- President Yahya Jammeh has granted amnesty to five Senegalese customs officers - Serigne Ngom, Pape Drame, Saidou Thiam, Youssou Diop and Alioune Thiam.
A Gambian court convicted and sentenced the five Senegalese to 18 months in prison with hard labour. The five were arrested in February after they were found in possession of illegal fire arms in Gambian waters. They were also accused of making unauthorised entry into the country.
Magistrate Pa Harry Jammeh of Kanifing, 10 km from the capital Banjul, presided over the case.
But in a strange move, President Jammeh decided to pardon the convicted officers just a day after the court delivered its verdict.
The Gambia’s foreign affairs minister, Bala Garba-Jahumpa, told the handing over ceremony that President Jammeh’s love for African unity and the brotherly relations that exist between the two countries had resulted to the decision. Mr Jahumpa commended President Jammeh for having a “big heart”, especially on humanitarian grounds.
Ousman Sonko, Gambia’s interior minister described the gesture as a proof of good neighbourliness existing between Senegal and The Gambia. “This is in the best interest of the two countries,” he said.
The men were handed over to Ms Mariama Muhamed, the Nigerian High Commissioner to The Gambia and dean of the diplomatic corps who in turn handed them over to Mamadu Fall, the Senegalese High Commissioner to The Gambia.
Both Ms Muhamed and Mr Fall thanked President Jammeh for demonstrating true sense of magnanimity and pan-Africanism.
“It is not easy to forgive, but the president found it in his heart to forgive,” Nigerian High Commissioner said.
The government’s critics however argued the reasons for granting amnesty to the Senegalese remain unclear because it came at a time when security forces have not shown tolerance to other Africans in the country.
Besides, many Gambians have been illegally detained without trial, a clear deviation from the constitutional provision that suspects shall not be detained for more than 72 hours without being charged or prosecuted.
“It’s our conviction that the government is hiding something under its sleeves,” maintained a critic, adding, “why should the government go ahead to prosecute the officers.”
Except by sea, The Gambia, the smallest country in mainland Africa, is surrounded by Senegal by land throughout.
Over the years, authorities of both countries had been at daggers end over the alleged interference of each other’s internal affairs. While The Gambia is said to have accused Senegal of harbouring its renegade soldiers, including the mastermind of the 21 March 2006 abortive coup, Col. Ndure Cham, Senegal on the contrary believes The Gambia is “aiding and abetting” the more than two decade separatist war in its southern region of Casamance.
But the Gambian leader had publicly denied his government’s interference in the Casamance war. Senegalese authorities are concerned by the long-standing war in Casamance, the food basket of the country.
"The rumour that I travelled with Salif Sadio to Kanilai [Mr Jammeh's birth place] and that my government facilitated his travel in order for him to escape justice, is baseless and has no iota of truth," President Jammeh said after a close-door meeting with the Senegalese Chief of General Staff, General Abdoulaye Fall last November.
Mr Sadio, Senegalese separatist leader, is the most wanted man in Senegal today. A mere interview with him in 2005 led to the temporal closure of Sud FM radio station in the country.
"I will never support a rebel or any rebel group because I want peace to prevail, and above all the answer to Africa's many problems is peace. I will never pray evil for Senegal. It is very important for us to be sincere and honest,” he said.
“The Gambia harbours no grievances against Senegal and anybody who breaches the law there and comes here will be duly arrested and handed over to the appropriate authorities. I will be happy to see what the two nations can do for each other and I wish Africa can unite so as to enjoy the fruits of the many mineral resources it is gifted with.”
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