The murder of Deyda Hydara, a colleague and well-known journalist, has shocked the entire community and journalists within the sub–region and around the world. It was inconceivable that such a diabolical act could happen in our country, which is regarded as a peaceful and stable country and known as the ‘ Smilling Coast’.
Thursday, 16 December 2004 was a sad and gloomy day for the media locally and abroad . Deyda Hydara murdered! It was like in one of Agatha Christe`s detective novels. It was unbelievable! But in all Agatha Christie’s detective stories, the investigating Monsieur Poitrot leaves no stone unturned in his investigations, which necessitated journeying from one place to another, following clues relating to a suspect who may be hiding in another part of the country. It is noteworthy that after such thorough investigations, the murderer was always discovered and apprehended. It is now almost three weeks since Deyda was mudered and up until now the public has not heard of any culpable suspect arrested. This kind of murder of a journalist, or any murder for that matter, is unheard of in The Gambia.
Why would anyone want to murder a journalist?
Journalists are playing a vital role in the development process of a country and are therefore partners in development. Their role is to educate, entertain and inform the generally public.
The Inspector General of Police has assured journalists that his men will do everything they can to bring the murderers of Deyda Hydara to justice. We wonder how far they have gone with their investigations!

A tribute by Bijou Peters, a veteran Gambian journalist, published in Daily Observer , Thursday, 6 January 2005