The Gambia’s Interior Minister is yet to muster the courage to confirm Solo Sandeng’s murder on national media. Ousman Sonko however has the audacity to tell diplomats in the neighbouring Senegal the whole world has been waiting for: it is indeed truth that Solo Sandeng died in custody. Without a remorse, Sonko wanted the cold-blooded murder of the opposition United Democratic Party Organising Secretary to be put behind. “It’s happened and it’s time to move on,” Sonko said. He was economical in his words principally to avoid contradicting himself, a tactic deployed by criminals to get away with crimes they commit.
As the Interior Minister, Sonko is responsible for guaranteeing security of every Gambian, including Solo Sandeng. He has not only failed his responsibility to secure an innocent citizen from cold-blooded murder but also denied his family the right to bury their dead member in decent manner. In the words of Lawyear Ousting Darboe, Mr. Sandeng who led a peaceful protest on April 14th, “was buried like a dog.”
Sonko’s ministry is yet to produce Solo Sandeng even though defense lawyers have filed application to that effect. Instead the government has since mid-April has been beating and rounding up peaceful protesters. The same government is remote controlling a mercenary judge in the person of Justice Ottaba to deny arraigned detainees. Justice Ottaba cited security reasons to deny detainees bail.
Now that Osman Sonko confirmed Solo Sandeng’s death, he has opened enough room for European Union to freeze assets as well as slap sanctions on officials of a regime that has been feeding on innocent people’s blood.
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It's well over due for Sonko and the band of murderers to step down now to pave the way for a better Gambia.
ReplyDeleteThat's when the Nation can move on.
Yahya must go!