Manneh Case Redux

On my last post I indicated that the five state Gambian policemen who abducted Manneh had been summoned to the ECOWAS Court in Nigeria to give testimony and explain what they did to Manneh who was last seen in their custody on June 6, 2006. They were to appear last week before the Court. In defiance of the Court's order, all five refused to appear. Consequently, the Court set the date for the final, final judgment for June 5, 2008. I sincerely believe that at long last a strong judgment will be rendered against Gambia.

I should also mention another related incident. One of our witnesses at the last hearing was a Gambian journalist named Yahya Dampha who had named some of those involved in Manneh's abduction. He presently lives in Senegal as an exile. Last week the Gambian govt attempted to kidnap him while he was at his new home in Senegal. He recognized one of those persons to be one of the apparati of the Gambian Intelligence agency. Fortunately, his neighbors came to his aid and prevented the kidnapping. Prior to this, he was receiving threatening phone calls. Was it a mere coincidence that the attempt was made the day before the five police agents were to come to the ECOWAS Court and give testimony. I leave it to the reader's imagination as to how all this fits together and how ominous this portends for Yahya's future unless he gets out of Senegal. Stay in touch...