Sheriffo
Sonko, an executive member of Operation Three Years Jotna Movement, a pressure
group that is demanding the resignation of President Adama Barrow has claimed
that they didn’t have access to food during their detention at the police
station.
He
made this claim although he didn’t mention the particular police station that
he was detained within the Greater Banjul Area.
“We
were not beaten during our detention, but I can tell you that we didn’t have
access to food. It’s the same way the ‘junglars’ were behaving during the
Jammeh regime. It’s the same way they are behaving now. But just be calm and
that we’re going to free you all,” he said to journalists before he entered a
waiting police van at the Kanifing Magistrate Court.
Sheriffo
Sonko, while arriving in the court with heavy escort by personnel of the Police
Intervention Unit (PIU) around 1 p.m., remarked: “Three years, it is what the
president promises us.”
Yankuba
Darboe, a human rights lawyer and also one of the arrestees chanted: “Three
years” while pointing his three fingers up.
Eight
of the protesters appeared at the Kanifing Magistrates Court and charged with
rioting, unlawful assembly and rioters’ demolition of structures.
They
are Abdou Njie, Ebrima Kitim Jarju, Sheriffo Sonko, Hagi Suwaneh Fanta Mballow,
Karim Touray, Yankuba Darboe and Muctarr Ceesay.
“We
will never allow dictatorship to return to the country. I was part of the over
hundred protesters that were arrested on Sunday during our clash with the
police. We were detained at the Police Anti-Crime Unit in Brusubi and we were
sleeping on the floor. We are ready for protest even if it is tomorrow. I can
tell you that we’re ready to die for this country,” Mustapha Njie said to
journalists outside the court premises.
