By Sulayman Bah
Two people were on Friday detained and released overthe ongoing Manjai
sports row at the Manjai Police Station, Foroyaa Sport can reveal.The aforesaid duo Abdourahman Bah and Lamin Keita, executives of
Manjai Youth and Sports Development Association (MYDA), brief
detention followed their invitation to the Police Station.
They were summoned to negotiate with the Manjai Sports Committee (MSC)
over control and usage of the community Sports complex with the
nawettan season soon to kick-start.But the proposed talks abruptly stalled ending with Keita and Bah’s detention.
Reasons for the pair’s detention, according to a source close to the
talks comes on the back of their strong suggestion for a formal
agreement to be reached between them, the police and representatives
of the Manjai Sports Committee over the said field.
The MYDA executives were later released on escort of two police
officers to the aforementioned complex where keys of the field –the
main bone of contention – were said to have been confiscated and given
to Baboucarr Ceesay dubbed Maya –MSC’s first vice president – who
later handed it over to Ward councillor Momodou Salieu Manneh.
Present at Friday’s meeting held at the station were KMC sport’s
Bakary Paco Dampha, Baboucarr Ceesay (Maya), Mbaye and SO Alieu Sowe,
according to a source.
Reached for comment Abdourahman president of MYDA confirmed he and his
secretary general’s detention.
On the controversial issue of control of the field including
confiscation of the keys, Bah whose MYDA managed the complex, told
Foroyaa Sport: ‘if they (the Manjai Sports Committee) formally
requested the keys we would have sat down and reached an agreement.
But it appears they are not willing to do that and instead decided to
use force’
Baboucarr Ceesay nicknamed Maya Manjai Sports Committee 1st vice
president and Superintendent Officer Alieu Sowe declined to comment
over the ongoing saga.
Meanwhile, the keys are now with Councillor Manneh but tension between
the two factions remains amid growing concerns that nawettan football
in Manjai may kick-off late.
The Manjai saga began after Manjai Sports Committee (MSC) then a
sub-committee under parent body MYDA decided to break away from the
latter in a recent poll that saw the re-election of Lamin Darboe as
sports committee president.
Darboe has been at logger heads with MYDA whose leadership accused him
of embezzling funds belonging to the committee, deliberately skipping
to attend congress and refusing for his office’s finances to be
audited –charges he refutes.
With intervention of the Kanifing Municipal Council divisional sports
and youth bodies, a congress was convened reportedly at the KM
grounds, different from the usual Manjai complex, in which Lamin
Darboe re-assumed office.
Two people were on Friday detained and released overthe ongoing Manjai
sports row at the Manjai Police Station, Foroyaa Sport can reveal.The aforesaid duo Abdourahman Bah and Lamin Keita, executives of
Manjai Youth and Sports Development Association (MYDA), brief
detention followed their invitation to the Police Station.
They were summoned to negotiate with the Manjai Sports Committee (MSC)
over control and usage of the community Sports complex with the
nawettan season soon to kick-start.But the proposed talks abruptly stalled ending with Keita and Bah’s detention.
Reasons for the pair’s detention, according to a source close to the
talks comes on the back of their strong suggestion for a formal
agreement to be reached between them, the police and representatives
of the Manjai Sports Committee over the said field.
The MYDA executives were later released on escort of two police
officers to the aforementioned complex where keys of the field –the
main bone of contention – were said to have been confiscated and given
to Baboucarr Ceesay dubbed Maya –MSC’s first vice president – who
later handed it over to Ward councillor Momodou Salieu Manneh.
Present at Friday’s meeting held at the station were KMC sport’s
Bakary Paco Dampha, Baboucarr Ceesay (Maya), Mbaye and SO Alieu Sowe,
according to a source.
Reached for comment Abdourahman president of MYDA confirmed he and his
secretary general’s detention.
On the controversial issue of control of the field including
confiscation of the keys, Bah whose MYDA managed the complex, told
Foroyaa Sport: ‘if they (the Manjai Sports Committee) formally
requested the keys we would have sat down and reached an agreement.
But it appears they are not willing to do that and instead decided to
use force’
Baboucarr Ceesay nicknamed Maya Manjai Sports Committee 1st vice
president and Superintendent Officer Alieu Sowe declined to comment
over the ongoing saga.
Meanwhile, the keys are now with Councillor Manneh but tension between
the two factions remains amid growing concerns that nawettan football
in Manjai may kick-off late.
The Manjai saga began after Manjai Sports Committee (MSC) then a
sub-committee under parent body MYDA decided to break away from the
latter in a recent poll that saw the re-election of Lamin Darboe as
sports committee president.
Darboe has been at logger heads with MYDA whose leadership accused him
of embezzling funds belonging to the committee, deliberately skipping
to attend congress and refusing for his office’s finances to be
audited –charges he refutes.
With intervention of the Kanifing Municipal Council divisional sports
and youth bodies, a congress was convened reportedly at the KM
grounds, different from the usual Manjai complex, in which Lamin
Darboe re-assumed office.
