By Abdoulie John
The Gambia’s Information Minister has refuted reports that a ‘trade union’ leader was “allegedly killed by [government] intelligence agents.”
“There is a concerted campaign of calumny waged against The Gambia and the Gambia Government by Western media and their acolytes,” Sheriff Bojang told Agence France-Presse (AFP). “Even when a stray donkey dies on an island in mid-Gambia, they will try to out-clamour each other in saying it is killed by the government.”
Mr. Bojang’s rebuff came on the heels of reports by Reuters News Agency last week, blaming the mysterious death of Sheriff Dibba, the former Secretary General of the Gambia National Transport Control Association, on torture and beating meted out on him by agents of the National Intelligence Agency. Mr. Dibba died on February 21 while in state custody. His death followed his arrest and subsequent detention last month.
Mr. Dibba’s death news gained worldwide traction, with the Director General of the International Labour Organisation expressing “deep concern” and urged Gambian authorities to carry out an independent inquiry into the circumstances of Sheriff Dibba’s tragic death.
As the Information Minister, it is Sheriff Bojang’s duty to do the cleanup. And in his reaction, Bojang provides a lecture on journalism. “The last time I checked, journalism was about facts, facts and facts and not about reporters playing to stereotypes and writing whatever lies suits their fancy… or filling one’s article with spurious claims from so-called anonymous sources that cannot be held up to the light of truth.”
He disputed reports that Mr. Dibba and the GNTCA leadership were picked up and detained by NIA. “They were arrested by the police, arraigned and the court ordered them remanded. They were held at the Banjul police headquarters and never remanded at Mile 2. And while in detention, they were never beaten or tortured.”
Minister Bojang described the deceased as a middle-aged man in apparent poor health who complained of being ill on February 20th. Accompanied by the police and relatives, Mr. Bojang added, Dibba walked himself to the to the Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital. “He was diagnosed with uncomplicated malaria and hypertension and after four hours of treatment, was considered asymptomatic and discharged,” Bojang said.
“The following day, when his illness took a turn for the worse, he was rushed to the Sharab Medical Centre, Kanifing and died shortly after. On 23rd February, a post-mortem examination was carried out on his body and it was established that the cause of death was Ischemic Heart Disease or coronary artery disease, a condition that affects the supply of blood to the heart as the blood vessels are narrowed or blocked due to the deposition of cholesterol on their walls. The examination also revealed that he had a host of other ailments including severe lung and liver congestion.”
“Basically, contrary to the media reports, both the private doctor and the pathologist who examined him before and after death indicated that there was no evidence of external or internal injury on his body. In fact, his medical reports indicated that he’s been diabetic and hypertensive and has been requiring clinical attention for a while.”
Sheriff Bojang, once a darling journalist, blamed reporters for “webbing together false information and opinions and stitched them as facts” instead of “digging up the facts.”
Mr. Bojang declined to comment on the trial of the GNTCA leaders. “I cannot possibly comment of the merits or otherwise of an ongoing litigation. That would be sub-judice,” he said.
Ends
What “sinister” Bojang did not do is put out a timely press release immediately after the death of Mr. Dibba to state the FACTS. Like his rude boss, they feel too proud and above the taxpayers lives of the country whose monies feed them like stray donkeys in the bushes of Kanilai to come up with timely informations of national concerns.
Now that the international community start asking questions this about their member’s death, this stray moth like his arrogant master want us to ask the death what killed him?
The world is three days said his monkey boss….21 years ago and sinister Bojang did not listen.
Minister Sherriff Bojang is a pathological liar hired to spin for the dying regime . Minister Bojang has even indicted the Dictator Jammeh’s regime for killing of mr Dibba when he said that ” mr Dibba was diagnosed with uncomplicated malaria and hypertension and after four hours of treatment , was considered asymptomatic and discharged ” . He went to state that mr Dibba died of ischemic heart disease or coronary artery disease and the examination revealed that he had a host of other ailments including severe lung and liver congestion . Mr Bojang also indicated that mr Dibba was seen by a pathologist and his medical reports showed that he’s been diabetic and hypertensive and has been requiring clinical attention for a while .
From mr Pathological liar Bojang’s statement , it can be conclude that mr Dibba had complex medical history which needed urgent and great care and shouldn’t have been discharged to mile two prison . How comes the Doctors refused to admit him since he had diabetic and hypertension which require clinical attention for a while ? Mr Bojang stop lying to Gambian people , your son who was born recently need you as father in his life just like Mr Dibba’s children and family need him in their lives . The mere fact that Doctors refused to admit him for further treatment is an indication that the state and the Doctors are total responsible for his death . Mr Dibba was in the state custody and the state failed to give him necessary care to save his life . Based on the lies spread by minister Bojang , the state and the Doctors never took any medical interventions such as MRI ,CT scan , ECG , EKG or even simple Chest X-Ray and blood works which includes CBC (complete blood count ) or Basic metabolic panel (BMP) to find out what was wrong with Mr Dibba even when mr Bojang claimed that mr Dibba had hypertension ( HTN) or Diabetic . A simple Chest X-Ray would have helped the doctors to find out how severe his lung disease was . A magnetic Resonance imaging ( MRI) test would have helped the cardiologist or even general medicine Doctors to know the ischemic heart Disease which mr Pathological liar claimed to have been the cause of his death . A CT scan would help the Doctors knows any blockage or deposit of so called cholesterol in the arteries which mr Pathological liar claimed to have been the cause of death . Basic metabolic panel test would have help to find out seriousness of diabetic , hypertension or even functioning of the kidneys . These are necessary tests which could signal complexity of medical conditions , thereby allow the Doctors to make an important decision to save mr Dibba’s life. Some of these tests such as CBC and BMP are simple which can be done in a lab , and provide vital answers to mr Dibba’s condition. Therefore , failure to carry out these necessary medical interventions resulted to his death . In a civilized society , those Doctors who have attended mr Dibba would have been speaking up to defend themselves because mr pathological liar Bojang have accused them of negligence by his assertion that mr Dibba died of ischemic heart disease which they should have detected if they do their job right . Many questions which will be raised that includes ” why did they missed to see his complex medical problems ?” , what interventions did they carry out to find out what was his problems ? And so many other questions . But it is Gambia, Dictator Jammeh and his liars are not even intelligent enough to give a brilliant lie . They are criminals with weapons to kill people .
Even if mr Dibba was not tortured which every honest person believe he was , he died in state custody as a result of violations of his rights to have adequate and necessary medical care or interventions . Therefore , minister pathological liar Bojang should be aware that those who are intelligent knows he is simply lying to spin for the Dictator . Mr Bojang , remember that what had happened to mr Dibba can happen to you or your immediate family member . I hope you put that in narrow and selfish mind . One day you will join mr Dibba. I pray that The Almighty God give the fortitude and strength to mr Dibba’s family to bear the irreplaceable lost .
Mr. Bojang, you are very arrogant and a rude individual. An innocent person was killed by the brutal regime and you are not even ashamed coming in front of everybody trying to defend the regime. I will love to see you prosecuted and jailed after the down of Dictator Yaya Jammeh. The regime has killed so many people including Koro Ceesay, Daba Marenah, Baba Jobe, Deyda Hydara to name few. Can you tell us how these people are killed or who killed them other than Yaya Jammeh? You are a pathological liar but your day is coming soon Mr. Bojang.
I am also astonished by the art of damage control tricks being employed by Mr. Bojang. But he has a mammoth task ahead of himself, because after all, his reputation and that of the regime, is battered beyond repair – around the world.
BTW, this is not a person of “blurred” background, spreading hatred and disdain against fellow citizens, and showing no respect for the death of an innocent person, who was only doing his job, as boss of the transport union..
Gambians should understand that evil behaviour has got little connection to background, whether “blurred” or not and we must be honest to acknowledge that, collectively, we are responsible for everything that is happening in our country today.