Missionary couple in Gambia jail on charge of sedition

Published on Friday 5 December 2008 00:47

A BRITISH couple working as Christian missionaries were last night behind bars after being charged with sedition in Gambia, West Africa.

David and Fiona Fulton were arrested last Saturday and have been held since, according to a friend.

Mr Fulton, 60, a former British Army major originally from Troon, is being held in a high security jail outside the capital, Banjul.

Mrs Fulton, 46, from Torquay, is being held with their two-year-old adopted daughter at a police station in the city.

She has been treated well by police officers who have run errands to buy nappies – but last night there were fears for her husband's safety.

A friend, who did not want to be named, said: "Fiona has been treated well. We are not sure about David. We don't think he's fared quite as well. He's not eating."

Other prisoners on similar charges have been poisoned in Gambian jails, according to reports from the country.

The Fultons moved to Gambia 12 years ago to work as missionaries.

Mr Fulton is a chaplain in the Gambian army and his wife looks after terminally ill people and spends time visiting women in their homes and in hospital.

They appeared in court in Banjul yesterday charged with sedition – undermining the authority of the government. They were unable to meet conditions attached to an offer of bail.

The Foreign Office confirmed two Britons had been arrested.

A spokesman said: "Two British nationals have been arrested in Gambia and Foreign Office consular staff have been in touch with them and are providing consular assistance."