By: Alieu Ceesay
Tensions flared in the capital as 27 members of the Gambians Against Looted Assets (GALA) were arrested by the Gambia Police Force’s Intervention Unit (PIU) during a protest demanding transparency over the sale of former President Yahya Jammeh’s looted assets. The demonstration, sparked by a report from The Republic exposing the asset sales, sought accountability from the Ministry of Justice, including disclosing buyers, proceeds, and asset details.
The arrests began at the “Never Again” Arch 22, where the first group of protesters, including Alagie Mamadi Kurang, Omar Saibo Camara, Ousainou Gambia, Bob Keita, Kexx Sanneh, and Sheriffo Sonko, were detained and taken to Banjul Police Station. A second group of demonstrators quickly gathered at the same site, taking up a petition letter meant initially for the Attorney General’s Office. Their resolve was clear, with Fallu Galaxy Ceesay declaring to the media, “We are willing to fight against corruption,” moments before his arrest alongside Alieu Bah.
“They charged us with unlawful assembly, which we denied,” Sonko Gambia told reporters, defiance in his voice as he recounted the arrests.
The detained protesters were later transferred from Banjul Police Station to the PIU headquarters in Kanifing.
Four police vehicles, carrying armed officers, escorted them to various stations, including Brusubi, where authorities barred journalists from access. “Don’t pass; we’re instructed to let no journalists through,” one officer told The Alkamba Times (TAT), enforcing a no-access zone around the station.
Despite the crackdown, the protesters’ message resonated. Kemeseng Sanneh, speaking from a police van en route to Kanifing, told TAT, “It is time to free our country. We have to come out to take our country back. This is just the beginning.” His words captured the movement’s determination to challenge what they see as systemic corruption and secrecy.
GALA’s formation reflects growing public frustration over handling Jammeh’s looted assets, a legacy of his 22-year rule marked by widespread embezzlement. The group’s demands for transparency strike at the heart of public distrust in the government’s management of recovered wealth. The protest, though disrupted, has amplified calls for accountability, with the second group of demonstrators vowing to deliver the petition and continue the fight.
The heavy-handed response from the police has drawn scrutiny, raising questions about freedom of assembly and press rights in Gambia. The arrests and attacks on journalists signal a troubling escalation, testing the country’s democratic credentials nearly a decade after Jammeh’s ouster. As the detained protesters await their fate, the nation watches closely, with GALA’s rallying cry echoing beyond Banjul’s streets.
The 27 remain in custody, and their protest could ignite broader unrest. The government faces mounting pressure to address GALA’s demands and restore faith in its commitment to justice. Whether this marks the beginning of a larger movement or a fleeting outcry depends on the response from authorities and the resilience of those willing to risk arrest for transparency. In Kemeseng Sanneh’s words, this is only the start.
Meanwhile, the scene turned chaotic as journalists covering the protest faced aggression. Several were attacked, and some were illegally detained at Banjul Police Station while carrying out their duties. The confrontation between security forces and protesters, including those showing solidarity, exposed troubling conduct by the Gambia Police Force. An institution tasked with protecting citizens stood accused of abuse and unprofessionalism, drawing condemnation from onlookers.
The Gambia Press Union (GPU) expressed concerns over the arrest of two journalists and an attempt to arrest a third while covering a protest organised by a group of activists known as Gambians Against Looted Assets (GALA).
The journalists, including Sheriff Conteh of In-depth Media and Alieu Ceesay of Alkamba Times, were arrested in Banjul on Thursday as they covered the peaceful protest.
The APP-Sobeyaa Political Party, led by Essa Faal and Banjul-based Edward Francis Small Centre for Rights and Justice, all condemn the crackdown on the protesters and call for thier immediate release.
The Alkamba Times Editorial team also issued a statement following the arrest of Alieu Ceesay. “Alieu Ceesay was unjustly detained while documenting a peaceful protest calling for transparency and accountability regarding the sale of former President Yahya Jammeh’s looted assets. While we note his subsequent release without charges, we view this incident as a deliberate attempt to suppress journalistic freedom and obstruct the public’s right to information,’ the publication said in a statement.
