Jailed British Couple Apologise to President Jammeh, Gambians

The already jailed British Couple David Borland Fulton and Fiona Racheal Fulton, who were said to have made seditious publication with intention to excite hatred, contempt and disaffection against the President or the government of The Gambia, have expressed an apology to President Jammeh and Gambians.

In a letter written by themselves and broadcast over State- owned GRTS television, the couple noted with regret that "it was not their intention to excite hatred, dissatisfaction and contempt to President Jammeh, the government or the people of The Gambia". The letter reads as follows:

"It was not our intention to excite hatred, dissatisfaction and contempt to the President, or government of The Gambia. We humbly apologise totally and unreservedly and without exception for anything and everything we have said that have caused offence and we fully and publicly withdraw such remarks.

"We apologise to the security forces for the trouble we have caused them. We humbly ask His Excellency the President to forgive us on what we have done and we affirm our recognition for his position as the President of the Republic through a democratic electoral process.

"We are grateful for the opportunity to be able to apologise publicly to His Excellency and humbly ask for what will graciously and compassionately show us clemency. We humbly ask that the present proceeding be withdrawn and our passports be returned to us so that we may return to the United Kingdom with our little daughter Elizabeth on a first flight available to us.

"We must seek at any time to return without permission from the Gambian government. We will not speak or write in any manner critical of President Jammeh, government or people of The Gambia.

"We wish His Excellency the President, the government and people of The Gambia well, and thank them for their hospitality during the years we have lived in The Gambia," the letter concluded.

The couple, who were sent to jail last Tuesday 30th December 2008 by Magistrate Edrissa Mbai of the Banjul Magistrates' Court, were charged with seditious publication.

They were said to have in the year 2007 and 2008 at Banjul and diverse places in The Gambia, jointly printed, distributed, and reproduced seditious publications intended to bring into hatred or contempt to excite disaffection against the President or the government of The Gambia. A charge to which they pleaded guilty.