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Two men on Wednesday 13 February wanted to abduct Journalist Baboucarr Ceesay, 1st Vice President of Gambia Press Union (GPU) during ungodly hour of around 1.00 AM after enquiries about his whereabouts by two other spies.
A man claimed to be one Ebrima Sanyang with the real name Ebrima Badjie also known as E Boy who wore a white T-Shirt printed in front, a short and a white pair of boots first came to the house of Ceesay in Tallinding in the Kanifing Municipality asking about his whereabouts from his wife.
E Boy further claimed that his brother who is abroad sent some money, which he should deliver to Ceesay. When the journalist’s, wife Mam Darboe asked him to leave the money with her, because she did not know when the husband will be coming back home, he insisted that he has to meet me to deliver it.
“This is a money matter so it is it unsafe to deliver it to a third party, the purported spy told Ceesay’s wife. At this point, he lit a cigarette went out then came back again and called Baboucarr’s brother whom he said was a school mate, but before the arrival of the brother E Boy went and did not come back again.
When Baboucarr Ceesay arrived home his wife narrated the whole story to him, a young girl claimed to be Isatou Sanneh in a brown track suit also knocked the door and entered the house pretending to be seeking assistance from Ceesay to write an application to Daily Observer newspaper for her for a post of a reporter. She was told by Ceesay to go back and draft the application and will be assisted with the editing. She went away quickly. This was in the presence of a teacher, Ceesay’s nephew who is a graduate from an Islamic/Arabic university.
Journalist Ceesay also went undercover to find out what is the connection between the visit of E Boy and Ms Sanneh. The journalist found the two (E Boy and Ms Sanneh) near a compound adjacently opposite his home discussing and making telephone calls. He greeted and walked passed them.
He heard them saying: “He is there with his wife and a young man.” Later two of their colleagues came and went straight to Ceesay’s house as explained but could not find him.
“My brothers, wife and other family members could not sleep on the night of Wednesday 13 February. They recalled the death threat I received together with Abubacarr Saidykhan, that we will be killed like Tobaski (Eid-el-Adha) rams. I believe that my life is in the hand of God and acts of intimidating my family must stop. I have not committed any crime that I should be picked for. I deserve no harassment.”
Neighbours said E Boy is a notorious abductor and a spy for the state and Ms Sanneh is said to be cook at the NIA. The other two men who came later to pick Ceesay up are unidentified.
“Reason of plan to abduct me is not clear to me.”
Ceesay applied for a permit to organize a peaceful demonstration against the execution of the nine death row prisoners in The Gambia in 2012 with my colleague Abubacarr Saidykhan a freelance journalist. We were co-signatories to the application for permit.
They were arrested, detained and charged and later the all the charges were dropped. Ceesay was charged with conspiracy to commit felony, incitement to violence (for applying for a permit for peaceful demonstration) and seditious intention for writing an article published by the Africa Review online, while Saidykhan was charged with conspiracy to commit felony and incitement to violence.
