Police Claim to Have Invited Baboucarr Bahoum

By Madi Jobarteh

Finally the Gambia Police announced that they have invited Baboucarr Bahoum for questioning. Interesting!

For years, the The Gambia Police Force sat there comfortably watching one irate guy insulting decent elders and leaders in the country without doing anything. It has to take serious public outcry for the police to have some sense to realize that they have a duty that must be fulfilled.

One wonders whether the sentiments expressed in their release are genuine or fake. Because if they truly believe in the “commitment to safeguarding peace and stability” one wonders why it took them so long to take action against Bahoum. This is a pertinent issue because the Police does not waste time in arresting others.

For example, I was arrested in June 2020 for merely condemning police brutality. I was again arrested in October 2023 for merely saying that the statement Barrow made that he would order the IGP to arrest his critics was delusional. Immediately, the IGP was unhappy with that word, ‘delusional’. Why?

Barrow is an elected official who is a legitimate target for criticism by citizens, fairly or unfairly, pleasantly or unpleasantly. The word, ‘delusional’ is totally within protected speech as envisaged in Section 25 of the Constitution. The word is not an incitement, hatred, defamatory or discriminatory. Certainly, it is not an insult.

But until today, I stand charged for sedition, false publication and incitement to violence combined.

I did not insult any citizen much more a community. I did not threaten any human rights nor did I break any law. But the IGP deployed armed men without uniforms and in tinted pickup truck to invade my house. They physically assaulted my family including my old mother, sister, daughter, nieces and grand children. My daughter sustained a sprained wrist as they forcefully and violently barged into my compound at 7am one Monday morning. (See the pictures).

Since October 2023, after illegally putting me under detention incommunicado, the IGP unlawfully seized my iPhone 13 and my daughter’s phone. The two phones remain in their custody until this moment. Why?

Yet, here is a boy who has been openly and willfully insulting political leaders, community elders and fellow citizens on behalf of Pres. Adama Barrow and the NPP. Is the IGP telling us that he is not aware of that?

My story is the story of many others who are subjected to assault by the police simply because they question, criticize, respond, and condemn the President of the country. A President is a subject of genuine concern and interest for citizens in every country. Why should it be different with the Gambian president?

So, what is the Gambia Police telling us? Are they Barrow’s police or the Gambia Police? Are they tools of oppression or are they protectors of rights of citizens? Are they an incompetent bunch who have no regard for law or are they professionals who are committed to law and justice?

Should a citizen have trust and confidence in the police or not? Let the IGP tell us.

But more seriously and sadly is what this matter tells us about our country and her citizens especially those holding public office. Public office is not only our collective property but also our collective protector and hope. All citizens should be able to depend on public office knowing that it is there for us all – to serve, protect, and provide to all equally.

For that matter, public officials must recognize the immense public trust and confidence in them. They must recognize that the very peace, stability and progress of our society rests squarely on how public officials manage public affairs. This is a huge responsibility.

Thus it is immensely worrying and scary when public officials act unfairly and unjustly towards citizens. The prevailing attitude of our public officials blatantly disregarding the law and ethics is a huge concern. The practice of engaging in selective justice only to go out in the open singing about good cultural norms and values and patriotism is most unfortunate.

One needs to advise the President and his Cabinet to pay attention to their actions and the institutions and officials under their watch. Building roads and bridges alone do not develop a society. Rather, it is even more important that the Government create an environment where there is trust and confidence of all citizens in the Government because public officials are seen to be just, fair, honest and truthful in the way they handle public affairs and public resources.

One need not remind public officials that they are not special, powerful or otherwise. They are not masters but merely public servants. They do not run public office based on their whims and caprices. Rather public office is established by law which defines and provides the functions, powers and procedures for the institutions and officers to act, as well grants them immunities, benefits and privileges to enjoy for their work. Therefore all that public officers need to do is to abide by the law. No more. No less.

We will be watching how the IGP will be dealing with Bahoum. Whether he will be treated like the rest or he will be given a preferential treatment. Time will tell.

For The Gambia Our Homeland