Act of Vengeance against citizens
Gambia has woken up yet to another outrageous case of witch hunt and vengeance by nobody but the President of the country Yahya Jammeh. It is like a shock and awe that has hit the very bottom of travesty of Justice and a mockery of a justice system that has been turned into a juvenile game of Poker. Former Secretary General and head of the civil service who doubled as Minister for Presidential Affairs Momodou Sabally was arraigned in court in Gambia Thursday to face initial three charges of abuse of office and economic crimes. When Sabally appeared in court last week October 14th, after being in detention for more than two months, his case could not continue. Government Prosecutors were apparently allegedly busy celebrating the July 22nd Celebration and were not ready to present their case against Sabally. He was ordered to be remanded in the country’s notorious prison Mile II until Thursday October 23rd.
When Mr. Sabally appeared at the Banjul High Court before Justice M. Abdoulah, the former young minister was slammed with five more charges. These additional charges are yet the most outrageous ever to be brought against a citizen in front of a High Court Judge who took an oath to uphold and administer Justice on behalf of citizens. Few of the additional charges were:
“Count five read that Momodou Sabally on 22nd May 2014 while being part of the Gambian delegation to South Africa to attend the inauguration of President Jacob Zuma, willfully neglected to attend the same inauguration and thereby committed an offence.
Count six said Momodou Sabally on 22nd May 2014, in Banjul within the jurisdiction of the court, while being part of the Gambian delegation to South Africa to attend the inauguration of President Jacob Zuma, willfully and negligently delayed the departure of the Vice President’s flight from South Africa for 45 minutes and thereby committed an offence.
Count seven read that Momodou Sabally sometime in 2014 presented two vehicles being the property of Alasan Ndoye to the President as a gift, and thereby committed an offence.
Count eight stated that Momodou Sabally sometime in 2014, with intent to ANNOY and cause financial loss to Alasan Ndoye, INFORMED the President that the said Alasan Ndoye has given two vehicles to the President, which information he knew to be false and thereby committed an offence.
Mr. Sabally denied all Charges and was represented by Lawyer Auntuman Gaye.
Even from a layman’s perspective there are certain things that are apparent in these additional charges. It is obvious that count seven and eight are the words of the President vs that of Mr. Sabally. It is also obvious from the charges that a private conversation that occurred between the President and his Young Minister has become a subject of a lawsuit. Who told State prosecutors about the conversations between the President and his minister which may have occurred in a private setting? Secondly, how, why and when did gift to the President which was accepted at the time of presentation without hesitation become a crime? Why these private dealings between the President and his minister made it to the charge sheet? Isn’t it obvious that President Jammeh personally informed prosecutors either directly or through a third party what transpired between him and Momodou Sabally? If a crime of theft or forceful gift of a private citizen’s personal property was made by Momodou Sabally, shouldn’t the recipient of those gifts being the President of the country be equally culpable in this case? At the very least shouldn’t the President be called to testify on what Momodou Sabally told him, where and when? Isn’t this a golden opportunity for Sabally’s defense attorneys to force the President to testify on one of the lowest charges ever brought against a citizen.
Third, when did delaying a private flight as a government official traveling in that flight become a crime? When did missing an event of a foreign government official become a crime? Who informed State Prosecutors about Sabally’s alleged willful delay of Vice President Isatou Njie Saidy’s flight from South Africa? How about the issue of jurisdiction of the courts in Banjul? If an alleged crime was committed in South Africa how in the world does the courts in Banjul have jurisdiction to hear those cases? Isn’t these charges some of the most disingenuous ever to be brought against a citizen?
By now readers are wondering what in the world is going on in Banjul? What has become of a nation of civilized and reasonable citizens with compassion and love for each other? Well, this shouldn’t be a surprise to anybody as Gambia has been traveling on this path for at least two decades. The country has been turned into a one man tool, citizens who fall apart with the President has been prosecuted and locked up for no reason other than offending the President. Gambian courts, businesses, personal properties and public enterprises have all been illegally seized by this President and turned into his personal property. Everything that has life and moves in the Gambia apparently belongs to the President. He has stoop so low that a simple rumor about a citizen mocking the President makes the headlines and lands that person in jail.
Gambia is at a serious cross road and there is increasing evidence that the leader of the country is unstable mentally and has become dangerous to citizens around him. He has reached a level where nothing makes sense around him anymore. Citizens working for Yahya Jammeh must aware at their own suicidal detriment Jammeh will not stop at anything to see that they don’t only fall but never to rise again. He has leap to yet another extremely dangerous threshold that he is willing to personally get involved and bring charges against citizens.
But there is one more dangerous wolf in sheep’s clothing who is playing an even more dangerous game. That person is none other than the Vice President Isatou Njie Saidy. Ms Saidy may apparently be behind the charges brought against Mr. Sabally right now. It is evident that she had a personal fight with Mr. Sabally when he allegedly tore his dismissal letter in front of her when she asked him to apologize to the President. There is also increasing evidence that the issue of Sabally delaying the VP’s flight in South Africa for 45 minutes is narrated by Isatou Njie Saidy. So is the issue of Sabally missing President Joseph Zuma’s inauguration. VP Njie Saidy has become a toxic woman within the Jammeh administration. She has led many alleged crimes against citizens.
We must warn Dr. Njie Saidy that what goes round comes round. That she has reached her useful life for this administration and she will no doubt be the next victim. The evil that men/women do lives after them. First, it was the Student Massacres in 2000, then to numerous hiring and firings, detention of citizens and now she is bringing her claws out against Sabally. History will bear us witness that her days are numbered and she is overdue for her turn. For now Gambians must watch with keen interest how Sabally’s case will proceed. Implanting of witnesses has become a routine in Gambia and there won’t be any exception on this case. Defense lawyers must be bold enough to call Jammeh as a witness and citizens must turn out to see the President enter the witness stand to answer questions on the most outrageous and disgraceful cases yet to be seen in Gambia. And that must be the defining moments of his legacy and the end to his brutal, inconsiderate and petty administration. Gainako will keenly monitor the case and update readers as the case proceeds.
By Demba Baldeh