Mayor of Kanifing Municipal Council Ahmed Talib Bensouda has condemned the detention of Voice newspaper editors, as he asked Barrow to stop using the state security to punish critics.

“More disappointing is the fact that they have reportedly been charged with False Publication and Broadcasting. It is evident from the publication that they also published denials of the other side and gave NPP leaders an opportunity to react.

“All objective readers can see that there was no attempt to tarnish the image of the President. It was a speculative report about the political future of the President,” he said.

“The President should avoid being perceived as using the State Security to persecute his personal grievances. Threatening civil action through a lawyer and simultaneously arresting the proposed defendant clearly tells Gambians that this is a personal matter of concern to the President and he is using his power to pursue it. This is not right,” he added.

Reporting by Adama Makasuba