Gambia police launch investigations into Conduct of PIU officers

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ASP Lamin Njie, Gambia Police Force Spokesperson

The Gambia police force has announced the launch of investigations into the conduct of two of PIU officers from the paramilitary unit after an online video emerged late Tuesday showing officers celebrating cracking down on opposition supporters who gathered at the UDP leader’s residence on Monday.

The video that went viral barely 24 hours after its posting online has generated angry reactions from Gambians who are demanding immediate probes into the conduct of PIU officers. 

“The police management is aware of the video and have commenced an investigation into the conduct of the officers through the human rights and professional standards unit… appropriate actions will follow in due course,” Police spokesman, ASP lamin NJIE told Alkamba Times Wednesday afternoon.

One of officers implicated in the video was heard saying ‘we are very happy today man… you can see gases flooding everywhere and we need more’

His statement outlines events on Monday and reaction by the police intervention unit, which teargassed crowds across main city centres in the metropolis to disperse scores of people who blocked roads to protest dissatisfaction with elections that ended with the incumbent winning more than 50 percent of the vote.

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Mr. Sainey M.K. Marenah is a Prominent Gambian journalist, founding editor The Alkamba Times and formerly head of communications at the Constitutional Review Commission (CRC) and Communications and PR Consultant for The Gambia Pilot Program, under Gamworks. Mr. Marenah served as the Social media Strategist and Editor at Gambia Radio and Television Services. He is also the Banjul Correspondent for Voice of America Radio. Sainey is a human rights and developmental journalist who has carved a strong niche particularly in new media environments in the Gambian media industry. Mr. Marenah began his career as a junior reporter with the Point Newspaper in the Gambia in 2008 and rose through the ranks to become Chief correspondent before moving to The Standard Newspaper also in Banjul as Editorial Assistant and head of News. He is a household name in the Gambia’s media industry having covered some of the most important stories in the former and current government. These include the high profile treason cases including the Trial of Former military chiefs in Banjul in 2009 to 2012. Following his arrest and imprisonment by the former regime of President, Yahya Jammeh in 2014, Marenah moved to Dakar Senegal where he continues to practice Journalism freelancing for various local and international Media organization’s including the BBC, Al-Jazeera, VOA, and ZDF TV in Germany among others. He is the co-Founder of the Banjul Based Media Center for Research and Development; an institution specialized in research and development undertakings. As a journalist and Communication Expert, focused on supporting the Gambia's transitional process, Mr Marenah continues to play a pivotal role in shaping a viable media and communications platform that engages necessary tools and action to increase civic participation and awareness of the needs of transitional governance to strengthen the current move towards democratization. Mr. Marenah has traveled extensively as a professional journalist in both Europe, Africa and United States and attended several local and international media trainings.

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