By: Momodou Justice Darboe
Senegalese national Abdoulie Jallow had been languishing in detention in The Gambia for several months and had appealed to the Senegalese authorities and good Samaritans to rescue him.
A native of Mbour Saly, Abdoulie spent some time at the State Central Prison in Banjul before been transferred to the HQ of the Gambia Police Force in Banjul, where he was held at the time of our interaction with him last weekend.
According to him, he was arrested before the Tobaski when a complaint was lodged with the police that he had squandered someone’s money.
“I was entrusted with a boat by someone to go on a fishing expedition to Guinea Bissau. But before we could begin our fishing campaign there, we startedexperiencing some issues with the boat,” Abdoulie narrated.
“We were in Bissau for almost three months and I was using my own money to feed the men. It was difficult for us but we thankfully managed to return to The Gambia. However, when we returned, I got detained by the police on allegation of stealing D400,000 from the boat owner,” he further narrated.
According to him, his family had an agreement with the complainant so that he can give him D80,000 but Addouliesaid he had no money.
“The court granted me bail but I couldn’t fulfil the bail requirement and since then, I’ve been held here in detention. The outgoing Senegalese high commissioner visited us but I never saw him again. I want someone to help me out so that I can be released. I missed my two kids and wife,” the 32-year-old told The Voice in a chat in the detention cell of the police HQ in Banjul.