Monday, September 28, 2015

"Protocol girls" or sex slaves in Gambia's State House

Mrs. Zeinab Jammeh 
Dictator Yaya Jammeh


















They were ten in number, the so-called "protocol girls" posted at State House at the direction of the Gambian dictator, Yaya Jammeh.  Their standard job description is to provide normal protocol service to official visitors at the official residence of the head of state.  In actuality, they are there to serve one person and one person only - the Gambian dictator, Yaya Jammeh.

Who are these "protocol girls"?  They are Gambians between the ages of 16 and 25 years who are lured into the dictator's harem by female prostitutes, who are, themselves, part of an intricate prostitution ring all in the name of to satisfy the huge sexual appetite of a tyrant who preys on the very young and vulnerable section of Gambian society.

These girls are victims of a criminal syndicate created, maintained and operated for the singular purpose of satisfying the sexual urges of a single individual who will use the state security machinery and the judiciary, as we will see in this particular instance, to ensure the total and unfettered sexual pleasure of Yaya Jammeh.

These "protocol girls" are recruited through an elaborate system of a state-sponsored national beauty pageantry where beautiful young children are "selected" using the school/educational system under the supervision of the Minister of Basic Education and other education authorities.  The national search culminates in a national pageant contest held in the dictator's home village of Kanilai with government officials, including the country's Vice President, Isatou Njie-Saidy, a woman, the Minister of Basic Education, Fatou Lamin Faye, another woman, the Minister of Interior, the country's prolific torturer of the regime.

Jammeh uses the educational system as official cover to justify the use of state funds to finance what is essentially a non-educational activity that has the sole purpose of feeding the sexual industry built to satisfy the dictator.

Many of the "protocol girls" are products of these beauty pageant shows that have become an industry in themselves that end up at State House, as protocol officers with no job experience of any kind.  In fact, the only qualification appears to be their beauty and physical endowments which explains why every applicant must include full length photos of different poses to ensure all bases are covered before the employer makes his final selection of a new batch of protocol officers.

Two protocol girls have since fled The Gambia and a third is reportedly on her way to safety and away from the sexual predator.  When one of the victims was asked what was her job description as a "protocol officer",her response was "to satisfy the sexual pleasure of the president." These girls are housed in the State House, and one has her parents housed close to the president's official residence.

Jammeh's victims are not only limited to the "protocol girls".  The boy friends of these girls are sometimes victims as well.  In the case of Alhagie Abdoulie Ceesay, the radio journalists, who is facing six sedition charges and one count of publishing false information, is a case in point.  He was the boyfriend of one of the young women who have since fled and who was recruited as a principal prosecution witness to testify against him.

Boyfriends are victims as well.  When Alhagie Abdoulie Ceesay was in court and watching his girlfriend concocting a story that was obviously a lie, she turned to Director of Public Prosecution and said her conscience will not allow her to continue lying against someone she knew was innocent, Mr. S.H. Barkum responded "remember, this is a State matter."

In short, the DPP was encouraging her to continue to lie to Judge Mohammed D. A. Balarabe who was recruited to the very position he now occupies in judgement of Alhagie Abdoulie Ceesay.  Both S.H.Barkum and Judge Mohammed Balarabe are unfit to occupy their respective position and should resign honorably and leave The Gambia.

The Federal Judicial Commission of Nigeria has been notified of the role of these two Nigerians in the dictatorship of Yaya Jammeh.    They are helping the brutal, corrupt and incompetent regime perpetuate itself at the expense of ordinary citizens who are being tortured, murdered, executed extra-judicially, exiled and made to disappear.  They must stop collaborating with the only remaining military dictatorship in ECOWAS.

An apology : We have decided to pulled the two photos down after a strong reaction from a reader in Banjul even though the photos have been in circulation previously.  Since the individuals in question are victims, we should not be seen to be further victimizing them.  Our sincere apologies to them and their families and friends.