- The case of a missing Gambian journalist, Chief Ebrima Manneh, opened at the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice in Abuja. But The Gambia government’s unexplained absence in court has setback the case.
Mr Manneh was accused of passing damaging state information to a foreign journalist during the African Union summit in Banjul last year.
But since his arrest by the National Intelligence Agents a year ago at his office, the pro-government journalist was no where to be found, with the government repeatedly denying that he was under its control.
This prompted the Accra-based Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) to file a suit against The Gambia government on behalf of Mr Manneh at the regional court. The action seeks to release and compensate the missing journalist.
When the case was called, the Nigerian human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, declared his intention to proceed, but he could not because there was no single representation of The Gambia government.
"The court confirmed that the Gambia Government was duly served through its High Commission in Abuja,” MFWA said in a statement.
An oral application by Lawyer Falana to be mandated by the court to visit his detained client was also refused by the panel of judges.
The case has been adjourned till 26 September purposely to enable the government to appear before the court.
afrol News - It is called "financial inclusion", and it is a key government policy in Rwanda. The goal is that, by 2020, 90 percent of the population is to have and actively use bank accounts. And in only four years, financial inclusion has doubled in Rwanda.
afrol News - The UN's humanitarian agencies now warn about a devastating famine in Sudan and especially in South Sudan, where the situation is said to be "imploding". Relief officials are appealing to donors to urgently fund life-saving activities in the two countries.
afrol News - Fear is spreading all over West Africa after the health ministry in Guinea confirmed the first Ebola outbreak in this part of Africa. According to official numbers, at least 86 are infected and 59 are dead as a result of this very contagious disease.
afrol News - It is already a crime being homosexual in Ethiopia, but parliament is now making sure the anti-gay laws will be applied in practical life. No pardoning of gays will be allowed in future, but activist fear this only is a signal of further repression being prepared.
afrol News / Africa Renewal - Ethiopia's ambitious plan to build a US$ 4.2 billion dam in the Benishangul-Gumuz region, 40 km from its border with Sudan, is expected to provide 6,000 megawatts of electricity, enough for its population plus some excess it can sell to neighbouring countries.
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