The late Deyda newspaper Hydara in The plaintiffs the was the co-founder, Gambia. He was deceased devoted a publisher and reputable editor of The journalist. his life to protecting According media Point to freedom the in The Gambia. The plaintiffs averred that in the weeks preceding his death the deceased _ received several death threats in connection with his journalistic work. They contended that on the day of his demise a person suspected to be an operative of the state security service was murdered placed the deceased under constant surveillance. He in a drive by shooting on the night of 16°" December 2004 whilst in the company of two employees of The Point newspaper. It is the plaintiffs’ investigation into the Serious Crimes Agency (NIA) investigative scene that murder the did not do organs surveillance evidence; of Mr. Hydara failed to Sr; they carry out effective also averred that the police as well as the any thorough of state failed ballistic defendant of Deyda Unit of The Gambia evidence; Government case to investigations. investigate death Hydara on They to day Intelligence claimed eye-witness threats the National that these evidence; crime Mr. Hydara; apparent of the incident; potential suspects as well as any motive other than personal revenge. The plaintiffs claimed that no public scrutiny of the investigations was allowed. And the government was quick to prosecute seven journalists for sedition when they spoke out against the failure to investigate the murder. Likewise the family of the deceased was not involved in the investigations. On the claim founded on a climate of impunity, the plaintiffs averred that the defendant tolerated attacks against journalists, among others. They cited specific instances of such abuse which the State did not care to investigate and prosecute the perpetrators. According to the plaintiffs by failing to effectively investigate multiple attacks against the media stretching for several years prior to the Hydara assassination, complete the Gambian authorities created and tolerated a climate of impunity that did nothing to deter and inevitably contributed to the attack on Mr. Hydara’s life. |