By Mustapha Jallow
Information has been received from a close colleague of Ousman Jammeh, the ex-deputy minister of agriculture, that the former cabinet member was removed from the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) after 91 days of incommunicado detention and taken to the central prison at Mile Two.
According to the source, Mr Jammeh has now spent 130 days in detention without charge or access to his family or lawyer.
He said they have made several unsuccessful attempts to meet him at the prison as the authorities would not allow them to see him.
The source said no reason was given as to why Mr Jammeh is being held incommunicado and not released.
“His family is really worried about his state of health and they are urging the authorities to allow them access and facilitate the release of their loved one from custody,” said the source.
It was earlier reported that Mr Jammeh was removed from his cabinet position as deputy minister of agriculture and immediately arrested by men in civilian clothes on Thursday, 15 October, 2015.
His detention for more than 72 hours contravenes section 19 of the Second Republic’s Constitution (1997) which states that “Any person who is arrested or detained… who is not released, shall be brought without undue delay before a court of law and, in any event, within 72 hours.”