BREAKING NEWS: MELVILLE ROBERTS RUBBISHES STANDARD’S “RAPE CHARGE” CLAIM!
In today’s Facebook message to this writer, Mr. Melville Roberts stated as follows:-
“When and where was I charged? Where is the charge sheet? Where is the indictment? I was never charged for any offense in The Gambia”.
As Freedomnewspaper made clear, the “Rape Charge In Absentia” allegation against Mr. Roberts was made by The Standard Newspaper which we linked to the story: https://standard.gm/melville-roberts-sues-govt-for-us500000/
“RAPE CHARGE IN ABSENTIA” – Standard Newspaper.
The Standard being a reputable Gambia-based newspaper owned and managed by a doyen of Gambian journalism (andformer Minister of Information “Baba” Sheriff Bojang, the Standard’s claim that Mr. Melville Roberts has been “charged with rape in absentia” was accepted at face value. We would be very surprised if the Standard would publish such a serious allegation if they were not sure of their facts. On the other hand, it is possible that a “rape charge” was instituted while Mr. Roberts was out of The Gambia – where he still remains; and it is also possible that the charges were filed in secret by the authorities because they may have feared that Mr. Roberts would not return to The Gambia if he knew there were charges against him (even the FBI regularly make secret charges against individuals who are out of jurisdiction – Epstein & Maxwell’s case being an example. Thus, the Standard divulging the “Rape Charge In Absentia” may have done Mr. Roberts a favour!
Mr. Roberts further added:-
“I’d just like to make one thing clear. No amount of negative press against me can harm me because my conscience is always clear. I am not an idiot. And am equally certain that the lawyers representing me are not idiots; neither will they rubbish their reputation. One day soon the truth will be made clear”.
“NEGATIVE PRESS AGAINST ME”.
It has to be stated clearly that it was Mr. Roberts himself who started this cycle of media stories about himself. He publicised the case he filed at Ecowas against The Gambia on his Facebook on the 4th of November. Then he sent the same to Pa Nderry Mbai, the Standard Newspaper and to this writer. Mr. Roberts has to understand that real journalists do not just publish the story sources give them! Real journalists checked out their sources – and analyse the story given to them. Thus, Pa Nderry Mbai actually refused, rightly, to publish Mr. Roberts initial Facebook post sent to him!
In conclusion, Mr. Roberts has had many positive stories about himself in Freedomnewspaper over the last two years– as a simple search on Freedom website will confirm. But if what he wants published involves other people (including in this case The Gambian State), then publishers have to analyse what he wants published carefully. Freedomnewspaper is happy to publish Mr. Roberts assertation that “I was never charged for any offense in The Gambia”. That we accept at face value as being true. But it is in the past tense: “was”! The Standard’s assertation is that the charge was “in absentia” – while Mr. Roberts is out of the country and may not know about it. Mr. Roberts concludes: “One day soon the truth will be made clear”. That is what we hope due process in a court of law will do: clear this young and gifted Gambian of the serious criminal charges against him so that he can pursue his promising career: the alternative is a Shakespearean tragedy of Othellian proportion.
Dida Jallow-Halake,
Notting Hill, UK.