Gambia: ECOWAS Court to give judgment in the case of "disappeared' journalist
The Community Court of Justice of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is expected to give its judgment on the case of Chief Ebrima Manneh, a Gambian journalist at the pro-government Banjul-based Daily Observer newspaper, who has been "disappeared" since July 2006.
ECOWAS Court to give judgment in the case of "disappeared' Gambian journalist on January 31
The Community Court of Justice of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is expected to give its judgment on the case of Chief Ebrima Manneh, a Gambian journalist at the pro-government Banjul-based Daily Observer newspaper, who has been "disappeared" since July 2006.
At the last hearing, on November 28, 2007 the court deferred decision to January 31 to allow the panel of three judges ample time to write their judgment. This followed the final submission from Manneh's lawyer, Femi Falana, a Nigerian human rights lawyer and a member of the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) Journalists' Legal Defence Network.
In June 2007, the MFWA brought a legal suit at the sub-regional court against the government of President Yahya Jammeh over Manneh's arrest and subsequent disappearance in July 2006.
On November 26, 2007, the court heard testimonies from three witnesses. One of the witnesses told the court that he was present and witnessed the arrest of Chief Manneh by personnel of the notoriously feared National Intelligence Agency (NIA) on July 7, 2006 at the Daily Observer premises.
Another witness said he had since spotted Manneh in a police station in the eastern town of Fatoto, about 500 kilometres from Banjul, the capital.
The Gambian government has consistently refused to appear before the court.
The last time Manneh was seen was on July 26, 2007, at the Royal Victoria Teaching Hospital, the Gambia's largest hospital, in the custody of state security personnel, while he was hospitalized. Issued by the MFWA, Accra on January 30, 2008. The MFWA is a regional independent, non-profit, non-governmental organization based in Accra. It was founded in 1997 to defend and promote the rights and freedom of the media and all forms of expression.
For further information: Please Contact:
MFWA
P.O. Box LG 730,
Legon Accra,
Ghana Tel 233-21 242470
Fax 233 -21 221084
Email: [email][email protected]