By Lamin Sanyang
Following the publication of the views of butchers and the Gambia Livestock Marketing Agency about the scarcity of meat, this reporter was assigned yesterday morning to go to Serrekunda, Latrikunda and Abuko Markets to find out the latest development about the availability of meat. The situation still remained the same. Meat is still scarce in the markets.

Foroyaa: How does PDOIS see July 22nd being commemorated as a National Holiday?
Halifa: The PDOIS held its Congress on the 24 April 2010 to give recognition to the date when The Gambia became a Sovereign Republic. If we had the mandate to manage the affairs of the country, 24 April, Republican Day, would have been commemorated as the most important day in our National calendar. However, since we do not have a mandate, we could only draw the attention of those who have the mandate to the importance of commemorating 24 April instead of 22nd July. In our view every anniversary is a period for stock taking. The July 22nd anniversary is no exception. We need to know what happened on 22 nd July 1994. Should we transform the day into the most important Day on the National Calendar? What lesson should we draw from the day?

Justice Emmanuel Amadi of the Banjul High Court on Thursday 15 July, convicted and sentence former Chief of Defence Staff of The Gambia Armed Forces (CDS), Lieutenant General Lang Tombong Tamba, Brigadier General Omar Bun Mbye, Major Lamin Bo Badjie, Lieutenant Colonel Kawsu Camara, (alias Bombarde), Former Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIGP) Momodou B. Gaye, Gibril Ngorr Secka, Abdoulie Joof and Yousef Ezziden (alias Rambo) to death after he convicted them on two counts of treason. He also struck out count three against the accused persons.

Justice Emmanuel Amadi of The Banjul High Court, the presiding judge in the treason trial involving the State and Lieutenant General Lang Tombong Tamba and seven other men will tomorrow Thursday 15th July 2010, deliver judgment in the case.
On Monday 5th July, after the prosecution and the defence counsels adopted their written addresses, Justice Amadi told the parties that he would deliver judgment in the trial on Thursday 15 July at 10:00am.

Justice Emmanuel Amadi of the Banjul High Court, the presiding judge of the treason trial involving Lieutenant General Lang Tombong Tamba, Brigadier General Omar Bun Mbye, Major Lamin Bo Badjie, Lieutenant Colonel Kawsu (Bombarde) Camara, former deputy IGP Momodou Gaye, Gibril Ngorr Secka, Abdoulie Joof and Youssef Ezziden (alias Rambo), on Monday 5 July, announced that he would deliver judgment in the trial on Thursday 15 July 2010. The judge made this pronouncement after the prosecution and defence team adopted the written address they filed before the court at the end of the testimonies in the trial.

The year 2010 has now gone half way, yet some Gambian families continue to live in distress due to the long detention and disappearance of their loved ones and family heads. Most of these victims of disappearance and detention have not been seen or heard about by their families. According to the affected families, these loved ones who have disappeared were taken away by unknown men in plain clothes some years ago. The following are the people who are not seen or heard by their families:

The treason trial involving Lieutenant General Lang Tombong Tamba and Rear Admiral (Commodore) Sarjo Fofana in connection with the March 21st 2006, coup plot has been pushed further based on the demands of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) Richard N. Chenge. The case was set for hearing on Thursday 1st July, but the state asks for an adjournment to prepare for their witnesses to come to court.

The treason trial involving the former Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) of The Gambia Armed Forces (GAF), Lieutenant General Lang Tombong Tamba, and former Chief of The Gambia Navy, Rear Admiral Sarjo Fofana, could not proceed on Friday 25th June for hearing. The matter was pushed to Thursday 1st July, even though both the judge and the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) were not available.

Lieutenant General Lang Tombong Tamba, the former Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) of The Gambia Armed Forces (GAF), and Rear Admiral (Commander) Sarjo Fofana, the former Chief of The Gambia Naval Staff, on Friday 18th June, appeared before Justice Joseph Ikpala of the Banjul High court and charged with four counts of treason in relation to the 21st March 2006 foiled coup plot masterminded by Colonel Ndure Cham, the then Chief of Defence Staff. Admiral Fofana faces only two of the charges, while General Tamba answered to all the four counts. Both men pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Both the prosecution and defence teams in the ongoing treason trial involving the state and the former Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Lieutenant General Lang Tombong Tamba and seven others, on Monday 14th June, agreed and set 5th July, for the adoption of their written addresses that would be filed before the court. This development arose when the last accused person, Yousef Ali Ezziden ended his testimony in his own defence.