The rice farmers’ president, who was arrested and detained at the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) headquarters in Banjul since 2nd March 2015, has neither been release nor taken before any court of law.
However, the detention of Mr. Gassama without trial and denial of access to family and friends has prompted his colleagues to select a three person delegation to meet with the president of the republic in a bid to secure his release, according to a family source.
The source added that the delegation had already submitted a letter to request for an audience with the head of state on the issue. He said the entire family is appealing to the authorities to help facilitate this meeting of the delegation with the president for him to help in securing the release of their loved one.
Mr. Gassama was elected unopposed as president of the Rice Farmers’ Cooperative Ltd at its Annual General Meeting (AGM) on 5 January 2011.
He was arrested on the day that the staff of the Sheriff Division were in the Lower Fulladu District executing the judgment order delivered by the high court on the 12 January 2015 in their favour as plaintiff (Gassama and his committee) and for the defendants Alhagi Musa Gimbo Trawally and his committee to hand over the assets of the Rice Farmers Cooperative Society Ltd. forthwith to the duly elected executive. The said order also direct the defendants to give a true and proper account of the financial state and assets of the said society and for each of the defendants to refrain from continuing to present themselves as members of the executive or acting in such capacity during the term of the new executive.]]>
