Gainako Newspaper

" Amidst the plethora of rites that followed, Rafiki explained how during his sojournment in the wilderness he had
dwell in the realm of higher human consciousness and had met and paid tribute to all the saints past and present
that had ever visited this region. How he battled evil for forty days and forty nights. How in the same matrix he
had received revelations to migrate and start a new community in this location. Mesmerize the family could not
help but noticed the large following he now commands, the aura of mystical reverenced that surrounds him and
the sudden realization that the boy that once hailed from their bosom has finally become a man, a wise man, a
great -Karamoko. "

Basse Santa Su The Gambia, 7 years old Rafiki sat outside playing with his siblings.
As if by some cosmic aberration in space time continuum he saw the unfolding of
horrific accident in Mansa Konko 150 miles away. He screamed and ran inside his
mother’s room sobbing “Kaw!”, “Kaw!” (-word for uncle in the Fulani dialect). His
mother perplex and bewildered by this action came outside to investigate, Finding
nothing unusual she rushed back inside the house to find his son sprawled on the floor
in a trance like state, sobbing in a convulsive frenzy. She picked him and put him on her shoulder until
he felt asleep. Two days later word reached the family that Kaw Gando has drowned while crossing a
river in Mansa Konko.

When he was a teenager Rafiki was becoming a budding mathematician. Though with no formal school
training, He was extremely good with numbers. He used a method of counting numbers that his friends
used to call "Rafiki’s strange Numbers”. He was counting in this manner 3,5,7,11,13,………1097.
While these numbers today are recognized to be prime numbers, legend has it Rafiki used to recite
these numbers as if reading them from memory or an invisible board. Some have even postulated that
maybe he may have developed a secret and unique method of producing prime numbers without the
use of algebra as formal tool. Others went even further to speculate that may be he had solved
Fermat’s last theorem, a problem that have baffled mathematician since the renaissance. His friends
and family once asked him about the essence of these numbers especially the larger prime values. He
replied that these numbers represents the secrets of the universe and that even his own evolution is
embeded in these numbers.

In his community that primarily engages in maintaining large cattle herds, Rafiki is well known for his
uncanny ability to retrieved cattle that have gone astray. He seems to possess a sixth sense in these
matters as if by Global Position System (GPS) he will lead people straight to the location of the strayed
herd. He once remarked that “If only you listen, you will hear them“. In the summer Rafiki like most
boys of his age used to go to forest to fetched firewood for the family to cook. He was always at ease
in the forest. While most boys at his age get scared, Rafiki seems to have a natural affinity to these
woods. He would occasionally go to the woods at night to find some remedial herbs that is used to
cure some unique illnesses. The community came to depend on this service.

At 17 years old Rafiki began to exhibit new prowess. He would pluck a leaf from any tree chewed it to
pulp in front of everyone. Spit it on his hands, rubbed them together and Viola! Produce a crisp five
dalasi note or ten dalasi note. Occasionally he could produce foreign currency note. Friends and family
would beg him to make them rich. He would decline, citing that to do so will be to allow them to
wallow in sin. On few occasions while sitting with friends and family he would point to a tree and tell
the total number of leaves in the tree.

At age 23, Rafiki suddenly disappears. Some thought he went into seclusion. Others speculated that he
had gone mad and probably dead in the forest somewhere. A few soothsayers consulted reported that
he was abducted by aliens and will eventually return. (A commont theory in The Gambia about missing
people) During his absence rumors were rife as to his whereabouts. After 17 years word began to
trickle that a holy man in northern part of Senegal bears an uncanny resemblance to Rafiki. Family
members organize a trip to investigate and were shocked to discover that this revered man who is
simply address as “Karamoko” is indeed their long lost relative. Asked why by his family he simply
replied that “God works in mysterious ways”

Subsequent days later, amidst the plethora of rites that followed, Rafiki explained how during his
sojournment in the wilderness he had dwell in the realm of higher human consciousness and had met
and paid tribute to all the saints past and present that had ever visited this region. How he battled evil
for forty days and forty nights. How in the same matrix he had received revelations to migrate and start
a new community in this location. Mesmerize the family could not help but noticed the large following
he now commands, the aura of mystical reverenced that surrounds him and the sudden realization that
the boy that once hailed from their bosom has finally become a man, a wise man, a great -Karamoko.

Momodou Laama Jallow
North Carolina, USA
E-mail: eliyasou@yahoo.com

.........KASSA JATTA & CO TRIAL
.......ASP SAWANEH TESTIFIES IN COURT
.........................................By Fabakary B. Ceesay.....................Posted March 7th, 2007

Assistant Superintendent of Police Sawaneh, who was the Station Officer at Bakau Police Station, has
testified in the criminal case of Dudu Kassa Jaata and seven (7) others at the Kanifing Magistrates'
Court presided over by Magistrate Abdoulie Mbackeh

ASP Sawaneh told the court that on the 27 th June 2006, he received a complaint from one Fatou
Badjie and some APRC agents who were conducting a voter registration exercise at Bakau
Bantankoto. According to him, they complained that Ousman Jatta insulted and abused them at the
registration centre. He said that based on that complaint, Ousman Jatta was invited to the police station
and he came; that Mr. Jatta was confronted with the complaint and was cautioned, charged and
detained. ASP Sawaneh told the court that Dudou Kassa, later led a group of people who came to the
police station and obstructed the police from doing their duties. He said that while in the process of
transferring Ousman Jatta to Banjul Police Station they were being obstructed by Kassa and team; that
he could recognise one Lamin Jatta and Kassa among those who surrounded the police vehicle to stop
Ousman Jatta being transferred to Banjul; that they were also shouting and insulting but that the insults
were open and not directed to anyone. He said that later, he and his men had tried to arrest them, but
in vain. ASP Sawaneh explained that later that evening, one Sam Dubois, Sirreh Jammeh and her
mother, Binta Njie came to the station with an iron bar and lodged a complaint against certain
individuals; that Sam Dubois complained that one Cherno Ndure, Mariama Fatty, Lamin Jassey and
Mambarama Jatta came to his compound gate and were insulting him and his family; that Sirreh
Jammeh complained that while she was at the registration centre, Cherno Ndure came with a group of
people and that the said Cherno attempted to hit her with an iron bar, but fortunately her(Sirreh)
mother Binta Njie held the iron bar.

ASP Sawaneh said that the complaints were registered. The iron bar was marked as an exhibit; that
they later pursued the arrest of the accused persons but it was not possible. Going further with his
testimony, ASP Sawaneh told the court that on the 1 st August, 2006 the police chief of operations,
Inspector Landing Bojang and his batch of men from the Police Intervention Unit (PIU) came to Bakau
Police Station to help them arrest the accused persons; that it was around 9pm when officers led by
detective constable Abdoulie Manneh left for Jatta Kunda to effect the arrest of one Mariama Fatty but
instead a wrong person, by the name Nyima Manneh, was arrested and taken to the station; that when
it was realised that a wrong person was arrested, they then apologised to the victim and then released
her. He said that later on, Dudu Kassa Jaata led a group of people to the station in a violent manner
and demanded that Nyima be released not knowing that she had already been released. He said that
the stones they were throwing damaged one public telephone booth near the station. He also said that
they wanted to arrest Kassa but could not do so because of the crowd. The witness told the court that
it was around 9:55 pm when he led a team of officers including Abdoulie Manneh, Corporal Cham and
Manlafi Barry together with the PIU personnel to Jatta Kunda to arrest Kassa, Mariama Fatty and
others; that upon arrival they met a group of people at the Jatta Kunda gate and among them was one
Lamin Jawara. He said that they were all shouting and saying, "no police or PIU will enter with arms in
their compound." He said that Lamin Jawara then asked them to keep quiet so he can speak on their
behalf. "Lamin Jawara asked me what was our mission to their compound. I told him we were there to
arrest Kassa, Mariama Fatty, Cherno Ndure and others who we believed were living there. Lamin
insisted that I can be permitted to enter but other officers will not be allowed. I insisted and told him
'you cannot dictate what I am to do' and I reminded him not to obstruct us," Sawaneh narrated.
Sawaneh said there was a large crowd in the compound, but that himself, Cherno and Manneh
entered. He said that upon their entry and they were insulted, humiliated and abused by those in the
crowd. He said "some of the insults and abusive languages were directed to the police." He said that
one boy, whom he cannot identify, was pushing and pulling with him and Lamin Jawara then
intervened, held him (Sawaneh) by the hand and thus making the boy escape from his grip. The witness
told the court, that when Kassa later appeared, he held him (Kassa) by the shirt with one hand and
then informed him that he was under arrest; that Lamin Jawara continued to obstruct him until Kassa
also escaped from him. Sawaneh said Lamin Jawara insisted then he arrested Lamin for obstructing the
arrests of Kassa and the other boy. He said that a sister, Isatou Jawara, also insisted that she will go to
the station alongside her brother Lamin; that Isatou was warned that the Police have nothing to do with
her but she insisted and was also arrested; that the duo were escorted to the station. He said that Omar
Jatta was also handed over to them by the Commissioner of Police, Jatta Baldeh for refusing to leave
the Police station premises. The trio, he said were handed over to the PIU at Kanifing for security
reasons. ASP Sawaneh concluded that Kassa, Cherno, Lamin Jasseh, Mamburama Jatta, Lamin Jatta
and Mariama Fatty reported themselves to the Bakau Police Station and were arrested, cautioned and
charged. Dudu Kassa Jaata and seven others were charged for Public Violence and Obstructing Police
officers while executing their duties. The case was adjourned for further hearing.

MAGISTRATE ADVISES PROSECUTORS

By Modou Jonga

Magistrate Edrissa Fafa M'bai of the Brikama Magistrates' Court has expressed his view over
prosecutors who at times in his court, fail to proceed with cases and or to prove their cases beyond
reasonable doubts.

Magistrate M'bai made these remarks on Wednesday after the adjournment of a case assigned to
another prosecutor who transferred his case to his colleague. Magistrate M'bai said that the said case
was unable to proceed for quite a while now (for more than two months).

Magistrate M'bai further said that despite the inability of the prosecution to proceed with their cases
and prove their cases beyond reasonable doubt, the accused persons he discharged are often
re-arrested by the police. This, Magistrate M'bai asserted, amounts to 'challenging the court and
abusing the law.' He said that the re-arrest is a result of the prosecutor's dissatisfaction of the said
discharges.

Magistrate M'bai thus urged the prosecutors to be willing to proceed with cases that are before his
court and be resolved to prove their cases beyond all reasonable doubts.

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