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In Unneding Witch-hunt, Pap Saine faces Criminal Charges Anew
By Ebrima G. Sankareh, Editor- in-Chief
Justice Joseph Wowo and Yahya Jammeh, fraternal twins of evil
In what could be characterized as a shameful display of bravado, blatant witch-hunting and tacit approval of a deficient legal apparatus in The Gambia, Reuters’ Central and West Africa dean and Managing Editor of the Banjul-based The Point newspaper, Mr. Pap Saine, is to appear before the Banjul High Court on bogus charges of false publications that were quashed on April 9, 2009. Says Kissy Mansa, Saine has been told to appear before Nigerian born wanting jurist, Justice Joseph Wowo on Monday July 27, 2009.
It can be recalled that Saine was first arrested on February 9, 2009 by personnel of the Serious Crimes Unit, detained and interrogated for several hours, charged with "false publication and broadcasting", but later freed on 9 April. According to sources, the urbane Mr. Saine was informed late last week that he should appear before the disgraced Nigerian jurist, Joseph Wowo, seen by many observers as a spineless judge with serious moral and ethical deficits. His qualifications as a jurist continue to raise eyebrows among many who knew him. Only last week, a team of defence lawyers led by erudite Gambian lawyer, Antouman Gaye, walked out of his chambers accusing him interalia, of exhibiting a propensity to prejudice and was forced to recuse himself from the politically charged trial of seven journalists among them, Saine. The seven journalists all members of The Gambia Press Union (GPU) were arrested, detained and charged with seditious publication and defamation, following a press release reacting to bellicose and rude remarks by Gambian leader, Yahya Jammeh concerning the unresolved murder of veteran journalist, Deyda Hydara.
While in detention, Saine was reportedly grilled by Mr. Malang Ceesay, Assistant Superintendent of police, over the authenticity of an article he wrote in his newspaper captioned “Neneh Macdouall Gaye is Gambia 's Ambassador to the US, as three diplomats are recalled.” The article appeared in the 30 January issue of The Point newspaper.
After hours of interrogation, Saine was also questioned about his Gambian citizenship. As proof of his Gambian nationality, he reportedly produced his birth certificate, passport and national identification card. Apparently not satisfied with the information, Mr. Ceesay then requested Saine to produce his deceased father's identity papers, which the police examined critically before releasing him. The police warned Saine that he would be contacted if the need arose. Curiously though, as police shamelessly probed Saine’s citizenship, many Gambians are agreed that President Jammeh, the driving force behind the citizenship probe is, himself, both of dubious parentage and nationality- “we cannot still conclusively say that Yahya Jammeh was born in The Gambia” a family member confided in The Gambia Echo. What is even more shameful, more provocative and much more criminal is that while President Jammeh continues to mill diplomatic passports for suspicious Arab citizens and Cassamance rebels, a patriotic Gambian like Pap Saine continues to be hunted and maligned daily. Today we report here with overwhelming evidence, that President Yahya Jammeh and his government of bandits and vagabonds have sinister intentions against Pap Saine and we want the international community to know that efforts are underfoot by this criminal entity masquerading as a government, to send him to jail for a lengthy period absent which, they will assassinate Pap Saine.
In this seemingly unending saga, Saine was later charged separately before Magistrate Lamin George of the Banjul Magistrates’ Court on dubious allegations of obtaining Gambian Passport and Birth Certificate by false pretense. He was however freed after the state witnesses from the Registrar of Births and Immigration Department confirmed that Saine was a bonafide Gambian citizen. On June 15, 2009, as Saine walked out of the crowded courtroom to breathe freedom, he was asked to report to the NIA headquarters in Banjul where he was arrested and detained for publishing the GPU press release responding to President Yahya Jammeh’s infantile remarks taunting his murdered colleague, Deyda Hydara.
Prior to his February 9 arrest, Saine was first arrested on February 2; detained and questioned by Gambian police for allegedly “publishing false information”. He was granted bail in the sum of 50, 000 Gambian Dalasis (approx. US$2,000).
The Point’s Managing Editor and Co-publisher first appeared before Magistrate Sagarr Jahateh of the Kanifing Magistrates’ Court on the February 4, 2009, charged with false publication under Section 181(A) of the criminal code cap.10 volume three, Laws of The Gambia 1990, as amended by the Criminal Code Amendment Act No.18 of 2004.