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Gambia: Beriberi Allegedly Kills 40 Prisoners At Mile II Prisons

Mr. Michael Rossel Vante, a British National, who is currently incarcerated at the Mile Two Prison, told the Court on Monday that about 40 prisoners have, so far, died within the last 16 months.

When presiding magistrate Pa Harry Jammeh asked him how long he had been in detention, Mr. Rossel Vante told him that he has spent 4 months in Mile Two Prison. The magistrate asked him why he was still not bailed and in response he said that the friend who was supposed to bail him earlier on could not make it to court and he had no other person to bail him. "Sir I don't want to go to Mile Two, about 40 people died there within 16 months," he complained, adding "the condition there is terrible and I am even suffering from beriberi," he stressed. The magistrate said, "I'm afraid, but you still have to go there until your bail conditions are met". Mr. Rossel Vante was convicted in December last year for defrauding one Baboucarr Dicko of his money on false pretence. He was said to have promised Mr. Dicko that he can ferry him to Europe through a friend who is a captain in a Danish ship in Dakar, Senegal. Mr. Dicko is said to have given him an amount of D70, 000. Earlier on, Mr. Rossel had made a payment of D18, 000. He was granted bail in the sum of D60, 000 with a Gambian senety, but he still cannot meet the bail conditions. He maintained that he does not want his embassy to interfere because the matter is too embarrassing to him.

Magistrate Jammeh, of the Kanifing Magistrates' Court, then adjourned the case until both the prosecution and the complainant, who were absent in court, are available. 1st class constable Kalilu Kinteh was holding brief for 493 Badjie.