Information reaching Gainako Online Newspaper indicated that the U.S Department of Justice will move on to sentence Gambia’s coup plotters of December 30th 2014. It can be remembered that the charges were brought about after the December 30th 2014 abortive coup in the Gambia where Jaja Nyass (U.K), Lamin Sanneh (Washington D.C), and Njagga jagne (Kentucky) lost their lives during the operation. The group attempted to dislodge the criminal regime of Yaya Jammeh, a regime that came to power in July of 1994 through a military overthrow and since then reigned with an iron fist on Gambia’s citizens.
According the U.S Department of justice, the four are charged with:
(1) Conspiracy to violate the Neutrality Act, 1 count
(2) Conspiracy to possess a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, 1 count
“Whoever, within the United States, knowingly begins or sets on foot or provides or prepares a means for or furnishes the money for, or takes part in, any military or naval expedition or enterprise to be carried on from thence against the territory or dominion of any foreign prince or state, or of any colony, district, or people with whom the United States is at peace, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than three years, or both” (Expedition against a friendly nation. Culled from the web http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/USCODE-2011-title18/html/USCODE-2011-title18-partI-chap45-sec960.htm on 3/2/2016).
The four who have been praised by Gambian activists for their bold move are Cherno Njie (Texas), Banka Manneh (Georgia), Alagie Saidy Barrow (Tennesse), and Papa Faal (Minnesota) will appear for their sentencing on May 10th and 11th, 2016 at the St. Paul (Minnesota) Federal Court. All of them pleaded guilty to the charges brought against them except Cherno Njie who is believed to be taking his plea on April 4th 2016 before the Federal Judge in St. Paul (Minnesota).
It is believed there were many involved and traced by the U.S Department of Justice some of whom are believed to have negotiated deals with the U.S authorities for their immunity, perhaps in exchange for information surrounding the whole operation and those involved.
With the negotiated guilty plea by the four and the U.S Federal Court, it is agreed that they will get a lesser sentence and fines, probably the minimum punishment under the law. The two counts together carry a maximum of 5 years of jail time with heavy monetary fine under the law. The negotiated guilty plea is likely to reduce the sentencing to mere probation with fewer years of jail time. Explanations of the court proceedings were extensively covered by Gainako in five parts which were widely published by Gambia’s online media, titled “Will the Minnesota Federal Courts Deliver Justice?” It remains to be seen, if in fact the Minnesota Federal Courts will deliver justice on May 10th and 11th 2016, a trial that lasted for more than one year. Many activist groups in the past criticized and accused the U.S of double standard for their approach in matters relating to the Gambia where a brutal dictator in the person of Yaya Jammeh and his enabling force reigns. While it is agreeable that the Neutrality ACT exists, a Government like the U.S is also capable of seeing the tears of the oppressed Gambians.
In another development, Gambia’s Civil Rights Group based in Minnesota and in joint efforts with other Activists in other U.S States have notified Gainako that a solidarity rally is expected in St. Paul (Minnesota) on both May 10th and 11th 2016 as a way to support those being sentenced, details of which will be made public in due course. The Civil rights group will also seek to engage the lawyers and Judges in an attempt to vouch on behalf of those charged.
Gainako Staff will be in attendance and full details will be published live.
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They will forever be our heroes