(MFWA/IFEX) – On 16 April 2009, Moses Ndene and Kebba Yorro Manneh, two sports journalists of privately-owned FM station City Limit Radio, were arrested and briefly detained by the Gambian police for allegedly criticising the administration of sports in the country. Media Foundation for West Africa’s (MFWA) sources reported that the arrest of the journalists […]
(MFWA/IFEX) – On 16 April 2009, Moses Ndene and Kebba Yorro Manneh, two sports journalists of privately-owned FM station City Limit Radio, were arrested and briefly detained by the Gambian police for allegedly criticising the administration of sports in the country.
Media Foundation for West Africa’s (MFWA) sources reported that the arrest of the journalists followed the discussion the two were having on “Sport Panorama”, a popular weekly sports programme on the station.
The sources said two uniformed policemen stormed the studio while the journalists were on air discussing the handling of soccer administration in the country, thereby bringing the programme to an abrupt end.
MFWA sources alleged that Edu Gomez, the radio station’s lawyer, invited them because he claimed the discussion was against the position of Gambian President Yahya Jammeh. The officers were heard on air ordering the journalists to discontinue with the programme and follow them to the Serrekunda police station.
Ndene and Manneh were questioned, detained for about an hour and released without charge.
