for help. However they blamed former Senegalese president Abdou Diouf for extraditing them back home, adding that even though they were meet by African Human Rights organization under Ecowas in 1998, the detainees were informed that they can only help them while they are imprisoned but cannot release them. They said government should consider the detainees as all of them are detained in a "single man's Cell". Family members also suggested that the accused persons should have been tried in Senegal as according to them they are surprised that "President Jammeh only pardon thieves and not political prisoners". When contacted Muhammad Lamin Sillah, Secretary general of Amnesty International Banjul branch, and coordinator of the Coalition of Human Rights Lawyers, expressed "shock and dismay that such miscarriage of justice can happen in a society that calls itself a civilized one". He noted that the constitutional provision of 72 hours is completely disregarded by the authorities concerned and that he was equally puzzled by the way and manner the Senegalese government extradited the accused persons. He emphasized that the coalition will however take the issue with the Senegalese government through its embassy in the Gambia to ascertain conditions under which people can be extradited. Mr. Sillah noted that equally the coalition will see whether the four men are to be charged or released as it is unconstitutional to keep people under such circumstances which he said is "inhuman, unconstitutional and illegal by all standard". The Director of Public Prosecution Akomaye Agim, was not available for comment as he was said to be out of town. When contacted, the master of the High Court Ousman Jammeh noted that he cannot confirm whether the case involving the allege coup plotters has been registered. _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------