President Barrow has pardoned 7 prisoners on the occasion of the holy feast of Eid-ul-Adha (Tobaski). A statement from the Ministry of Justice said the four Gambians, two Senegalese and a Norwegian were set free by the president acting under Section 82 of the 1997 Constitution which empowers him to exercise his powers of prerogative of mercy to grant pardon to convicted prisoners.
Those released are:
1. Sulaiman Bah, Gambian
2. Alieu Njie, Senegalese
3. Fallou Ceesay, Senegalese
4. Gibril Fall, Gambian
5. Matarr Touray, Gambian
6. Matarr Sowe, Gambian
7. Svein Agesandakar, Norwegian.
However the release of Agesandakar has been greeted by some controversy and outright disapproval by many who know his story and alleged criminal record prompting the Ministry of Justice to tweet a clarification that he was not in fact pardoned but handed over to the Norwegian authorities.
