US-Based Gambian Activist Begins Jail Sentence For Gambia Coup Plot

A Gambian activist has begun serving time in an American jail for  his involvement in the December 2014 ill-fated plot to overthrow the Gambian regime of President Yahya Jammeh.
Banka Manneh, a US resident who is chairman of the Gambia Civil Society Associations,  was  sentenced in May to six-months in prison by a court in Minnesota for aiding and abetting in preparation of the failed coup.  He was also given three years probation and US$200 fine.
Three other US-based Cherno Njie, Papa Faal, Banka Manneh and Alagie Saidy Barrow were also convicted by the same court after they pleaded guilty to conspiracy to violate the Neutrality Act and conspiracy to possess a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.

U.N. rights chief deplores Gambia opposition detainee death

The U.N. rights chief on Tuesday deplored the death of an opposition party member while in custody in Gambia, urging the authorities to investigate his death along with allegations that detainees are refused medical care.

Jailed Gambia opposition official dies in hospital

A detained official from Gambia's main opposition movement died in hospital over the weekend, his United Democratic Party said, its second member to lose their life in custody since the start of a crackdown on protests.
Solo Krummah was arrested with 14 others on May 9 during rallies calling for electoral reform, and died on Saturday after an operation at the Edward Francis's Small Teaching Hospital in the capital Banjul, the UDP said.
His family had not authorized any operation and there were no details on what the treatment involved or how he died, the party added in a statement.