Tension has slowly been building in the small West African State of the Gambia since April 14th, 2016 when opposition supporters staged a minor protest calling for electoral reforms and release of those detained where a youth activist was tortured to death. The government of the Gambia has admitted Solo Sandeng indeed died during state interrogation and his body was disposed without notifying the family.
The leader of the main opposition party Lawyer Ousainou Darboe and his entire party executive has since been charged for protesting without a permit and have been denied bail since April 16th, 2016. Darboe and Co’s case is being presided over by a Nigerian born Judge – Eunice Dada who has been accused of being a mercenary Judge doing the dirty work of the dictorial regime of Yahya Jammeh.
The case has since stalled in court and the accused has refused to participate in court proceedings bringing the case to half and turning the trial on the regime for its gross human rights violations and falsely persecuting these detainees who have been denied bail even though their alleged crime is a bailable offense according to the Gambian constitution. Unable to move the case beyond the prosecution’s submissions, Judge Data yesterday adjourned the case for possible ruling today July 20th, 2016 at the high court in Banjul. Mr. Darboe and co asked the judge to go ahead and maked his rulings as “their guilt has already been predetermined”.
In an earlier report filed by this paper, a reliable source reported that the embattled president Yahya Jammeh has already given an executive order to send Darboe and others to Jail. The reality of sentencing Darboe and Co -members of a major political party with support from almost half of the country and majority mandinka tribe presents a dangerous scenario for the country. Anyone who has been following the case is certain that the case is politically motivated and designed to keep members of the UDP from participating in any political activities leading to this years December 1st 2016 presidential elections. Since the arrest of the protesters Gambians especially women have taken to the streets to protest against the illegal detention. This is much more likely to escalate even into a more violence confrontation if Darboe and others were to be sent to jail.
The Jammeh government is making gross miscalculations if it thinks it can send innocent citizens like Darboe and others to jail and nothing will come out of it. It is clear that the country is sitting on a time bomb as every sector of the population including people close to the government its have all suffered the brutal dictates of this regime. Just last week several civil servants were rounded up and detained over alleged economic crimes. Several other citizens including Imams are also detained across the country for no apparent reason. The situation is out of control while the administration continue to operate the same brutal way without heeding to domestic or International advise on encouraging political dialogue.
As usual the Jammeh administration is on a political suicide mission by ignoring every common sense scenario to allow free and open political process in the Gambia. Yahya Jammeh is on record trying to incite ethnic hatred by threatening to wipe out the largest ethnic group in the Gambia. This has heightened tension and the president must be held responsible for any violence in the Gambia. Anything that happens by sending Darboe and others to jail would be the responsibility of the regime. What happens and how the activist judge Dada handles this case today would determine the ultimate outcome. Anything less than the release of those being persecuted is likely to create more tension. The question that Gambians have to ask themselves is what happens if Darboe and Co are sent to Jail? It is hoped that sanity will prevail and Darboe and others will be allowed to go home and continue their politics. The body of Solo Sandeng and the release of all political detainees is in order and can only promote more peace and security in the country. That is the only viable solution to the current standoff.