Pastor arrested

Speaking to journalists at the Fajara Barracks, yesterday, Staff Sergeant Buba EB Jammeh, the station officer (SO) of the military barracks’ charge office, debunked the pastor’s claim and described it as untrue and unfounded. He added that the 1-year old child is in good hands, and that when his father left the country, he left him in the hands of one Kebba Touray, fondly called Pa, and Victor, a Liberian national.

Staff Sergeant Jammeh recalled that Ernest Uzoegbu was brought to the military charge office by four Nigerian boys, namely, Daniel Igwe, Chukiuuma, Kelechi and Ndubisi, after been accused of breach of contract. The four had alleged that Ernest Uzoegbu took £12, 400 from them, promising to acquire Holland visas for them.

“Ernest Uzoegbu himself told the military charge office that he had already processed the visas and that they were in Dakar. He appealed to us to allow him to go for them in Dakar. Then Kebba Touray, a Gambian, resident in Bakau, bailed him.

“After bailing him,” Staff Sergeant Jammeh continued, “Ernest Uzoegbu left his 1 year old boy in the hands of Kebba Touray and Victor, in my presence. He said he did not want the Nigerian boys to have anything to do with his child. Then I personally warned the boys not to have any affair with the child and that they should not go to Ernest Uzoegbu’s residence.

After two days, I learnt that Ernest Uzoegbu had absconded to Italy. I called Kebba Touray’s attention. After investigations, Kebba Touray was detained and was later bailed by his elder sister, Adama John Camara. He (Kebba Touray) wrote a statement, promising to pay the money (12,400 Euros) by installment of (D50,000) every month, until he finishes the principal amount.

“Since then, I do not know anything about the child. All I knew is that the child was with Kebba Touray. To my surprise, I was called by my Commanding Officer Lt Col. Ousman Badjie, who informed me that one Pastor, named Gideon Adeoye, wrote a letter to the Ministry of Defence, the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Major General Lang Tombong Tamba, the secretary of state for Justice, Nigerian High Commissioner in The Gambia, Foreign Affairs Department, Human Rights Centre, among others, saying that I have detained a one year old baby, since October to date, which is an absolute lie”, Staff Sergeant Buba Jammeh revealed.

Pastor Gideon Adeoye, told the press that the content of his letter is clear and that he had been informed by Victor, the Liberian boy and Kebba Touray.

He confessed that he was misinformed by Kebba Touray and Victor who refuted the allegations . Asked whether he contacted the military before writing this letter, Pastor Adeoye replied in the negative.

For his part, Victor, the Liberian boy, said he never called the Pastor on a cell phone to tell him that the military instructed him to  take the 1 year old boy to the barracks, as indicated in Pastor Adeoye’s letter. He said he went to the Pastor’s house on many occasions to seek for assistance to be able to have something to take care of the young child.

Kebba Touray also denounced the allegations by the pastor that he informed him that the child was been detained at the barracks.

Mr Touray said the child is in his care and that he is healthy, with no problem whatsoever. Mr Touray further revealed that he knew Ernest Uzoegbu when he was in England, for over 20 years. He alleged that the Pastor is a friend to Ernest Uzoegbu and that they are communicating.

According to Kebba Touray, both the Nigerian Embassy and the mother of the child, who is in Ireland, are aware that the child was left in his (Touray’s) care and that he is in good condition.

Mr Touray finally produced the one year old baby for evidence and the baby was looking good and healthy. Daniel Igwe, one of the four Nigerians who had the visa contract with Ernest Uzoegbu also told journalists that they need their monies back. Meanwhile, Pastor Adeoye who is in military custody, is expected to be charged after the investigations are completed, before being taken to court.