Back and Next - Back and NextThe gangster menace
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Frequently, we hear people in the government and other concerned bodies advocating for a peaceful society that will enable each and every individual to live in peace without fear.
Continuous peace is what they are calling. This is our right and not a privilege. But some men from the underworld are trying to take away the peace that we enjoy in this country.
Flipping through the various newspapers available these days, one reads about the crimes committed by people with gangster mentality on a daily basis. The sad thing is that most of those who are involved in these criminal activities are young guys who should be engaged in more productive ventures.
Let us be honest. These criminally minded elements live amongst us. Other members of society should also take a portion of the blame for harbouring these criminals. Recently, a young man called Jerreh Marong, who was attacked by five armed men last Thursday is still living in fear because of the threat left behind by the armed men.
This young hardworking man was attacked at the gate of his house on Fakaliya Street, Tallinding at around 3.00am. He had just come from the Senegambia. Upon reaching his house, he alighted from his car to open the gate to his compound.
According to him, his assailants – who were armed to the teeth - asked for money and without giving him a chance to talk, one of the men dipped his hands into his pocket and took away his 700 Euros.
Another man ransacked his car and carted away the sum of D5600 (in D50 denomination), which belonged to his mother.Before leaving him, they told him: "In fact, you are lucky that you are still alive; next time if we come and you argue with us, it will be the end of your life."
The five men then boarded a white car that had been parked about a few meters away from his house and drove off through Harr Yallah Street. A Crime Watch visit to Fakaliya Street at Tallinding showed that the street is a very busy road from morning till evening.
The street is a shortcut for the drivers especially when there is a go-slow on the Brikama highway. Fakaliya is a long street that you can enter from the Brikama Highway and then depart from via the Bundung Highway.
Sometimes groups of unsavoury characters can be seen lurking around the street. The attack on Jerreh is not the first on this street. Students who use the road when coming back from a nearby school library have often fallen victims to robbers.
In the light of this and other incidences, the general public has the responsibility to work with the security forces and other stakeholders to put a stop to this menace. These gangsters should be made to know that they cannot hold an entire nation at ransom. The Gambia is a peace loving country, so let us all work towards that.
Continuous peace is what they are calling. This is our right and not a privilege. But some men from the underworld are trying to take away the peace that we enjoy in this country.
Flipping through the various newspapers available these days, one reads about the crimes committed by people with gangster mentality on a daily basis. The sad thing is that most of those who are involved in these criminal activities are young guys who should be engaged in more productive ventures.
Let us be honest. These criminally minded elements live amongst us. Other members of society should also take a portion of the blame for harbouring these criminals. Recently, a young man called Jerreh Marong, who was attacked by five armed men last Thursday is still living in fear because of the threat left behind by the armed men.
This young hardworking man was attacked at the gate of his house on Fakaliya Street, Tallinding at around 3.00am. He had just come from the Senegambia. Upon reaching his house, he alighted from his car to open the gate to his compound.
According to him, his assailants – who were armed to the teeth - asked for money and without giving him a chance to talk, one of the men dipped his hands into his pocket and took away his 700 Euros.
Another man ransacked his car and carted away the sum of D5600 (in D50 denomination), which belonged to his mother.Before leaving him, they told him: "In fact, you are lucky that you are still alive; next time if we come and you argue with us, it will be the end of your life."
The five men then boarded a white car that had been parked about a few meters away from his house and drove off through Harr Yallah Street. A Crime Watch visit to Fakaliya Street at Tallinding showed that the street is a very busy road from morning till evening.
The street is a shortcut for the drivers especially when there is a go-slow on the Brikama highway. Fakaliya is a long street that you can enter from the Brikama Highway and then depart from via the Bundung Highway.
Sometimes groups of unsavoury characters can be seen lurking around the street. The attack on Jerreh is not the first on this street. Students who use the road when coming back from a nearby school library have often fallen victims to robbers.
In the light of this and other incidences, the general public has the responsibility to work with the security forces and other stakeholders to put a stop to this menace. These gangsters should be made to know that they cannot hold an entire nation at ransom. The Gambia is a peace loving country, so let us all work towards that.
Author: Yunus Salieu
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