Gambia UPDATE: Halake case dismissed, he remains in detention

A Banjul Magistrate court presided over by Buba Jawo on June 23, 2008 dismissed the case of sedition preferred against Dida Halake, detained former Managing Director of the pro-government Daily Observer newspaper.

Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) sources reported that it followed a request by Halake’s counsel Lamin Jobarteh. The police prosecutor had earlier sought an adjournment to enable them correct a drafted charge sheet that had been poorly written. 

Following the court ruling, the police rearrested Halake and he is now in detention at a police station in Serrekunda, the Gambia’s second largest city.

The sources said the former Managing Director is charged with sedition, following information he allegedly sent via Short Message System (SMS) to The Gambian President Yahya Jammeh. Details of that communication remain unknown.

MFWA sources said Halake, Kenyan-born journalist, had refused demotion from Managing Director to Editor of the government-controlled privately owned Daily Observer newspaper. He has since been dismissed from the newspaper.

Before his appearance in court, he had been in detention for eleven days, far in excess of the 72-hour period that the 1997 Constitution of The Gambia stipulates. He was arrested on June12 and made his first appearance on June 23.

Prof. Kwame Karikari

Executive Director

MFWA

Accra

Tel: 233 21 24 24 70

Fax : 233 21 221084

Website : www.mediafound.org