Baby Aisha is Jammeh's youngest victim |
We'll recall that Kaddy Fatty was arrested by Jammeh's paramilitary agents on April 16th while on her way home after attending her husband's court hearing in Banjul.
She was forced out of the public transport she was riding in simply because she was suspected to be an opposition supporter following a sweep of protesters demanding electoral reforms that led to the death of Solo Sandeng and the arrest of numerous opposition leaders.
Mrs. Fatty was arrested, severely beaten and held in custody at the paramilitary headquarters in Kanifing. Her baby, at the time, was only 4-week old, when she was held together with her mother and both were subsequently jailed at the notorious Mile II prisons becoming Jammeh's youngest victim.
Mrs. Fatty was charged together with others for rioting, incitement of violence and host of other bogus charges. Her arraignment took place in Banjul and we have now learned that her case is being transferred to Basse for no rational reason except to deny her legal representation and support from family and friends. Her husband is also facing similar charges in a Banjul court.
Separating Mrs. Fatty and her now 3-month old baby from her husband and family is inhumane and callous. Basse is 375 kilometers from Banjul where she was arrested, raising jurisdictional issues. Banishing her and her 3-month old to the end of the Gambia is inhumane and callous and a demonstration of the vicious and vindictive nature of Jammeh's regime.
We have been informed that Mrs. Fatty will lose her legal representation that was being offered by the Female Lawyer's Association of The Gambia (FLAG) on a pro bono basis because FLAG lawyers cannot leave Banjul and travel the 375 Km distance to defend her court. The regime's decision is a miscarriage of justice which we strongly condemn.