CPA Boss Maintains Gov’t’s Inaction Comment on Sex-Tourism despite Police Questioning
The Gambian police have questioned the National Coordinator of Child Protection Alliance (CPA) over his sex tourism comment in the British newspaper, but he maintains his statement that the government has failed to address the menace.
However, Lamin Fatty claimed that the reporter of The Sun has distorted the fact by quoting as saying the children in The Gambia are cheap.
The newspaper published the article on January 16th with the headline: “Inside ‘paedo paradise’ The Gambia where sex beasts are buying African children and toddlers to rape.”
The publication indicated the British pedophiles who branded themselves as tourists would be sexually abusing Gambian children – girls and boys – on the beaches.
The article quoted Lamin Fatty as saying, “Sex is cheap in my country and children are being sold for as little as 150 dalasis, or just over £2 in your currency.”
He was further quoted: “Child abuse is going on all the time in The Gambia and the government is not doing enough to put a stop to it.
Soon after the publication, Fatty took to Facebook to disassociate himself with the comment. He claimed that he was misquoted by the reporter who interviewed him.
However, this did not stop the police from subjecting him to further questioning.
“I was invited for questioning by the TSU in relation to my interview with ‘The Sun’ on Friday. I was asked to report on Monday and when that happen, I was led to the Serious Crime Unit at the Police Headquarters for further questioning,” he said.
However, he said he sticks to his comment about the government’s inaction to address the menace.
“I still stick by everything that has been said in The Sun article the only thing that I deferred with the reporter is where he misquoted me to have said sex is as cheap as D150. I did not make such comment and I deny saying so, it was cooked up by the reporter,” he stated.
Fatty confirmed that he was not charged nor was there any legal action taken against him by the Gambia Tourism Board.
The Gambia’s good name in tourism has been tainted over the years as several reports of this nature have been circulated in recent times– affecting the arrival of the visitors due to fear.
