Six years on, the search for Chief Manneh continues

Saturday 7 July 2012 marked the sixth anniversary of the disappearance of Chief Ebrima Manneh, a senior reporter with the Daily Observer newspaper.

Chief Manneh disappeared on 7th July 2006 after he left his home for work. Following his disappearance, the Accra-based Media Foundation for West Africa instituted a civil action against the Gambia government, asking the authorities to release Manneh who they believe is in state custody.

Later, the ECOWAS court in Abuja, Nigeria, granted the prayers sought by the plaintiff and therein ordered the Gambia government to release Manneh and pay him a compensation of 100,000.00 US dollars.

Following this decision, the Gambian government through its Attorney General at the time, Marie Saine Firdaus, told lawmakers at the National Assembly in Banjul that Manneh is not in the custody of the state.

Late last year, former Attorney General Edward Anthony Gomez, indicated in an interview with The Daily News that Chief Ebrima Manneh is alive, but did not give details of the whereabouts of the missing journalist.

Recently, the Inspector General of Police, Yankuba Sonko, told The Standard newspaper in an interview that Interpol had indicated to them that Chief Ebrima Manneh arrived in the United States of America, but did not give details of his trip.

Cindy Gregg, a former Deputy Chief of Mission at the American Embassy told The Standard newspaper that the Gambia government had written to the United Nations asking it to help in the investigation of the disappearance of Chief Ebrima Manneh.

“We submit that the American government should work with the Gambia government and the United Nations with a view to unearthing the truth about the whereabouts of Chief Ebrima Manneh.

“We further submit that Interpol should clarify when Chief Ebrima Manneh arrived in the United States, and to provide details of his whereabouts.

“Members of the Manneh family have over the past six years endured pain and frustration; they need to know the whereabouts of their loved one,” the Gambia Press Union, GPU, said in a statement to mark the sixth anniversary of Manneh’s disappearance.