#Headlines

Sabally speaks after detention 

Sep 20, 2023, 1:47 PM | Article By: Pa Modou Cham

Momodou Sabally, the campaign manager for the United Democratic Party (UDP), who was detained by the police in connection with a write-up on social media regarding his thoughts on the country's Police Intervention Unit (PIU), narrated the reactions of paramilitaries at the Kairaba Police Station.

Meanwhile, his co-detainee, Sheriffo Bayor Sonko, who was charged with threatening a public officer with violence has been released on bail, secured by two Gambian sureties with a  bond of D100,000. According to Kerr Fatou, he was urged to surrender his travel document to the police and also required to report back to the Kanifing Police today at 9:30am.

Sabally, who goes by the slogan ‘Can’t Cage Me’, was yesterday interviewed by King FM Radio as he disclosed some of the issues that transpired while he was in detention at the Kairaba Police Station. He explained that since his last detention in December, he was held at the PIU dormant and was not hurt, threatened or rights violated.

However, the influential politician gave an ordeal of his recent detention after being charged with threatening a public officer and released yesterday.

He said: “This time around, the paramilitaries came with guns at night shouting among themselves. At a time they detained one Mr. Fatajo at the cells who didn't do anything. They were with their guns insulting and in the following morning, the paramilitaries came again with their guns disturbing people.”

Sabally stated that the country’s discipline force shouldn’t act like that, saying he had been arrested during Yahya Jammeh’s regime on several occasions and that no one can fear or silence him because of guns and uniforms.

Sabally advised that officers who were on duty should act with respect and by law. He continued that they are politicians and whatever they are doing will be in line with the law.

“They want to silence me but I will talk. I am a UDP opposition and no one will force me to join the ruling government. So we have to respect each other’s right for peace to reign in this country,” he said.

Explaining the reason for his arrest, Mr. Sabally, who often writes about the current happenings of the country’s political atmosphere, stated that the police called him to the Kairaba Police Station in connection with his social media post.

“They said I wrote it and the shootings happened,” he said, adding the police wanted to link him with something he had no idea. “Anyway, it’s their work and they said I need to clarify what I wrote. I told them what I wrote was that Pateh would pay the price and I didn’t say for people to attack him.”

He went on to say that speaking on social media will remind the government of their wrongs and unlawful acts which has to stop. He added that those following him on social media know that he is not a supporter of unlawful acts, involved in breaking the law or urging people to attack others.

“That’s not my behaviour and I am not involved in the police incident they want to link me with. That was the time they detained me at the station till yesterday when they said they would take me to court for threatening a public officer.”