Lamin Jammeh, former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Brikama Area Councl, has being charged with giving false information to a public officer, contrary to section 114 (a) of the criminal code cap 10 volume III laws of the Gambia 1990.

According to the particulars of the offence, the accused Lamin Jammeh between the month of January 2007 and March 2008 at Sukuta Jobe Kunda by a letter reference MLJ/Co8/19/2008 informed the Secretary General that his service with the Brikama Area Council was unlawful terminated.

He did this, according to the particulars, when he knew or had reasons to believe to be false. He did that with the intention to cause or knowing it to likely cause the Secretary General to either compensate or reinstate him which the Secretary General ought not to do if the true state of facts were known to him.

When the case resumed yesterday before Magistrate Lamin George of the Banjul Magistrates’ Court, the police prosecutor Sub-Inspector Badjie applied for a bench warrant for the arrest of the accused as he was not in court. He also applied for the bail bond to be forfeited to the State until the accused was produced and also for the defence counsel to produce the medical report of the accused as he claimed that the accused was ill

His surety informed the court that the accused was ill and had travelled to Senegal for medical treatment.

The ‘s application was not granted, but instead the court warned the surety that she would be given one week to produce the accused or else she would be made to forfeit the bail bond she had signed for the accused.

The case was adjourned until 16th October 2008. 

Mr. Yankuba Colley, Mayor of the Kanifing Municipal Council, has expressed his view that he has no idea about the resignation of Momodou Turo Darboe, nominated councillor.

Mr. Darboe, who was nominated as a councillor in KMC is reported to have tendered his resignation to Mayor Colley last Wednesday following two months of reported absence at the council.

When contacted yesterday for comments, the seemingly disgruntled Mayor Colley told our reporter that he doesn’t know anything about Turo Darboe’s resignation.

“There is nothing to say on that. He has resigned and that is it. I have nothing to say about that,” he said.

According to Mayor Colley, there is no problem between Mr. Turo Darboe and the Kanifing Municipal Council. “He has resigned, he has resigned, there is nothing to say about that,” Mayor Colley said.

Mr. Darboe, a staunch supporter of President Jammeh, is said to have spent hundreds of thousands of Dalasis towards the development of KMC. He is also said to be very active in helping the council collect taxes that have been owed to the council for several years.

He is also said to have sponsored the Mayor and all the 17 councillors of the APRC party in the Kanifing Municipal Council during the Local Government Election in January 2008. He was also appointed the APRC Campaign Manager for the KanifingMunicipality during the local government elections.

Mr. Darboe was also said to have created a fully furnished office for the councils at KMC. He was also said to be carrying out all his work on a voluntary basis and was not in receipt of any salary.

Efforts to talk to Mr.Darboe proved futile as his cellphone was switched off.

Mr Alieu Badara Senghorr, the Principal of Gambia College, yesterday informed the Banjul Magistrates’ Court that the Gambia College Council had terminated the services of the accused persons Lamin BT Sanyang and Abdlie Baldeh following a recommendation from the College sub-committee on discipline.

Continuing his testimony before Magistrate Lamin George, Mr Senghorr said that after receiving a series of complaints against the accused persons and after doing his investigation and taking action within his limit he forwarded the matter to the chairman College Council to deliberate on it and take action.

He said he was instructed to write to the Chairperson College Council sub-committee on discipline to convene a meeting of the disciplinary committee to investigate the complaints and make recommendation to the council.

He added that a meeting was convened where he was asked to submit all the correspondence between the students, College administration and accused persons and also a copy of the college conditions of services.

According to him, the college conditions of service contain the rules and regulation of condition of service of staff. It also included disciplinary provision, he said.

He said another meeting was convened in which the accused persons were invited and the head of the School of Education, but the accused persons failed to turn up at the meeting.

Further testifying, Mr Senghorr said the committee continued with their meeting.  Guided by the condition of service of the College and the provision of the accused persons’ appointment letters, it was found that the accused persons had been disrespectful and disobedient to the College authority.

He said the College sub-committee finally made recommendation to the College Council to terminate the services of the accused persons. He adduced that the College Council met and endorsed the recommendation of the sub-committee on displine to terminate the services of the accused persons. He said the committee instructed the College administration to write to the accused persons to that effect.

The case was then adjourned until 30th September 2008.

The Kanifing Municipal Council (KMC), Gambia’s biggest council, has refuted allegations that the council is currently in serious financial crisis.

Pa Kalipha Sanyang, KMC’s Public Relations Officer, maintained that this is never the condition as purported when this paper went to the council yesterday to take in the council’s side of the story over allegations that the council is really in serious financial crisis.

Recent reports have it that the Kanifing Municipal Council is currently facing serious financial crisis, the state of affairs which reassuringly illustrates the sustenance of what many describe as the gloomiest days of the council, as well as bring about a crisis of confidence in KMC.

Sources said the municipality has to turn to the banks for overdraft to be able to pay last month’s salaries.

“Even the tractors can no longer go around to collect garbage as usual because the municipality cannot foot the bill of fuel for them,” the sources said.

According to PRO Sanyang, during this time of the year (lean period) the council receives not much money.

He explained that the peak period, a time when the council usually collects much, runs from January to July. He noted that usually towards the last quota of the financial year, the cash flow goes down naturally.

“The council however remains as solid as ever and we are living up to expectations both in terms of service delivery and overhead expenditures. Never in the history of this council was an overdraft obtained to pay salaries. We had paid salaries as early as the 25th of this month and the tractors are busily serving their purpose.

He revealed that the council is owed well over D70, 000, 000.00 (seventy million) in arrears, which he maintained is negatively impacting on the operations of the council.

The Supreme Islamic Council has elected its new executive. Momodou Lamin Touray and ten others were elected having stood unopposed. The other executive members are: Alhagie Sheriff Bajan, 1stVice President; Sheikh Gibril Kujabi, 2ndVice President; Dr. Mbye Kebba Kah, Secretary-General; Ebrima Touray, Deputy Secretary-General; Ajaratou Jainaba Dibba, Assistant Secretary General English; Cherno Darboe, Assistant Secretary-General Arabic; Baba Drammeh Junior, Treasurer; Alhagie Mamadou Lamin Kanteh, Assistant Treasurer; Alhagie Baba Bubacarr Drammeh, Auditor and Aja Maimuna Savage, Assistant Auditor.

We wish the new executive the best of luck in their new roles but also appeal for calm and unity in the ranks of all Muslims. Directly in the aftermath of the election the offices of The Point were stormed by a group of people who were not best pleased with the outcome of the election. They were irate and discontented with the turn of events they had just witnessed. The group had supported an alternative candidate for the presidency. What is called for now is a period of calm. Let each group assess their situation with cool heads and try and seek a peaceful solution.

In his farewell speech, the outgoing president of SIC, Alh. Banding Drammeh, assured the new executive of his continued support. He called for unity and understanding among Muslims in the country. The names of these executive members were announced by the Returning Officer, Alhaji Mustapha Carrayol, Chairman of the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC). We add our voice to this call and hope that unity, prosperity and peace will flow for all Muslims during the life of the new executive. Fighting has no place in Islam, it is a religion of peace. We ask all Muslims in The Gambia to remember this at all times and try to live in a fashion which adheres to these Islamic principles.

“Peace cannot be kept by force. It can only be achieved by understanding.”

Albert Einstein

The acting British High Commissioner Birse Graham yesterday presented the Commonwealth Youth Exchange Council Certificate to seven award participants of the Presidents International Award of The Gambia who participated in the 2006-07 in Scotland at his office in Fajara.

Speaking at the ceremony, Ambassador Graham said the program will enable young people to contribute towards the socio-economic development of their country.

He advised the youth to serve as role models and to continue the partnership between the two countries.

For his part, the permanent secretary youth and sports, Mamanyick Njie, stated that the young people of the two countries, through the exchange program, have learn a lot about each others culture and tradition.

Ps Njie said the president of the republic, because of his passion for the youth, set up the NYSS and the PIA.

He said the Gamscot project is helping the youths of The Gambia.

The chief executive of PIA, Abdoulie Bah, said PIA is tasked with creating opportunities for the youth of the world.

The president of The Gambia Association of Local Government Authorities (GALGA), who also doubles as the Major of Banjul Mr. Samba Faal, has been elected to serve in the Pan African World Council.

Major Faal was elected recently during United Cities and Local Governments of Africa (UCLGA) ordinary session, to serve as a member in the said council through the united cities and local governments of Africa. The event, held in Ghana, was hosted by the National Association of Local Authorities of Ghana.

A media release from GALGA signed by its Executive Secretary Alhagie Mustapha M. Njie, issued to The Point yesterday said that The Gambia was represented by GALGA’s president along side Mr. Sunkary Badgie, Chairman Brikama Area Council and the Mustapha Njie.

It added that the event brought together over 2,500 delegates from Africa and beyond representing Mayors, councillors, local government officials, ministers, heads of state and partners among others.

The congress re-elected the UCLGA president, Father S. Mkhatshwa of South Africa, he was nominated by The GALGA.

The congress called for unity in action as a challenge to mark positive impacts and differences made to the lives of African people. The next meeting will take place in September 2008 in South Africa and GALGA is invited as an active member.

Following orders by President Jammeh for the Gambia Supreme Islamic Council (SIC) to put its house in order and for it to regulate the apparent Islamic differences in the country, the council has finally indicated its position on the Shia movement in The Gambia.

A news release from the Supreme Islamic Council noted that based on the controversy surrounding Shia activities in The Gambia, the council has conducted a thorough investigation and has decided on various issues.

The council, according to the release, noticed that Shia beliefs contradict the teachings and beliefs of Ahlus Sunna wa- Jam’ah (the followers of Prophet Muhammad [PBUH]).

“The council has also decided that the proprietors of all the print and electronic media should ensure that all religious programmes aimed at propagating or defending the belief that contradicts the teachings of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) should be stopped,” the release added.

The Supreme Islamic Council went further to direct the General Secretaries of Islamic/Arabic Education in The Gambia to take all necessary measures to stop all syllabi that seek to teach Shia beliefs. This directive, according to the release, is based on the fact that education is the most effective tool in the dissemination of ideas, thoughts and beliefs.

The release also noted that all cultural and educational institutions, foundations and individuals propagating or disseminating the Shia beliefs and teaching among Muslims in The Gambia must be stopped.