Recent happenings require the public to be sensitized on where the responsibility of a political party starts and stops and where the responsibility of a state starts and stops, on the issue of crime.
A political party is a mass association of people from different regions, religions, sexes, ethno- linguistic groups, social backgrounds with diverse personalities and interests.
It is the duty of a political party to put up candidates for elections and have them manage the affairs of the state on behalf of all citizens and other stakeholders in the Gambia.
Political parties have no police force to oversee the observance of law to prevent crime or apprehend those suspected of breaking the law.
The state is responsible for creating the agencies that should oversee the observance of the law to prevent crime or apprehend those suspected of breaking the law.
Hence once a person is in the hands of law enforcement agents his ethno-linguistic origin, gender status, place of birth, religious and party affiliation should not be made reference to unless the status is material to the crime.
Any person who has problem with the law should be allowed to put up his or her defence and should not be subjected to any adverse reports that may prejudice his or her case.
