As singers of Islamic verses follow the President throughout his tour, Imam Sheikh Omar Colley, Imam Cherno Gassama and Alhaji Ousman Sawaneh are still held incommunicado without access to family and friends.
What is their crime? Why have they not been arraigned before a court within 72 hours, if they are suspects? Why detain a person who would have been presumed to be innocent even if he was charged with a crime?A prison is not a detention Centre.
Foroyaa will explain the process that must be followed for a person to either become a remanded prisoner or a convicted one. There is no provision for a detainee in prison without court order except under a state of emergency. Even then, there is a limit to detention without hearing before a tribunal.
The detention of the imams in particular and that of other detainees in general without trial for more than 72 hours is arbitrary and unlawful and amounts to inhuman and degrading treatment. There is need to redress the situation. The families are traumatised enough and need to be rescued from their frustrations.
