Courtesy of Foroyaa Newspaper (Serrekunda),: The NIA officer (name withheld) testifying in the sedition trial of journalist Fatou Jaw Manneh has said that President Jammeh is not somebody who totally lacks direction. He was responding to the article alleged to be an interview with Fatou Jaw Manneh, while in U.S.A.

He said that he had seen the said article on the Freedom online newspaper. He said that the accused person was a subscriber to that online newspaper. He noted that the Freedom Newspaper is owned by a Gambian based in the United States. He added that the article was published on 23rd October 2005 and that he saw the article in the first week of its publication. He asserted that he saw the said article on the internet on many occasions and that many people could have also read it on the net. He stressed that the internet is for universal coverage and that it does not go directly to anybody but to the whole world. At this point, he was asked by the state counsel E. O Fagbenle to read paragraph three of the said article. He read as thus: "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 and economical. Worst of all he is a bundle of terror." Continuing, the witness opined that Jammeh became president in 1994 and was elected to office on term-basis but he (the witness) did not know any act of betrayal done by Jammeh. He opined that he could not say from 1994 to date where Jammeh has torn our country into shreds. He added that he did not know of any issue or fact where Jammeh has been a thorn in every issue that leads to progress in The Gambia, be it social, political or economic. "I do not know of any fact or incident where Jammeh could be branded as a bundle of terror." He said in his opinion those allegations are not true. He said when he read that article, he felt very bad. The accusations labelled against the President is not true," he said. The state counsel asked him to read out paragraph four on the same article. He read it thus: "If you look around in The Gambia, particularly at the conditions people lived in, you will see what I mean; that Gambians are desperately in need of an alternative to this egoistic frosty Imam of APRC Jammeh is full of energy and totally lacks direction, all he needs is to come clear to the Gambian people that he has failed us all miserably; that he will be doing everything to revitalise his promises to The Gambian people, excuse his ten years in officer rather than forcing us to like him or forcing us to recognise the developments that do not exist."

The witness stated that his opinion is that President Jammeh is not an egoistic frosty Imam of APRC and that since 1994 he does not know of any negative energy of him. "President Jammeh did not totally lack direction and did not fail Gambians miserably" he opined. He never forced anybody to like him but what can force Gambians to like him is that he is development oriented, that anybody who sees that will like him" he said. He opined that, Jammeh brought many developments in The Gambia, such as university, good road networks, new airport building, numerous hospitals, numerous schools, from lower to upper levels. He also opined that earning capacity of Gambians has increased between 1994 to date. He said that there are street lights which were not there before, adding "I did not agree with the accused person's comments on the article and as far as I know they are not true. The NIA officer concluded that there are three (3) arms of The Gambia government that is the executive, judiciary and legislature. He said that members of the legislature are elected through elections or by nomination. He added that such procedures are contained in the Constitution of The Gambia. "The constitution is a legal and a public document," he said.

During cross examination by defence counsel Lamin Jobarteh, the witness indicated that he is an O'level product with six grades, adding that he has a certificate and will be in a position to produce it in court if necessary. He said that he graduated in 1995 and joined the NIA in 2003. Jobarteh asked him whether he had travelled from Banjul to Koina and seen the state of the development there. The witness replied that he never travelled beyond Basse and may not know the state of development beyond that. Jobarteh asked him about the state of the road between Barra and Amdalai and whether there is any electricity there. He said that there was no electricity but that in his opinion the road condition there is as good as between Banjul and Serrekunda. "I'm putting it to you that, the road between Barra and Amdalai is as bad as the road between Mandinaba and Soma and that you are not telling the truth," said Jobarteh. He replied, "I'm speaking the truth and that the road is not as bad as that." "Can you define the word frosty, asked Jobarteh. The NIA officer replied "No." At that juncture the case was adjourned till Friday 4th May 2007. The case was heard at Kanifing Magistrates' Court, presided over by Magistrate Buba Jawo.