A few days ago, on 05/01/2023, I reacted to the state proceeding with the case of the alleged Coup Plot/Attempted by questioning why the state failed to charge the alleged leading architects of the Coup Plot/Attempt if they were convinced or had the evidence to support their claims. I noted that the CRUX of the case is to establish a Coup Plot/Attempt and the main conspirators before concluding on charging the accomplices to the conspiracy!

The following day on 06/01/2023, the state reacted by charging the alleged leading architects of the Plot. Is it an afterthought to proceed with these charges? How did the investigators overlook the abnormality of putting the cart before the horse?

What happens with the setting up of an Investigation Panel? Is the state abandoning the So-Called International best practice? If the state decides to cancel the Secret investigations panel, will it be an admission of adopting and exercising the dictator’s mechanism to victimise citizens by abusing their human rights and undermining due process and the rule of law?

Will the state double down to continue with the process of utilising the Secret investigation panel to save face against critics, or did they need the dictator’s mechanism as means of manufacturing evidence to support their case?

The state struggles to convince the public of the alleged coup Plot/Attempted. Apart from their ludicrous press statements, they work to establish a convincing narrative, plausible circumstantial or material evidence or a solid essential relationship linking the alleged plotting soldiers arrested with the suspected accomplished Civilians/Politicians within the country or in the Diaspora supporting and financing the operations. Hence, they round up those two civilians (siblings) charged with concealing information about a coup, selecting a weak link!

Why not name the alleged suspected accomplished Civilians/Politicians within the country or in the Diaspora supporting and financing the operations? Many people question whether the entire coup conspiracy is based on targeting government critics and political adversaries and whether the conspirators behind the plot are the SIS Director general (Sowe) and the Government spokesperson (Sankareh) using information they stumbled over from Walter Mitty’s character, a Lance Corporal in the military and a Full-time university student in the past years claiming to be plotting to overthrow a government!

A Senior member of the security establishment told us that the Treason charges are mere means of holding the people in custody, avoiding criticism of abusing human rights and the rule of law of the accused. We learn that the investigators haven’t still received credible circumstantial or material evidence or a solid essential relationship linking the alleged plotting soldiers arrested with the suspected accomplished Civilians/Politicians within the country or in the Diaspora supporting and financing the operations.

The Senior security personnel that spoke to us indicated that if the investigators had credible circumstantial or material evidence or a solid essential relationship linking the alleged plotting to their accomplice, the state would have named these people. Those within the country would have gotten rounded up by now, and those in the diaspora would have gotten notice sent to the government within their jurisdiction, as that’s the fundamental objective of conspirators (especially Sankareh)!

He shared the names of activists and politicians within the Gambia and Diaspora, the conspirator accused of supporting and financing the alleged Coup plot they want to catch in their net of conspiracy. He further stated that it’s evident why the investigators are hesitant to allow the release of the names of the alleged accomplishes by observing the prominent names in the list. These people are well-connected and influential. If they are named without solid evidence, not only will the government have a backlash, but the individuals conducting the investigations fear the condemnation. That’s what led to the delay in revealingly the list and holding the Investigations panel in Secret to protect the panellists. He concluded that it’s mainly Sankareh and Sowe that are pushing for the case to continue with the use of the Secret investigation panel, hoping to find a means to manufacture evidence to proceed with their conspiracy!

After Charging the Suspects if the state decides to continue with the Secret investigation panel, ignoring the case of abuse of power abusing the human rights of its citizens by disregarding the due process of investigation and upholding the rule of law for the fair trial of the alleged coup plotter, it will significantly damage our democracy and indicates the state’s desperation to manufacture evidence to convict citizens based on wanting to silence critics or political adversities!

I hope Gambians are watching the political revelation in Senegal on how President Mackey Sall gets on dismantling the Mature Senegalese Democracy, using the executive powers to undermine the independent institution that safeguards justice and the rule of law!

If it can happen in Senegal, how quickly will it succeed in the Gambia?

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Article contributed by SULAYMAN BEN SUWAREH @09/01/2023!