Five state agents of The Gambia, who were summoned by the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice in Abuja, Nigeria, in the ongoing case of a "disappeared" Gambian journalist on March 11, 2008, failed to make an appearance before the court to testify.

The security agents had been summoned by the court to clear themselves of their alleged involvement in the arrest and subsequent detention of Chief Ebrima Manneh, a former reporter of the Daily Observer newspaper.

The court therefore adjourned the case till June 5, 2008 for delivery of its judgment.

The security agents, three military personnel and two police officers, had been mentioned earlier by witnesses as involved in the arrest and detention of Chief Manneh.

The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) last year brought legal action for the sub-regional court to compel The Gambian government to unconditionally release the journalist.

The Gambian government has consistently failed to appear before the court. On July 7, 2006, colleagues of Manneh witnessed his arrest at the Daily Observer premises. He has since been sighted in the custody of state security personnel, but the government has denied ever arresting him.

The MFWA was founded in 1997 to defend and promote the rights and freedom of the media and all forms of expression.