PRESS STATEMENT
In June 2024, the Alkamba Times revealed a narrative written by their correspondent Kebba Ansu Manneh alleging that the Minister of Environment Rohey John Manjang was concerned in corruption. The report acknowledged that,
“Multiple sources within the nation’s Lower River Region (LRR) have disclosed to TAT the involvement of Rohey John Manjang, Minister of Environment, and Seedy Lamin Bah, former Governor of the Lower River Region, in disposing of remnants from a Mahogany tree that was illegally minimize down in Kaif Village, Kiang East District…
TAT findings additional revealed that Lamin Jassey purchased the Mahogany tree from Minister John Manjang for D200,000, which was paid into two accounts; D150,000 has allegedly been credited into an account supplied by the Minister, whereas the excellent D50,000 has been deposited into the account of 1 Bakary Fatty of Kaif.”
Since then, the Minister Manjang has refuted the report and now threatens a D50 million lawsuit towards the reporter. The case could also be heard in courtroom subsequent month.
The Edward Francis Centre for Rights and Justice hereby calls on each the Inspector General of Police and the National Assembly choose committee on the setting to topic the story to additional investigation to find out the culpability or not of Minister Rohey John Manjang.
The Alkamba Times and their reporters corresponding to Kebba Ansu Manneh have interaction in investigative journalism. The principal purpose of investigative journalism is to uncover abuse of energy, corruption and different malpractices and make them public. The tales of investigative journalists are often the idea for police and parliamentary investigation, audits and different accountability measures in democratic societies. Without investigative journalists how would residents know concerning the wrongdoings that happen inside the corridors of energy and in public places of work?
Therefore, we demand that the Police and the National Assembly examine this story to determine its veracity and guarantee accountability of perpetrators.
The Constitution, underneath Section 207 has assured the obligation of the media to carry the Government accountable on behalf of the individuals. Hence what Kebba Ansu Manneh and the Alkamba Times did was to carry out their constitutional obligation. In this regard, what was anticipated since June was for the general public to demand transparency and accountability, and for the authorities to launch an investigation of the Minister and anxious individuals.
The try subsequently by Minster Rohey Manjang to threaten authorized motion towards journalist Kebba Ansu Manneh is nothing however an try and silence the media from performing their constitutional function. If Rohey John Manjang actually believes in her innocence, she ought to have instantly requested for an impartial inquiry into the story in order to cleanse her identify, and to not run to courtroom.
The EF Small Centre needs to specific its deep concern on the frequent threats of courtroom motion by public officers towards journalists and activists who’re preventing corruption and abuse of energy. Since 2017, we now have famous a number of authorized threats from the President and Ministers towards journalists and activists over allegations of corruption. We think about these actions by these officers to be an try and defend themselves from accountability therefore undermining democracy and the nice governance of the Gambia, together with threatening press freedom.
Public workplace is just not non-public property. Public officers aren’t non-public residents. Hence the EF Small Centre needs to tell all public officers that they have to uphold the rules and requirements of transparency, accountability and probity of their selections and actions as they handle public affairs and assets. Failure to take action, will set off information stories, public speculations, or rumours of allegations of corruption for which it could be improper for them to go to courtroom.
For that matter, we name on the Inspector General of Police to depend on the stories of investigative journalists to open investigations on allegations of corruption inside the public sector. Since 2017 quite a few such stories have been revealed by investigative journalists with out the IGP taking any motion. The time has come for the IGP to be reminded of his function and performance in strengthening accountability inside the public sector.
In this regard, we want to name on the President to expedite the institution of the Anti-Corruption Commission as per Section 3 of the Anti-Corruption Act which was handed in December 2023. Corruption has turn into an epidemic on this Government which have to be uncovered and tackled.
In the Spirit of Edward Francis Small, For the Gambia Our Homeland
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Madi Jobarteh
