Today September 14^th, 2007 marks 427 days since a young Gambian journalist Chief Ebrima B. Manneh disappeared. On July 7^th, 2006 Manneh left his home for work at the Gambian Daily Observer (President Yaya Jammeh’s own newspaper) and never returned home. He was picked up by personnel of the notorious National Intelligence Agency (NIA) who accused him of downloading documents from the Internet critical of Yahya Jammeh’s dictatorial regime. Mr. Manneh has since been missing and no one seems to know his exact whereabouts except for the state that have reportedly been detaining him at various police facilities across the country.

Family members and members of the media have made tireless searches but could not establish his whereabouts as both the police and the NIA continue to lie that Manneh is not in their custody. Local papers have in separate instances reported that he was seen at Sibanor Police Station in the Foni District, Western Division, Sare Njai Police Station in the Upper River Region and despite calls by local and international media groups, nothing has yet come out of it. The Media Foundation for West Africa has decided to take the bull by the horn and filed court action against The Gambia Government in the ECOWAS Court. Predictable, the Government true to its criminal nature, opted for contempt by its no call, no show attitude.  

Chief Manneh's continuous disappearance has attracted widespread condemnation at national and international levels.  Until his arrest 427 days ago, Ebrima Manneh was the breadwinner of his family and his continuous incommunicado detention has left his old parents in a desperate situation. His sister’s education is in limbo, as she has no one to sponsor her.

Local reports have it that Mr. Manneh’s arrest was linked to his attempt to reproduce in the Daily Observer a BBC online report critical of the government. A CPJ report indicates that article featured a photo with the caption “Meeting Host Yahya Jammeh Who Came To Power Through A Coup,” and it discussed a proposed AU Charter on democracy that opposes military coups and constitutional amendments to extend terms in office. Daily Observer insiders revealed that during this period, Manneh squabbled with the newspaper’s Managing Director, Dr. Saja Taal; who is constantly accused by staff of using his political influence to victimize dozens of innocent young journalists as well as other staff working under him.

Over a month ago, Mr. Manneh was reportedly spotted at the Royal Victoria Hospital, but taken away to the National Guards’ Clinic shortly thereafter to prevent greater exposure. Sources from Mile Two Prisons say the disappeared journalist is currently detained there. Manneh, the Daily Observer’s State House correspondent, was arrested a week after the African Union Summit held in Banjul in 2006.