Activist Madi Jobarteh, who was arrested and released earlier this month Monday, will report to the police today as part of his bail condition.
The Westminster Foundation country representative was released on a bail bond of D100,000 secured by one Gambian surety.
Madi was hospitalised at Westfield Clinic before his release and required to present himself at the police SIU in Banjul on 26 October.
Confirming his intention to respect the bail condition, Madi told The Standard last night: “The fact is I’ve not broken any law or committed any crime. As a citizen, I have right to praise or criticize the president and the government as I see fit. That’s every citizen’s right. In that case it is the president who should respond to his critics or political opponents by himself or through his ministers, spokespersons, technocrats, advisors or political supporters. They should be able to explain and defend the track record of the president or his policies and performance. That’s all. This means the police have no business to get involved in such political exchanges within the law. It is not the job of the police to defend the president and deny citizens from holding him accountable. Thus, my arrest is utterly unconstitutional and illegal that seriously threatens and undermines democracy and good governance in this country. The police are not politicians and so should not get involved into the political exchanges between citizens and their elected and appointed public officials.”
