Abdoulie G. Dibba
Today, October 31 2016, marks 364 days of detention of Imam Cherno Gassama of Dasilami Mosque in Lower Fulladou West District, Central River Region (CRR), without court appearance or any charge preferred against him, a family source informed this reporter yesterday October 30.
It was reported earlier that Imam Gassama was arrested on Monday, 2 November, 2015 at his residence by agents of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) who were accompanied by a police officer from the Brikamaba police station.
According to the family source, upon arrival at the police station, he was detained briefly before he was finally taken to Janjangbureh prison on the same day where he is still being detained for 364 days as of today.
“We are not told or aware of the reason(s) for the arrest and long detention of the Imam without charge or court appearance,” said the family source.
The family of the Imam is appealing to the authorities to release their loved one as they are worried on his state of health in detention.
Imam Gassama’s detention is in violation of Section 19 Subsection (3) (b) of the Constitution of the second republic which states that “Any person who is arrested or detained… who is not released, shall be brought without undue delay before a court and, in any event, within seventy-two hours”.
