The trial over the alleged killing of a British pensioner in Gambia will continue on 5 and 6 March respectively.

The case will resume on Wednesday and Thursday afternoons when the State prosecutor is expected to bring in her witnesses after the defense counsel had finished his own cross-examination of witnesses.

It would be recollected that Kate Atori-West, currently undergoing trial at the Brikama High Court, has been accused of killing her 65-year-old husband in their holiday home in Sanyang village.

A High Court in the Western Region of The Gambia is still hearing testimonies in the trial over the alleged murder of a British pensioner in the southern Gambian coastal village of Sanyang.

The alleged killing of William West has apparently sent shock waves through many in Hastings, UK and the British authorities have already sent in forensic experts to this small West African country to probe the circumstances surrounding West’s cruel death.

 Readers may recall that William West’s wife, Kate Atori-West, was arrested in Gambia some two years ago when British authorities raised the alarm. Subsequently, her 65-year-old husband’s charred body was discovered in a bag in his holiday home in Sanyang, several kilometres outside the Gambian capital, Banjul.

Meanwhile the case, which is now a subject of litigation, recently proceeded at the Brikama High Court in Western Region.

On the resumption of the matter, the defence counsel engaged the prosecution witness in a marathon cross-examination.

Under cross-examination, defence counsel Lamin Camara asked the prosecution witness to tell the ‘honourable’ court whether he could see any bloodstains on the pestle with which William West was allegedly battered to death. In reply, the witness admitted that he could not see any bloodstain on the pestle even though Kate had admitted killing Mr. West with the very pestle.

“But you said in your testimony that the accused had used a pestle to kill her husband,” counsel Camara put to the witness. “She said so in her statement,” replied the witness.

“Who recovered the pestle?” asked Camara. “I recovered it in a black bag,” stated the witness.

Still cross-examining the prosecution witness, the defence counsel sought to know where the pestle had been kept before being produced in court as a piece of evidence. “It was kept in my office,” said the witness. “Is it correct that you are not an exhibit keeper,” quizzed the defence counsel. “There is no exhibit keeper. All exhibits are kept in my office,” answered the witness.

The case was, at that juncture, adjourned for continuation.

It would be recollected that Kate Atori-West has been charged with the murder of her late husband by hitting her with a pestle in June of 2006.

Following the Gambia government’s ultimatum to Carnegie Minerals, a mining company that has been operating in the country, to explain their operations in The Gambia, the government yesterday cancelled the company’s license to operate in the country.
 
Reports monitored over GRTS Radio yesterday evening indicated that the government had found the information supplied by the company regarding the nature of their operations in the country as unsatisfactory.

Carnegie Minerals-Gambia Limited is located in Sanyang village, Kombo South, Western Region.

It could be recalled that President Jammeh on 15th January 2008, gave a 24-hour ultimatum, which was later extended to January 21st, for Carnegie Minerals to tell the Gambian public the truth about the kind and quantity of minerals they were actually mining from The Gambia, as well as the actual international value of tonnage so far exported. Failure to meet the above demands was tied to the risk of losing their license to operate in the country.

The press release read on GRTS Radio indicated that the cancellation would be followed by further investigation and institution of possible legal action against the company. “The government will ensure that the employment of the local staff engaged by the company is guaranteed,” the release concluded.

Meanwhile this paper has been reliably informed that Mr. Charles Northfield, a British national, the Managing Director of the company, has been arrested and currently helping the police in their investigations.

Sannyang Winkle Club, in collaboration with Banjul Hash Harriers, on Thursday, donated a boat, which is valued at over ten thousand dalasis, to one Magaye Faal, a fisherman residing in Sanyang Village at a ceremony held at the Sanyang beach .

According to the philanthropists, the donation is part of their unflinching support to the welfare and well-being of Gambians especially to the people of Sanyang village.

‘‘Previous donations covered areas relating to disaster relief for fire victims, wheelchairs for disabled persons and others,’’ John Smith, a member of the club revealed.

In handing over the boat, John Smith, a British national, said he has been coming to the Gambia for nearly 23 years, and expressed the clubs’ readiness to give more support in the near future.

In addition, he pointed out that the club comprises of different nationalities drawn from the United Kingdom, Holland, and Germany. According to him, the donors, who are currently residing in The Gambia, have decided to get together in order to foster relationships with Gambians. Their main aim, he noted, is to complement government efforts in the drive to improve the livelihood of Gambians.

In a simialr vein, Ton .V. Hinte, another member of the Winkle Club, outlined the need to help the recipient of their humanitarian action, as the old man is a breadwinner for 15 family members.

“We didn’t hesitate to provide a brand new fishing boat for him so as to enable him to overcome the domestic problems,’’ he noted.

Magaye Faal, the beneficiary, thanked Ton V. Hinte and the club for transforming his life and making his dreams become a reality. He also added that he only wishes them success in their endeavours. He finally assured them that he will make best use of the donated boat.

Reports monitored from GRTS Television on Tuesday evening indicate that the President of The Gambia and Secretary of State for Mineral Resources, Mr Yahya A.J.J. Jammeh, has given a 24-hour ultimatum to Carnegie Minerals Gambia Limited to come clean on their activities in the country, failure of which they risk losing their licence to operate in the country, not to speak of legal actions to follow.

A press release read on GRTS said that Carnegie Mineral might be exporting minerals from The Gambia, which they are not reporting accordingly. As a result of this, the release added, Carnegie Minerals Gambia Limited is being asked to tell the Gambian public the truth about what they are actually mining, the quantity of minerals from the Gambia and what the actual international price of tonnage exported are. Original laboratory results of analysis of the type of minerals accepted and exported are also requested, the release concluded.

Carnegie Minerals Gambia Limited is a mining company in the country located in the village of Sanyang in Kombo South.

Kombo South in Western Region is again in the news as yet another assault case awaits judgement.
 
The case in question relates to Sanyang village just few kilometres outside Gunjur. Malang Gassama, a resident of that village, had admitted responsibility for committing a felony as well as assault and will know his fate soon.

The facts of the matter, as stated in court, show that Malang Gassama had, in October of this year, entered the backyard of one Abdoulie Camara with intent to commit a felony there-in. The facts went on to state that Gassama had in the same month [October] assaulted Camara by hitting him with an iron rod thereby causing him actual bodily harm.

The Youths of Sanyang Village in Kombo South, Western Region on Monday concluded a two-day sensitization workshop on malaria prevention and treatment.

Speaking at the closing ceremony held at Sanyang Lower Basic school, the chairman of the Village Development Committee, Mr Lamin Bojang, urged participants to make the best use of the knowledge acquired from the workshop. He also encouraged them to share the experience gained, with their friends in the community.

Dodou Sarr, the facilitator of the workshop, commended the participants for their active participation during the workshop.

The workshop was attended by over fifty youths from the village.

As part of activities marking the 13th anniversary of the July 22nd revolution, the Vice President Dr. Isatou Njie Saidy, on behalf of President Jammeh, on Thursday officially opened the Carnegie Minerals Gambia operations (CMG) at a ceremony held at the CMG project site in Sanyang, Kombo South.

In a statement read on his behalf by the vice president, President Jammeh described Carnegie Minerals as a genuine partner in the mining sector. He said that government has issued a mining license to the Carnegie Minerals because of the trust and confidence it has in the company. He asserted that mining and quarrying are important valued added activities that form an important pillar in our drive to create work and support development for the benefit of all.

He observed that the mining sector is an important ingredient in the attainment of Vision 2020. He said that the government is committed to creating an enabling environment for business which was its raison d’etre for the creation of the Gambia Investment Promotion and Free Zone Agency (GIPFZA), and the formulation of an attractive investment scheme.

He recalled that in the colonial era a British mining company, through a local subsidiary company called Gambia Mineral Limited, engaged in the exploitation of our resources only at the expense of Gambians. He therefore encouraged Carnegie Minerals to properly manage the project site for the benefit of the future generation. He assured Carnegie Minerals of the government’s fullest support.

Mr. Alan Hopkins, CEO Carnegie Minerals, thanked the government and people of The Gambia for their encouragement and support. He said the project has been established to extract and process heavy mineral sands containing elminite, zircon and rutile from deposits in Sanyang, Batu Kunku, Brufut and Kartong.

He revealed that the company employs 150 Gambians and has also sunk boreholes and is upgrading all access roads to the site.

Abdoulie Cham, Director of geology, said that good leadership, peace and stability, constitute the fundamental principles in a mining sector.

He also applauded the Gambian leader for his personal drive in the development of the country.

Other speakers included Abdou Badjie, governor of Western Region, and Honourable Paul Mendy, NAM for the area, gave the vote of thanks.

The ceremony was moderated by Kebba Touray, CEO of GIPZA. For their part the company also donated a bull and D5000 to the surrounding villages and a set of football jerseys to the youths of Sanyang.

Attending the ceremony were several dignitaries including members of the diplomatic corps.