Magistrate Jawo Handed A Heavy Fine On Journalist Jaw Manneh

Monday 18 August 2008, at the Kanifing magistrate court, Fatou Jaw Manneh a Gambian journalist who have being standing trail for the past one year five months was fond guilty on four counts. On count one she was fined D80,000 or one year imprisonment, on count two she was fined D70,000 or one year imprisonment, on count three she was fined D40,000 or one year imprisonment, and on count four she was fined D60,000 or one year imprisonment. The fines totaled to D250,000 Gambian currencies, this is equivalent to $15,000.

In a packed full court the magistrate in delivering his judgment said one thing is obvious,and that is in the manner and circumstances the acts are committed is one of a deliberate act, and above all it was a calculated act by the accuse. He said the accused was never on the grounds and do not know what is on the ground she just picked her pen and decided to write things that comes to her mind.

Magistrate Jawo said he is convinced beyond all doubts that the prosecution has proven their case beyond reasonable doubts , he stressed that beyond reasonable doubt dose not mean beyond all doubts. And he is convinced that the prosecution has done that. He told the court that he has not seen any contradiction by the prosecution witnesses on all the counts. He told the court that the prosecution called three witnesses.

The articles in questionposted on Freedom newspaper web site bearing her names were confirmed to be her own. All of which indicated that President Jammeh debunk our hopes and that he is a thorn in the flesh, he lacks direction, and that Gambians are in dare need of an alternative, She also indicated in her articles that President Jammeh is a bundle of terror. She said that there is a need to speak out. Magistrate Jawo told the court that the articleswere all seditious.

Counsel for the accuse Lamin Jorbateh rose up to plea on behalf of the accused. He said his client has being going to court for one year five months now. He told the magistrate that she is a banker in the USA and is pursuing a degree course which she already lost two academic years all due the on going case. He told the court that the accuse is a young woman with two children who are to maintained by her with a custodian sentence that will not only affect the accused but the kids as well.

He told the court that the accused came here bereaved as she lost her father. The ordeal she has under gone now is enough a punishment. He urged the magistrate to tamper justice with mercy. He said his client is a first time offender.

Here are and on the full charges: She first appeared before the courts on 3 April 2006. On count one she is alleged that she acted with seditious intention contrary to section 52(1) (a) of the Criminal Code.Count two, states that , publication ofseditious words contrary to section 52 (1) (c) of the Criminal Code The third cont states publication of false news with the intendsto cause fear and alarm to the Gambia Public, contrary to section 59 (1) of the Criminal Code.

The particulars of the offence indicated that Fatou Jaw Manneh, between January and March 2007, with seditious intention, granted an interview contained in a publicationdated 23 October 2005, consisting of the following words to which is indicated . BETRAYAL Jammeh is tearing our beloved country into shreds he debunked our hopes and became a thorn into every issue that is related to progress in the Gambia, be it social, political or economical. Worst of all, he is a bundle of terror. There is a need to speak out. If you lookaround the Gambia particularly at the condition people are living in, you will see what I mean, that Gambian are desperatelyin need of an alternative to this egoistic, frosty imam of APRCtive. Jammeh is full of energy but very negative energy and he totally lacks direction, what he needs is to come clear to the Gambian people and say that he has failed us all miserably, that he will be doing every thing to revitalized his promises to the Gambian people, excuse his ten years of office, rather than forcing us to recognize the developments that do not exist..