In His Correspondence Addressed To The President Of The National Assembly, El Malick Ndiaye, Guy Marius Sagna Bases His Accusations On The Latest Report Of The Court Of Auditors, Revealing A Significantly Devalued Public Debt And Exorbitant Financial Carnage.

For The Indictment Against Macky Sall For High Treason To Pass, It Will Need To Be Passed By A Three-fifths Majority Of The National Assembly.

In A Separate Development, Senegalese Authorities Have Launched An Investigation Into Covid-19 Funds Implicating Several Individuals.

The Politico Report, Citing A Proposal From The Office Of The Under Secretary For Management, Outlines A Plan To Reduce The State Department’s Budget By Nearly 50%. As Part Of This Sweeping Measure, The US Embassies In Eritrea, Grenada, Lesotho, The Central African Republic, Luxembourg, The Republic Of Congo, The Gambia, South Sudan, Malta, And The Maldives Are Reportedly Slated For Closure.

Under The Proposed Restructuring, Diplomatic Responsibilities For The Gambia Would Likely Be Managed By The US Embassy In A Neighboring Nation, Likely Senegal. While The Specific Country Has Not Been Named In The Report, This Shift Could Potentially Create Logistical Challenges And Increase Processing Times For Gambians Seeking Visas Or Other Consular Assistance.

For Gambian Citizens, The US Embassy In Banjul Serves As The Primary Point Of Contact For A Range Of Crucial Services. These Include Applying For Various Types Of US Visas For Travel, Study, Or Immigration, As Well As Providing Support For American Citizens Residing In Or Visiting The Gambia. The Potential Closure Could Necessitate Travel To A Regional Hub For These Services, Incurring Additional Costs And Time For Applicants.

The Proposal Also Casts Uncertainty Over The Future Of US-Gambia Diplomatic Relations At The Ground Level. A Physical Embassy Presence Often Facilitates Stronger Bilateral Ties, Promotes Cultural Exchange, And Provides A Direct Channel For Communication On Matters Of Mutual Interest.

While The State Department Has Yet To Publicly Comment On The Politico Report, The News Has Already Begun To Generate Discussions Within The Gambia Regarding The Potential Implications. Citizens And Observers Are Likely To Be Keenly Watching For Official Confirmation And Further Details On How The US Intends To Manage Its Diplomatic Responsibilities Towards The Gambia Should The Closure Proceed.

The Reported Reasons Behind The Proposed Closures Are Primarily Financial, Aiming To Streamline Operations And Reduce Costs Within The State Department. However, The Potential Impact On The Ground In Countries Like The Gambia, Particularly For Individuals Requiring Consular Services, Remains A Significant Concern.

Rachel Cauley, An OMB Spokesperson, Said, “No Final Funding Decisions Have Been Made.”

The Proposal Sends An Additional Signal Of The Administration’s Priorities, Which, Above All, Have Been To Shrink The Size And Spending Of The Government. The Administration Moved Early On To Dramatically Reduce Foreign Aid Spending As Part Of This Goal, Including Effectively Dismantling USAID Despite Insistence By Democratic Lawmakers That It Could Not Do So Without Agreement From Congress.

The Coming Weeks And Months Are Likely To Be Crucial In Determining The Future Of The US Diplomatic Presence In The Gambia And The Subsequent Implications For Its Citizens. (Cullied From The Gambia Journal)

The Decision Follows Years Of Legal Wrangling And Intense Public Scrutiny, As Touray’s Case Has Remained A Focal Point In The Nation’s Reckoning With Its Dictatorial Past. His 2021 Conviction For The Murder Of Former Finance Minister Ousman Koro Ceesay In 1995 Initially Led To A Death-by-hanging Sentence, Igniting Fierce Debate Over Capital Punishment And Justice For Crimes Committed During The Military Era.

While Affirming Touray’s Guilt, The Supreme Court Questioned The Appropriateness Of The Death Penalty In This Context. The Judges Highlighted Concerns Around Due Process And The Need To Align Sentencing With Modern Constitutional Values And Evolving Human Rights Standards. The Court Held That Life Imprisonment Was A More Fitting Punishment Given The Circumstances And Contemporary Legal Norms.

Touray’s Journey To The Supreme Court Was A Last-ditch Effort To Overturn A Conviction That Has Defined His Post-junta Fate. He Challenged The Ruling Of The Court Of Appeal, Which Had Previously Affirmed The High Court’s Decision Delivered By Justice Ebrima Jaiteh, Finding Him Guilty And Sentencing Him To Death By Hanging.

After The High Court Verdict On July 14, 2022, Touray Took His Case To The Three-member Court Of Appeal, Hoping To Escape The Noose. However, The Appeal Court Stood By The Initial Ruling, Reinforcing The Weight Of The Evidence Presented.

Not Willing To Surrender, Touray Escalated His Fight To The Supreme Court. In His Grounds Of Appeal, He Argued That The Lower Courts Had Failed To Adequately Scrutinise The Prosecution’s Evidence. He Sought To Have The Supreme Court Overturn The Court Of Appeal’s Decision And Declare His Innocence.

While The Supreme Court Upheld The Conviction, Touray Would Now Be Imprisonment For Life At The Mile II Central Prison.