Nderry deleting articles

If you are wondering why the links to Freedom newspaper are expiring when you clicked on them, well Nderry is hard at work scrubbing his site of articles he get criticize on. Here is a google cache of one of the articles he deleted....Link

Time and again, Nderry has revealed himself to be completely unmoored from reality.He has no regard for basic precepts of responsible commentary. Facts which are unpleasant to him are now deleted from his site. But yet the most serious accusations come spewing forth from his mouth without any regard to whether they are actually true.

Nderry spent most of his online commentary calling other people liars, frauds and murderers. However when confront on the facts, he tries his hands at historical revisionism:by deleting articles unfavorable to his cause.

And now that he stand exposed, yet again, as reckless and fact-free hysterics, he will simply move, unperturbed, onto his next manufactured scandal, with the expectation that he will be taken seriously. Is it really any wonder that not even Nderry takes nderry seriously? Why else would he delete his own reporting? "Chai fitna"

Be a man about it...

I am not a psycho analyst, but it’s got to hurt been Nderry Mbai. Imagine yourself as a big shot exiled journalist [as nderry does] with an online avenue where you spout whatever is on your mind about the government back home in the comfort of a utility apartment in Raleigh, only to have your ass handed to you day in day out because of the irresponsible nature of how you go about reporting stuff. That is exactly what happened to Nderry in this terse email from a victim of his “Jotali”:

For the record, I MODOU THOMAS was never arrested, neither did i got into any problem or even came close to being arrested through out my two weeks visit to my motherland. Am not going to talk about this anymore and if i should ever be made a FALSE headline news by PA NDERRY AND HIS PAPER, things will be different period!!. Journalism is about TRUTH, HONESTY AND CONSTRUCTIVE reporting and not DESTRUCTIVE news.

Damn…that’s a whupping…did you read that last sentence? Journalism is about Truth, honesty and constructive reporting. He even typed them in upper case: online parlance for a shout or scream. However Nderry, either zoning out the fact that he has just been called an ass clown, or doesn’t comprehend what the gentleman wrote went into another psycho babble about how much of a comrade Mr. Thomas is.

This paper's Editor had good professional relationship with Thomas. On numerous occasions, Thomas had picked up his phone inviting Mr.M'Bai for a dinner at his house. We cannot turn around and hate such a brother.It makes no sense!! Jammeh's devils in Raleigh should stop it before it's too late. Let them continue to try us and see.

Well well what do we have here? Thomas on numerous occasions invited Nderry over to his place for dinner. [take that with a grain of salt]. Nderry got a call from an anonymous caller about the magnanimous Mr. Thomas. However instead of verifying the veracity of the story, he plastered Mr. Thomas’s face on his site with the fake story. When called on it, he blamed his irresponsibility on Yahya Jammeh’s devils in Raleigh. This is beyond cowardly. Whatever happen to owning up to your mistakes?

Nderry Got Punked

Ashton Kucher has a reality show on MTV called Punk’d. He pulled stunts on celebrities, make some cry only to reveal to them at the end that it is all a big joke.

Nderry Mbai has just been punked by an anonymous tipster and in the process an innocent man found his photo plaster on the front page of the spin zone (freedomnewspaper), emblazoned with a breaking news headline that he has been arrested in the Gambia.

After been called on his irresponsible behavior by the victim, nderry decided to scrub the initial story from his site and replace it with a juvenile rant that will make your typical teenager who stays out past his curfew blush. Here is a snippet of nderry’s mindset:

Thomas who supposedly returned home on Thursday ,is very angry with the Freedom Newspaper for running the said piece, which he describes as misleading. We never confirmed that Thomas was arrested, all what we did was to report what the caller claimed. The questions that comes to mind are: Who is fooling who? Why claiming that Thomas has been arrested when he was never arrested in the first place according to him? Who is behind the said rumor?

First he admitted that he never confirmed the story. He just reported what some anonymous tipster told him on the phone without confirming the validity of the story. Then he went onto to ask a rhetorical question: who is fooling who? Isn’t that so obvious? Nderry you are the fool in this situation. You have been fooled. You wouldn’t be in this God awful situation if you took the tip with some caution and wait for a confirmation from Mr. Thomas. What is it going to cost you to wait for a confirmation? We know what it cost you when you didn’t. It reveals your amateurish behavior and tarnish your image even further. It shows that you are a tool. Anyone with an agenda can call you up and give you rubbish to publish.

You sound so pathetic asking yourself: who is behind the said rumor? Shouldn’t you ask yourself that question before you publish that rubbish? Isn’t that thinking out loud too little too late?

I kind of feel sorry for nderry after reading this portion of his rant:

Some people can be funny you know. The objective of the caller has been defeated because we never give credence to the alleged arrest. This will prove to the our readers and the world that the Freedom Newspaper is credible and cannot be fooled by such ponks. We never quoted any reliable source to back up the story. We are no fools to be used for misinformation. We know the job to the tip of our fingers. Some people spreads information for vicious reasons, but we are mindful of such people.

Nderry is really sick. How is it a defeat for the caller? The story he peddled got published. That is a hundred percent success rate to me. Whatever his motives are, the caller got you to publish a hit piece on an innocent person. You have been fooled and used as usual.

Nderry’s pomposity and megalomania know no bounds. Take this statement he made as an example:

Perhaps, the Federal Bureau of Investigations the (FBI) should be invited to review the webcam that was placed at the said phone to trace the caller.

This makes me laugh so hard. Why would the FBI waste their time and resources investigating bogus shit like that? Why are you taking your readers for idiots? You drop the ball by not following a cardinal rule in journalism (verify), but want your readers to believe the FBI is going to pick up the slack. Come on nderry…why are you so simple?

And by the way what is all this crap you espousing:

The Freedom Newspaper is vigilant!!! You cannot dine with the devil and turn around and fool us with such false alarm. Wrong timing???

Come again? You were punked and no amount of hand wringing is going to change that. It was perfect timing and you fall for it head on. You can either admit that, learn from it or continue burying your head in the sand and be the tool the caller knew you are.

Saja Taal

Stop the presses...shit is hitting the fan in the Gambia. Do you know that if you ever run afoul of Saja Taal, you will be held incommunicado for months? Chief Manneh found out the hard way if you believe Nderry and his correspondent Bolong jammeh.

By the way I bet the other online Gambian outlets have to be jealous. How come Nderry have all the coolest names in journalism reporting for him from the corridors of power in the Gambia. Serg PMJ, Justice Sam,landing Badjie and a coterie of informers including the venerable Lamarana Jallow (who couldn't get his story straight).

Anyways, back to the all powerful Saja Taal, who gets all emotional and devulged schemes he hatched against his nemesis in public. That is how stupid he is according to this report carried on the fact free zone also known as nderry mbai's freedom newspaper:

Last weekends Saja Taal was overcomed by temptation following an article published by the Freedom Newspaper concerning NIA's visit to Observer's concerning their allegation against Senegal. Dr Taal blamed his editorial staff of being responsible for the article and pronnounced that he will deal with the staff responsible and will deal with them worst than he did to "Chief Manneh".

Temptation...huh. "Walahi" you are killing me bro.

All kidding aside, how do a responsible person heaped the state's infrigement of a citizen's due process right on the managing director of a newspaper? The Gambia government arrested and is detaining Chief Manneh. His due process rights are been violated by the government and Saja Taal for all his short comings can't be blamed for that gross violation.

Oh Brotha

Ok I admit it: this is hard…following the drivel that fill up the pages of Nderry’s freedom day in day out is a full time job. I’ve got to make a living so I can’t be glue to my computer reading the fact free zone. Furthermore, it is just not healthy for me…some of the stories are so badly written and illogical that they make my head hurt reading them. Take this crap from Nderry’s alter ego Serg PMJ:

As I am writing this piece, two separate batches of six top National Intelligence Agency officials have been dispatch to the Senegalese Capital Dakar for a possible secret operation of abducting the fugitive Gambian soldiers. The soldiers under their target are Colonel Ndure Cham, Captain Sana Sabally, Major Kalipha Bajinka and Lt Yankuba Badjie.

So the NIA is dispatching its agents to go into a country, with a more formidable military and intelligence apparatus to abduct exiled, powerless former soldiers and they are carrying out this operation using as the venerable serg puts it:

The two groups will be using Gambian Diplomatic cars.

I heard that the NIA is brutal to the citizenry. It is a Gestapo a friend once told me. However you can add stupid to that narrative if you believe that they will use Gambian diplomatic cars in an abduction operation as alleged by Nderry’s mythical NIA insider.

60 NIA agents…yippee… Dakar will see what they are made of. They will abduct those soldiers and drove in air conditioned diplomatic vehicles to Banjul without the Senegalese authorities knowing a beep.

Come on Nderry…do you really want us to swallow that fiction.

Finally

Yipee... Sankareh's interview with former finance minister Bakary Darbo has finally hit the front page. It is a very captivating read...very insightful if I may add. It is worth the wait. Nothing like the crappy shenanigans Nderry pulls.

Here is the link....

Breaking News....psyche?

Hey could someone tell Mr. Sankareh that we are still waiting to read that interview he scooped with Bakary Darbo. The suspense is killing moi. It has been breaking for the past three days and we haven't seen the skinny yet. What is up with that? This is what the echo had on its front page on may 20th:

Breaking News:Exclusive Interview With Vice President B.B Dabo

We have just concluded a three hour telephone interview with fomer Gambian Vice President, Minister of Education and Finance & Economic Affairs, Bakary B. Dabo from his hotel lounge in Asmara.

I am salivating out here for the doggone story. Maybe the breaking part was a little premature...wouldn't you say. I wonder what headline monsieur Sankareh will come up with once he is done twitching the story that has been breaking for three days and counting. Its going to be "fantaboulous"...so stay tune... Oh the drama of it.

Update:
Mr. Sankareh has updated his site to reflect on enquiries like mine. The fantaboulous interview is slated to hit the echo on thursday (that is "Alhamis" for you Babou). A thousand forty people clicked on that breaking story advertising a story still waiting to break...thinking or looking for a...well forget about it. Any "hew" watch that space all you clickers...all thousand and forty of you.

Editor Jambang Quits Freedom Newspaper

Editor Jambang have had enough of Nderry's un-professionalism. The Lamarana episode has left bitter taste in his mouth. Here is how he put it courtesy of Gainako:

Dear Comrades:

I, Yankuba Jambang wish to inform my colleagues in the media and the readership
of Gambian online news outlets that I have decided, on principles, to quit as the associate editor of Freedom newspaper.com with immediate effect for the following
reason(s):

-Journalism is a responsible reporting and maintaining ethics; informing the public with credible news and not otherwise - this does not obtain at freedomnewspaper.com any more.

-Freedom newspaper's editor, Pa Ndery has resorted to the practice of censoring my observations on the stories he published without deciphering the truth from fiction, checking the language and making necessary corrections with view to avoiding unforeseen libel, defamatory and slanderous law suits. The most recent such incredible stories were the Daily Observer "insider's" ignoramus attack on Dr. Saga Taal and the fictitious Lamarana Jallows's incoherent diatribes on Col. Sam Sarr. I believe a grade 6 student in The Gambia would be able to connect the dots on that "disinformation" from Lamarana. And, much to my chargrin, the associate editor of the paper, Muhammed Jawara has decided to be Lamarana's defense attorney with an even immature argument. A porous matter in a perforated container cannot be solid!

When Lamarana wrote: "BB was one of those working with Sam on Jawara's comeback" and again said:"BB was posed to replace Jammeh if his plan materializes", one is bound to ask questions because the statements are contradictory.But editor Jawara with no journalistic background whatsoever thought the story was fit for publication!

On the coup statement, my argument was why would Sam Sarr subject Mr. Conateh for writing a statement when he (Sam) has the talents to do more than that. What Pa Ndery and Jawara failed to understand is that, be it Yahya Jammeh, Sana Sabally or Edward can each write statement on the coup. They had planned for it and each of these people had attended highly prestigious high schools in the Gambia and were good students academically. I said this because I have seen records; Edward at St. Augustine's where I too, did my A' levels, as for Sana Sabally I used his note books from Armitage when I was sitting for my O' levels years ago. If Pa Ndery and Jawara are able to write good statements why can't Jammeh and his men who graduated in late 1970s when standard in schools were far better than in our days? What Jawara and cannot appreciate is the fact that though these people(Jammeh and co) may have not held any high public office, they have been involved in the system since early 1980s when Jawara might have been a toodler. Let them; Pa and Jawara, tell the public why Sam Sarr would leave Jai Saidy, former president Jawara's press sectary for Mr. Conateh? Why would he leave Ebrima K. Sarr, former parliamentary secretary who used to write poetry for DK Jawara for M. Conateh?The story forwarded by Lamarana lacks merit due to inconsistencies and therefore unfit for publication.

I am out of the paper, period. Pa Ndery even went to an extent of posting my second piece on Lamarana only to remove it in minutes because he did not feel confortable with it without contacting me. Well, editor Jawara's is hanging up there because it's pleasing to his ears.

Needless to say I have been saying the same thing over and over since the start of this blog: That journalism is not "Jotalism" (stenography). Nderry is a tool and its good to see one of his associates come out say so. Its nice to say I told you so. Ha...

Yankuba...escaped death huh?

Accident involving the motorcade of Yankuba Touray is a public interest story. However to embellish the story is a whole different animal. Take this quote from nderry's story:

Yankuba Touray did not however sustain any serious injury according to sources.

But in the next breath they wrote:

The Agriculture Minister who escaped death was has been recounting the car crash story to his family, loved ones and aquaintances.

Whooo. Calm down. We are talking about an entourage here (a motorcade). If the vehicle Yankuba is travelling in is not directly involved in the accident (which your report fail to mention) how do you come to the conclusion that he escaped death. It is tragic that a man lose his life in that tragedy, but to embellish it...come on now nderry..

This is a badly written and edited story all over. Here is another troubling jingoism:

Meanwhile, police are investigating the car crash, which resulted to the death of Pa Bobo. The Gambia is currently faced by deplorable road conditions. Most of the major roads are bad in conditions.

Great news the police are investigating...but wait for this...voila

Police blames the accidents to reckless driving, over speeding and bad road network across the impoverished West African country.

That was fast police work. They determined the cause of the accident between the two sentences. The condition of the transGambia highway is a mess. It is deplorable. I will grant you that. However the road conditions on the north bank are pretty good. I drove from Barra to Basse in January...so I know from personal experience the road conditions in that part of the country. Kerewan (where the accident took place) happens to be on the North Bank.

Lets stick with reckless driving and speeding, because bad road conditions are not a factor on the north bank of the river.

And why in God's name do you have to drag the wife into this story. This is a story about a road accident that involved Yankuba Touray. But you gleefully push in a story about his wife's misfortune thus:

A retired Army Captain, Minister Touray had a bad new year start with the deportation of his wife Mami Touray Minteh from the US by the United States Immigration officials. Mrs. Touray who was denied entry upon arrival at an Atlana airport was said to have violated her previous visitors visas issued to her. The Ministers wife was said said to have over stayed while in this country. As a visitor, Madam Touray was not required to work, but she was said to have been engaged in hair braiding work while in Raleigh North Carolina. She was banned from entering the United States for the next ten years. Deportee Mami Touray had two kids American Kids.

For crying out loud what is the relevance to the original story...deportee: how shallow can you get?

Verify before publishing

The bizarre world that is the freedom newspaper never seize to amaze me. After Nderry published the dribble that Lamarana sent him without pointing out the inconsistencies in the story, associate editor Jambang has stepped up to ask Lamarana questions. Does the left hand knows what the right hand does at freedom newspaper editorial? Shooting first then asking questions later is the worst form of journalism.

I raised the same questions here and here that associate Jambang alluded to. Is he sneaking to read my ramblings? The similarities are leery to say the least. But I digress. I am glad cooler heads like Jambang are taking notice. However they need to put their foot down and demand accountability from their publisher. Publishing stories, then asking questions later is putting the cart before the horse.

I hope nderry is taking note, because he is getting schooled on his own platform.


Update:

A commenter on Gambia_L brought up a fundamental issue that took a shot at Lamarana's story and make it even less credible. He refreshes everyone's memory to the fact that Sam Sarr was arrested and locked up four days after the July 22nd coup. Bakary Darbo was in Dakar with Jawara then. Bakary Came back and served as finance minister until November of that year and had to fled into exile after the alleged coup. Sam was still locked up mind you. So the question becomes: how and when did these two gentlemen have the time to plot a come back for Jawara...which in of itself sound absurd to me.

A good reporter would have cover most of these ground before publishing hit pieces on innocent countrymen. Not Nderry. tsk tsk tsk....

Inconsistences

Another day, another convoluted write up with inconsistencies that any editor with a twelfth grade education can decipher. Not nderry. He published another one of the mythical Lamarana Jallow’s hit pieces without due diligence. Reading the article, you can’t help but laugh at the absurdity of some of the allegations made. Lets start with this snippet courtesy of our friend lamarana: shall we:

Sam was tasked by deposed President Jawara to receive the Guinean troops to foil the July 22nd coup. The Guineans were denied landing space by the erstwhile Senegalese President Abdou Joof. Conteh at the time had promised Jawara with quick reactionary force to tackle the coupists led by Yahya Jammeh. Some of the Guinean soldiers tried to land in Dakar, but were refused landing space by Joof’s government. Sam worked very hard to ensure that he laid down the necessary tactical operations to launch operation duped” restoring Jawara’s government.” This was the time he surveyed the Radio Gambia and other military instillations in the Greater Banjul Area.

I have to admit: this is the first time I heard or read anything about the Guinean attempt to help counter the July 22nd coup. It is not lack of interest. I devour any snippet of news written about that fateful day, but this is the first time I heard about that one. I wonder if Yahya Jammeh knew about that, because unless I have a faulty memory he has never uttered anything about the Guineans. But I digress.


I am not a military tactician, but why would the Guineans choose to land in Dakar to counter a coup taking place in Banjul. Wouldn’t that be putting them at a tactical disadvantage attacking the island of Banjul? How hard would it be for the Guineans to land their crafts in some part of the Gambia as opposed to Dakar? With the chaos that permeates the first day of the coup (by all accounts), the Guineans if they made it as far as Dakar could have snuck into the Gambia. Granted the consequences of such an action will be a bloodbath.

Where am I going with this? Well for starters to poke holes into Lamarana’s allegation. Readers are invited to correct me in the comments section on the Guinean angle. Have any of you read or heard that story before. I will put your comment on the front page as adjourned. Help a brother out here.

Ok lets move on to another allegation made in the article shall we? This one makes no sense to me, but I admit: I am a slow learner, so bear with me. But here is another one of Lamarana’s point that doesn’t jive:

BB was posed to replace Jammeh if his plans materializes. BB and I once had a brief chat shortly after he was hired by the junta. I remember him telling me that these boys got to go.

But in the next breath Lamarana wrote:

When news of the November 11 abortive coup hit’s the nation, BB fled the country. BB was one of those working with Sam on Jawara’s comeback.

Which is it Lama? Is BB trying to replace Jammeh or helping to get Jawara restored to power. Can you get your story straight? I am not holding my breath for an answer.

And finally the comedic part if the allegations are not so serious:

The Freedom Newspaper should be commended for its impartiality throughout this debate.

That is called sucking up my friend. Impartiality huh…Nderry not doing his due diligence and filling the role of stenographer has nothing to do with impartiality. He could have asked you about the inconsistency I pointed out above. Furthermore anyone familiar with the ego of African coupist will not fall for this crap Lamarana wrote:

While Sir Dawda was in exile, he was still interested in recruiting his right hands to end the era of the junta. The likes of Omar Faye now Sports Minister and Sam Sarr misled the old man on numerous occasions about their determination to lead troops to restore his government back.

If you believe these guys will over throw the AFPRC to bring Jawara back, then I got a bridge in Brikama to sell you.

This has been another edition of keeping Nderry honest.

Messenger or reporter

I waddle into the screech that is Nderry’s Freedom and what do I find? Sam Sarr taking him to the woodshed over his shoot from the hip without having all the facts form of reporting. Here is a snippet of what monsieur Sarr wrote in that piece that would shame any reporter who didn’t do their homework prior to publishing unsubstantiated rumors:

With perhaps a little fact finding, based on the contents of the smear articles, you would have been able to verify the validity of Lamarana's allegations. Before threatening through my private e-mail for opening a case file about my atrocities committed in the Gambia while serving in the GNA, I think you could have used a little bit of that valuable time to check on the following. 1. On the torture of Yaya Drammeh one of the mercenaries who attacked Farafeni barracks and killed eight Gambian soldiers, Lamrana talked briefly about Mr. Lamin Joberteh the legal officer at the NIA then. Perhaps a call to Mr. Joberteh would have helped you with the information that I was from Moscow flying to Belgium when Farafeni was attacked in October 1996. By the time I arrived in the Gambia, early the next morning, Yaya Drammeh and Mballow Kanteh were already arrested and detained at the NIA. Mr. Joberteh the legal wizard mentioned in the text was all along part of the interrogation team that handled the case. The gentleman is at home with a clean conscience and as far as I know he is very honest. If he could confirm Lamarana's allegation that I tortured Yaya Drammeh then consider me guilty as charged in that case.

That was exactly what I was alluding to in this piece yesterday: Due diligence. Nderry should have taken his time to sort out the complexities involved in this story before publishing Lamarana’s side of the story. I understand the urge or should I say the itch involved in been the first person to break a story. However that doesn’t mean discarding caution especially if a story has the tell tale sign of a hit piece.

A reasonable person would respond in a more contrite manner after reading Sam’s take on things, not Nderry. He is not having any of it. The buck stops with the victims of his malicious reports. He shifted the burden of establishing their innocence onto them. This is how he put it:

Finally, we apologize for any discomfort Lamarana's pieces might have caused to Mr.Sarr, his family, loved ones and supporters. We want to assure Colonel Sarr and Lamarana Jallow himself that this paper is only interested about the truth and nothing but the truth. Lamarana is entitled to his opinion just like Colonel Sarr. If allegations of this nature are raised in the future against Sarr or any officer who served under Jammeh's government should come forward to defend the allegations and not to blame us for carrying the role of a messenger. Thanks for your attention.

Oh really… a messenger huh. Since when do journalism equates to stenography.

Nderry has a platform that is frequented by hundreds of news starved Gambians in the diaspora. It has never dawn on him that unto whom much is given, much is expected. Passing street corner rumor for reporting is just lazy to say the least.

I am not trying to absolve Sam Sarr of wrongdoing. He acknowledged his role in trying the Farafenni coupist on TV. Personally, I think that is a gross violation of their right to a fair trial and Sam should be ashamed of himself for taking part in that sham. Furthermore, Nderry's irresponsibility shouldn't make him so paranoid to start assigning personalities to Lamarana. Below is his acknowledgement of the trial by media they pulled on those coupist:

Yes we were wrong according to the law to try them on TV and being wrong again when we did it in the Kartong attack in July 1997. But to be honest with you it was more out of ignorance than a deliberate flouting of the law. I will definitely plead guilty to that allegation before any jury. But you must also understand that as a young army trying to adjust in a post-coup d'tat era, a breakthrough coup d'tat for that matter mistakes like that cannot be justified but might not be that grave as other troubling matters given the numerous young lives wasted in that senseless attack. The soldiers were not fighting back but running away from their attackers; yet one by one they murdered them in cold blood.

That old anecdote "Ignorance of the law is no excuse" comes to mind. Having said that, I would hasten to add that Nderry if he is diligent in reporting would have found all these little nuggets and the write up (if he has any talent) would make a nice human-interest story. But with Nderry that is too much to ask. Tsk tsk tsk…

Juvenile

The above hand written scanned note from a Serg PMJ in Banjul has Nderry blazoning his front page with the following headline:

Breaking News:Major Bajinka, Sonko others exposed!A source forwarded scanned letter!!!

How irresponsible can you get? Demba Jawo is an institution in Gambian journalism and a threat against his life should be taken seriously by all law abiding citizens. However speculations based on notes left on chairs and scanned to Nderry without any scintilla of evidence that it is in fact written by the alleged killers should not be hyped like Nderry did. What about the emotional trauma this could inflict on Mr. Jawo's family? Well that is for the thoughtful. Nderry has a deadline to meet and that is all he cared about... the truth be damned.

This is how the source claimed to get the note:

I want to put the record straight as to what actually happened regarding his Kanilai plan assassination. We at the Intelligence are in possession of a hand written note send to the would-be assassins purportedly from President Jammeh. I used Purportedly because we are yet to establish who actually wrote the note, which will be hereunder reproduced. They will be surprised how we managed to be in possession of this hand written note. Well the note was found a day after the assassination should take place, on a chair occupied by security personnel. I don't know who was so careless to leave it there or whom was it given to but it was found by one of our agent who was sweeping in the morning.

The source stress the word purportedly. In other words this could be pure fiction. You wouldn't know that from the sensational headline on Nderry's front page. How does a note the authorship of which is not ascertained by a source expose the gentlemen he named on his headline? He paid no attention to the caveat his source made thus:

I used Purportedly because we are yet to establish who actually wrote the note,

It sounds cautionary to me, but that will not stop our big shot journalist (nderry). In his book these men are guilty of conspiring to murder.

Granted Nderry eventually interviewed Demba Jawo on this allegation in a subsequent article. However isn't that what he should have done before publishing such a hyped up story based on what? A scanned hand written note sent from a telecenter (presumably). And to think anyone will take you seriously...come on now.

Ain't gonna have that...

I will not publish any innuendo or baseless character maligning articles about Pa Nderry Mbai. I have heard from a few readers in regards to the maiden post especially this part of it:

Someone need to give him a taste of his own medication. Publish innuendo and half truths about him and his family and see how he likes it.

I understand this might be taken out of context. I may be inundated with emails from individuals who will like to settle scores with Nderry. I am not going to have any of it. My principal motivation in setting up this blog is to fact check Nderry's jotalism and keep him honest. I have no intention nor do I have the power to shut him up. Even if I do the free speech libertarian in me wouldn't let me.

I believe in free speech. However it comes with responsibilities. Some of the articles Nderry post are nothing more than street corner rumor. I think that is a disservice to his readers. I intend to peruse his site and point out factual errors or errors in judgement.

Due diligence

Nderry Mbai as usual published an unsubstantiated piece on retired Colonel Sam Sarr without due diligence. The source: one Lamarana Jallow claimed that Sam Sarr on July 22nd coerced Swaebou Conateh at gun point to write the maiden coup speech. This is how Lamarana put it in the piece:

It was Sam Sarr who "gun point veteran Gambian Journalist and former Radio Gambia Director Suwaibou Conateh to write a speech for the 1994 July coupists led by Jammeh." Sarr was accompanied by the former Army Spokesman Captain Alhagie Kanteh and Mamat Cham. Sarr was detailed at the material time by Jammeh to force Suwaibou Conateh to write a speech for them without his free will. Conateh was left with no option but to meet Sarr's demands or risked having his head blown off. Sarr told Conateh that he has two options-one to write a coup take over statement for them or risked losing his life. Sarr told him that the orders to force him to write such a statement emanates from their leader Yahya Jammeh...freedomnewspaper

However the internets been what they are, there happens to be another take on this story sitting in the archives of the Gambia_L. Sam Sarr writting under the pseudonym Ebou Colley has a different take on this incident. In episode seven of his gripping Coup in the Gambia series, he wrote:

However to get a well written speech for the chairman to read to the Gambian people about what the coup was all about, was one of our headaches that day. In the end we decided to contact Mr. Swaebou Conteh to help us. In actual fact we had wanted him to come to thestate house and work it out with us. But when Capt. Cham approached him at his house he pleaded to be left alone out of it. Anyway with the heavily armed troops that escorted the captain to the journalist's house he was left with no choice but to scribble a draft for Cham. That was the ingredient of that maiden speech Yaya has now put on display at ARCH 22 with his name stamped on it as the author.

He further went on to narrate in the ninth installment of his Coup in the Gambia series that Swaebou was in fact coerced at gun point to write that speech. Here is what Sam wrote then:

Certainly, I did not at the time know that the drafted speech by Swaebou Conateh that we painstakingly polished and coached him after to read it over and over before he could fairly understand the contents was eventually going to be claimed by Yaya as his personal efforts. Shame to this clown still having the text on exhibition at the ARCH 22 museum with his name stamped on it as the author. Swaebou Conateh is a no-nonsense person and he is still there active and sound. Let the Point or Independent news publishers him whether those words were not his original ideas written at gunpoint. Or try Capt. Mamat Cham and see.

Which brings me to the beef I have with Nderry Mbai. Due diligence required of him to do a little digging before publishing incendiary articles from any dick and harry with an ax to grind thereby tarnishing the image of innocent Gambians. If you read what Sam Sarr aka Ebou Colley wrote above, you have a distinct understanding that yes Swaebou was coerced to write that speech, but Sam wasn't present when the coercion took place.

I am not taking sides with Sam's version. But fairness in reporting required of Nderry Mbai to get the man's side of the story before publishing a hit piece and blackmailing him to respond. The onus is on the journalist to research their stories. Had Nderry Mbai taken the time, he would've known this other version and probe his source to reconcile the two stories. How about calling Mr. Conateh to get his side of the story. One thing both Lamarana and Sam Sarr agreed on about that speech is the fact that it was coerced out of Mr. Conateh. The bone of contention is who coerced him at gunpoint? One can deduce from Sam's article that he wasn't even at Swaebou's house. It was Captain Cham who was leading the soldiers that went to get the speech from Mr. Conateh. Lamarana is saying au contraire, Sam was there and he put the gun to Swaebou's head.

In the meantime, we haven't heard from the victim: Swaebou Conateh. Due diligence (yeah that word again) required Nderry to cover all this ground before publishing Lamarana's side. How about calling Mr. Conateh. He knew the person putting a gun to his head especially if it is a person of Colonel Sam Sarr's stature.

What am I thinking? It is Nderry Mbai we are talking about here. Due diligence is not part of his vocabulary.

Omar Faye ...again?

Another day brings us another Pa Nderry Mbai hit on Omar Faye and his purported marriage issues. Is this a man crush or what? Man the tabloid paper: Enquirer has nothing on you Mr. Nderry. Depending on who is counting, how many stories have you publish on poor Omar Faye?

It is true that Omar Faye is paid by the Gambian tax payer, but for crying out loud, what public good is gained from writing salacious material about the guy, solely based on anonymous emails you received from individuals who for all intents and purposes could have an ax to grind with Mr. Faye. Didn’t you learn in journalism 101 not to report unsubstantiated stories? Ooops I forgot…they don’t teach that at Pakalinding Secondary School. However, the luminaries you worked for in Gambian journalistic circles must have told you that.

You keep harping about how Omar Faye stole someone’s wife. Is this practical? How do you steal a wife? Women are not objects you know. The lady has a right to leave his husband when and if she wanted to. What is the public good in this story? If two consenting adults decided to get married, the libertarian in me says: do your thing. As long as the fiduciary power he is entrusted with vis-à-vis the ministerial post is not exploited and tax payers money squandered, publishing unsubstantiated rumors that permeate our society and calling it breaking news will be comical if the effects are not so devastating on the people (and their families) you use your venomous keyboard against.

Marriage certificates are alien to most Muslim marriages in the Gambia. However Nderry Mbai would like his audience to think that Omar Faye is gullible enough to get one. To add salt to injury, he is maligning the character of Cadi Kah. Insinuating that the man (Cadi Kah) was bribe to issue Faye the alleged marriage certificate and thus is complicit in something that is illegal. Man the gall of Nderry Mbai.

Welcome

Panderry Mbai has been practicing the worst kind of tabloid journalism for quite sometime now. He has in the process publish inuendo and malign the character of innocent Gambians all in the name of journalism. He will publish any junk sent to his email box as breaking news without checking on the veracity of the allegation made in these hit pieces.

Repute Gambian journalist have resist to take him on to stop what in essence is a bastardization of their noble profession. Many have happily granted him interview, legitimizing his brand in the process. This is a travesty. Therefore I have taken it upon myself to fact check Nderry Mbai's stories and hold his feet to fire.

I am not a journalist. I am a citizen practicing what Nderry Mbai has been abusing: free speech. Someone need to give him a taste of his own medication. Publish innuendo and half truths about him and his family and see how he likes it.

There is nothing wrong with holding our elected representatives accountable. I will hasten to say that is in fact noble. However what Nderry has been doing is borderline libelious in most cases. I know the his supporters will point to the fact that he hasn't been sued yet. To which I say his day is coming.

With free speech comes great responsibility. Nderry Mbai loves the former, but is not so fun of the later. Here is to the start of keeping him honest.