Saikou Ceesay a reporter with the Foroyaa newspaper was on Sunday 15 June 2008 detained at the kotu police station his detention came days after a tip on the arrest of the managing director of Daily Observer Dida Halake.The two were together at the police station before them were transferred to the Banjul police head offices.

Speaking to this reporter Ceesay said though he was not physically tortured but suffered from mental and psyclogical torture. He said the detention was horrible. He told this reporter that this was not the first time that he was arrested by the police. “I was arrested some months ago because of an article I wrote and was published in the same paper, on the situation of a local market” he said.

Commenting on the recent arrest, he said he was detained simply because he followed Dida’s case, who was arrested and detained at the Kotu police station, that was my only crime as a reporter. I went into the station requesting to see my colleague. Then as I try questioning him, the officer on duty claimed that I was playing with an officer’s intelligence.

Ceesay was then granted bail at the Banjul head office together with Dida on 16 June 2008.He told this reporter that since his bail he has reported twice and was asked to report again on Monday June 22 2008. Asked how he feels, Ceesay said he is not comfortable with what is going on, his telephone numbers were taken both by the Serekunda police and that of Banjul.

He said when he reported on Wednesday 18 June 2008; he was told by the crime management unit that he was instructed by the new Inspector General of Police, Esssa Badgie to extend the bail until Monday. Badgie until Monday the 15 June 2008 was the head of the crime management unit responsible of his case.

Dida, the former managing director of the Daily Observer was still at the serious crime unit of the police.He was a columnist with the observer newspaper before he was promoted to the post of managing director, reasons of his arrest, detention and sacking is yet to be known.