The Gunjur trio on the legal hook for incitement of violence, trespass and destruction of property have been ordered to report back to Brikama police on May 30, 2018.
Photo: Lamin Jassey, Ousman Sanneh and Omar Darboe (Photo credit: Omar AJ Saho)
The trio, Omar NK Darboe, Ousman Sanneh and Lamin Jassey, together with Alhagie Kaku Bojang were earlier invited for questioning at Gunjur Police in connection with the removal of the Golden Lead waste pipeline discharging factory waste into the sea. They were subsequently charged on three counts of incitement of violence, trespass and destruction of property to the dismay of many environmental and rights activists.
Reacting to the news of the invitation to Gunjur police and charging of the Gunjur youths, Madi Jobarteh, a human rights activist lamented:
“The news that three Gunjur youths are charged with incitement to violence, criminal trespass and conspiracy to commit crime is indeed outrageous and the charges are totally and wholly bogus and must be dropped.”
Mr Jobarteh called on the government of the Gambia to drop all charges against the youths as it is their right to protect what belongs to them peacefully, saying:
“The beach in Gunjur is the birth right of the people of Gunjur for which they have a legal and moral obligation to protect. Hence when youths notice certain actors and their activities endangering the beach, the youth have a duty to stand up to protect the beach and that is their fundamental right and duty.”
Also weighing on the charging of the Gunjur youths, Omar A J Saho demanded:
“We hereby calling on the Gambia government to jealously safeguard the rights of these environmental advocates, and drop all charges against them.
These youths are standing up for ensuring a safe, healthy, and ecologically balanced environment, and the government is obliged to protect them. Criminalizing and putting trumped-up charges on them is a failure in our quest for sustainable development. I hereby call on the government to further strengthen its commitment on environmental protection in the country, and as well address the "Root causes" of all these environmental problems in the country.”