By Sainey M.K. Marenah, Shout-Africa.com Chief Correspondent in the Gambia – The magistrates’ court in Banjul yesterday convicted and sentenced eight foreigners each to 50 years in prison with hard labour, at the end of the multi-million dollar cocaine trial. They were all found guilty of charges of conspiracy to traffic in prohibited drugs, trafficking in drugs, dealing in prohibited drugs, having firearm without authority, importation of firearm without authority, among others. The convicted persons were Ephriam Micheal Chiduben, a Nigerian national, Juan Carlos Sanchez, Eric Bottini, Dose Fermin, Juan Carlos Diaz, and Esteaban Zavala, all Venezuelan nationals, George Sanchez,... Continue Reading
By Peterking Quaye – The Executive Board and Staff of the African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF) extend their heartfelt congratulations to Her Excellency Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, President of the Republic of Liberia; Leymah Gbowee, Executive Director of WIPSEN/Member of the African Women Leaders Network for Reproductive Health and Family Planning (AWLN), and Tawakkul Karman, Human Rights activist, for being joint awardees of the Nobel Peace Prize 2011 for their non-violent struggle for the safety of women and for women’s rights to full participation in peace-building work”. This award is a significant recognition of the efforts that all 3 women have... Continue Reading
On Thursday 13 October, an MSF team suffered an attack in Dadaab, Kenya. One of the MSF drivers, Mohamed Hassan Borle, age 31, was injured during this attack; his medical condition is stable, he is out of danger and remains hospitalised. Two international staff, both Spanish, were taken. As yet, MSF has not been able to establish contact with the two staff taken. A crisis team has been set up to deal with this incident. The two Spanish colleagues abducted are Montserrat Serra, age 40, from Girona (Palafrugell) and Blanca Thiebaut, age 30, from Madrid, both working as logisticians for... Continue Reading
By Shout-Africa Gambia Correspondent – In a boost to bilateral cooperation between Banjul and Washington, the government of The Gambia and the United States of America yesterday signed an agreement on cooperation to suppress illicit transnational maritime activity. Gambian minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr Momodou Tangara, and US ambassador to The Gambia Pamela Ann White appended their signatures on the document on behalf of their respective governments, at a ceremony held at the Laico Atlantic Hotel in Banjul. The agreement, done in recognition of Article 17 of the 1988 United Nations convention against illicit traffic in narcotic drugs and psychotropic... Continue Reading
By Shout-Africa.com Correspondent, Dar es Salaam – The Deputy Minister of Infrastructure in the Tanzanian government of President Jakaya Kikwete, Dr. Harrison Mwakyembe has been flown to India after suffering from a mysterious skin disease that is believed to be an effect of poisonous infection. Dr. Mwakyembe a professional lawyer and former senior lecturer at the University of Dar es Salaam before venturing into politics, is known for his aggressive stance against greedy politicians. Minister Mwakyembe came to the centre stage of politics after he chaired a Parliamentary Select Committee in 2008 that investigated the Richmond scandal, a purported US... Continue Reading
