Women On Rampage Over FGM Case At Magistrate Court The Daily Observer (Banjul) NEWS October 18, 2002 Posted to the web October 18, 2002 By Sidiq Asemota Banjul Thousands of women yesterday went on rampage at the Brikama Magistrates' Court protesting against the arraignment of seven women who were alleged to have forcefully circumcised one Hawa Nget by mutilating her genitalia in Tanji village, Western Division. The women who came from Gunjur, Sanyang, Tanji villages and Brikama Town threatened to demonstrate to the State House in Banjul and seek audience with President Jammeh if their colleagues were prosecuted by the Inspector General of Police for practising female circumcision. At the court premises, there were scores of women shouting pro female circumcision slogans. "Female circumcision is our culture, President Jammeh cannot stop it and no one can prosecute anyone for circumcising their daughters," they ranted. The police later intervened to calm the situation after some of the women had a push and pull with some police officers attached to the court. The rampage had followed the arraignment of Ngui Camara, Jalang Saidy, Kaddy Jassey, Bacantan Manneh, Sarjo Camara, Jarrai Comma and Aja Susso before the Brikama Magistrates' Court on charges of conspiracy to commit felony and assault causing actual bodily harm. According to the charge sheets, the accused persons were alleged to have unlawfully assaulted Hawa Nget by gripping her and forcefully circumcising her by mutilating her genitalia, thereby causing her actual bodily harm. When the charge was read to the accused persons, they all pleaded not guilty to the charge. The Inspector General of Police represented by Sergeant 196 Joof made an application to withdraw from the matter as the matter was still under investigation. At this juncture, Principal Magistrate King declared that it would be unfair to incarcerate the women while the matter was still under investigation ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to: [log in to unmask] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~