afrol News, 30 January - The Community Court of Justice of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is expected to deliver its verdict on the case of a disappeared Gambian journalist, Chief Ebrima Manneh on Thursday.

Manneh - a pro-government reporter of 'Daily Observer' in Banjul - has gone missing since 7 July 2006.

In June 2007, the Accra-based Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) filed a legal suit against The Gambia government over its illegal arrest and subsequent disappearance of Manneh.

The Gambian government has deliberately refused to appear the court without explanation.

After the final submission by the defence lawyer, Femi Falana on 28 November last year, the court deferred the judgment to 31 January to give ample time to the three judge panel to write their judgment.

The sub-regional region had earlier heard testimonies from three witnesses. While one of the witnesses confirmed that he was present when Manneh was arrested by the National Intelligence Agency, the other said he had spotted him in a new detention camp upcountry.

Another witness said he had since spotted Manneh in a police station in the eastern town of Fatoto, about 500 kilometres from Banjul, the capital.

Manneh was last spotted at the Royal Victoria Teaching Hospital in Banjul on 26 July where he was hospitalised for high blood pressure.

By staff writer

© afrol News

Related pages and feature

Current afrol News Top Stories