(MFWA/IFEX) – Lamin Fatty, a reporter for the Banjul-based bi-weekly “Independent” newspaper, who has been in police detention for the past seven weeks, was charged with publishing false information on 21 May 2006 by the Gambian Police Force’s Crime Management Squad. While Fatty is yet to be arraigned before a court of law, Musa Saidykhan, […]
(MFWA/IFEX) – Lamin Fatty, a reporter for the Banjul-based bi-weekly “Independent” newspaper, who has been in police detention for the past seven weeks, was charged with publishing false information on 21 May 2006 by the Gambian Police Force’s Crime Management Squad.
While Fatty is yet to be arraigned before a court of law, Musa Saidykhan, the newspaper’s editor, has gone into hiding for fear of also being prosecuted.
According to MFWA’s Gambia source, publishing false information is contrary to Section 181A of the Criminal Code Amendment Bill of 2004.
The source said Fatty had confirmed his charge in a statement to Madi Ceesay, the newspaper’s general manager, who is currently negotiating with a lawyer to prepare the journalist’s defence. In his statement, issued from detention, Fatty said: “Today, the Crime Management Squad brought a charge sheet and I was charged with publishing false information; however, I pleaded not guilty to the charges and I may face court action.”
Fatty’s arrest on 10 April was the third in a series of arrests of journalists by the police following an alleged coup attempt in March. Saidykhan and Ceesay were also arrested in March but were later released without charge, while the newspaper’s offices were forcibly shut down. Other staff members were also arrested and later released.
On 25 April, when management of the newspaper’s offices were about to open up and resume normal business, police seized the keys and arrested the receptionist, Juldeh Sowa. They later released him, but the offices have remained closed.
Since the alleged coup attempt, the newspaper has been the victim of various forms of brutality, forcing some of its journalists to flee the country.
The MWFA condemns the practice by which journalists are being hauled before the courts to face charges after being detained for periods far in excess of the 72 hours stipulated in the Gambian constitution.
MFWA notes that, with elections due in October 2006, President Jammeh is employing several tactics to stifle free expression and intimidate the opposition in order to manipulate the elections.
