Abdoulie G. Dibba
Family Members of Imam Cherno Gassama of Dasilami informed this reporter yesterday that they still are denied access to him after being detained incommunicado for 15 days.
Imam Cherno Gassama is the Imam of Darsilami Mosque in the Lower Fulladou West District, Central River Region of Gambia.
He was arrested on Monday 2 November 2015 at his residence by a personnel of the National Intelligence Agency accompanied by a police officer at Brikamaba Police Station.
Family members had indicated earlier that when the Imam was arrested, he was detained briefly at the Brikamaba Police Station before the finally took him to Janjanbureh Central Prison on the same day.
However, they later said during the first visit of Janjanbureh Central Prison by some members of the family, they were told that Imam is being detained there but they were not allowed to see him at that material time.
“To our disappointment, when the family members returned the following day, they were told that the Imam is no longer with them,” stated the family source.
They expressed concern for his health condition and not being able to take clothes and toiletries for him. They further said the entire family is appealing to the authorities to allow them access to their loved one since they could not tell why he was arrested and detained.
Section 19 Subsection (3)(b) of the Constitution 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”.
