Femi Peters, a Gambian opposition politician jailed for organizing a public rally without permission was freed without condition.
Although there was no official reason for his release, Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) sources reported that it might be due to his ill health.
Peters, a diabetic patient, was suffering from continuous malaria bouts which had become a subject of international campaign for his release.
The Kanifing magistrate’s court presided over by Kayode Olajubutu on April 1, 2010 found Peters guilty of two criminal charges following a public rally that the UDP held in October 2009, which the police said was illegal because the United Democratic Party (UDP) had no permit.
Peters was handed a mandatory one-year jail term and a fine of 10,000 dalasis (about US$ 300).
An appeal he filed at the Banjul High court on August 25, 2009 was dismissed. He was arrested and detained on October 25, 2009.