Late Gambian Activist To Be Buried Friday In Lamin

The body of a pro-democracy activist who died while serving a-three year jail term in the Gambia’s Mile Two Prisons is expected to be laid to rest on Friday in Lamin Daranka.
Mr Thomas’s Gambian wife and the Nigerian community in the Gambia had planned to repatriate his body to his native Nigeria for burial.
However, despite their best efforts, they were unable to raise the required US$2, 500 to send his body home.
“In an agreement with members of the Nigerian community, we have decided to bury him in Lamin after Friday prayers,” Jarai Jallow, widow of the deceased, told JollofNews.
Micheal Ucheh Thomas, a Nigerian resident in The Gambian, was jailed in January this year together with former Gambian Information Minister, Dr Amadou Scattred Janneh for calling for democratic reforms in the country. He died two weeks ago while receiving treatment for an undisclosed illness at the Royal Victoria Teaching Hospital in Banjul.
Mr Thomas was in May 2012 charged by the Gambian authorities together with Dr. Amadou S. Janneh, Modou Keita, Ebrima Jallow with intent to cause or bring into hatred, contempt or to excite disaffection against the person of the President or the government of the Gambia, printed and distributed 100 T-shirts carrying the slogan: ‘’Coalition for Change the Gambia, End Dictatorship Now.’’
While Thomas, Keita and Jallow were sentenced to three years in prison, Dr Janneh was given a life sentence by Justice Emmanuel Nkea of the Special Criminal Court.
Their conviction and imprisonment has since been condemned by many rights organisations around the world including Amnesty International which is campaigning for their immediate and unconditional release.
Anyone wishing to sympathise with Mr Thomas’s family can contact them on +220 657 02 74.

Souce: JollofNews