POLICE SAY MOST CRIMES COMMITTED BY FOREIGNERS

 By Omar Bah

 standard newspaper          fEBRUARY 21, 2024

Commissioner Pateh Bah, head of the Regional Crime Office for Kanifing Municipality, has said police statistics indicate that a substantial number of crimes in The Gambia were committed by foreign nationals.

Addressing journalists at a press briefing called by West Coast Regional Police Commissioner Pateh Jallow yesterday, Commissioner Bah said he did not intend to appear discriminatory or xenophobic but records showed that “most of these incidents involved foreigners and not Gambians”, adding, “probably, most of these crimes are imported, or the ideas are imported”.

The press briefing was held in the wake of a shooting by an armed robber in Fajara and the murder of a British expatriate woman in Madina Alhagie Gayo.

Commenting on the murder of Shaikna Chinedu, the head of the Regional Crime Office for West Coast, Commissioner Boto Keita, said the police have arrested a Sierra Leonean national in connection with the murder.

He said the British woman was resident in Brusubi and was reported missing on Wednesday, 14 February 2024.

“When the matter was reported, the police swiftly started an investigation, and a suspect was apprehended who helped the police in their investigation and later admitted to killing the British woman. He led the police to recover the properties that he stole after murdering the woman. The police also went back with him to the crime scene, where the deceased had started construction on a new site at Madina Alhagie, a village located between Kunkujang Mariama and Mamuda. That is where she was murdered by the suspect, Augustine Bangura, a Sierra Leonean national,” he said.

Commissioner Keita added that the suspect dragged the deceased and dumped her in an incomplete soak-away, collected some cash, and went back to her house and took more cash and two laptops.

“He was found with a pistol, and investigations are ongoing to determine how he got the pistol. Also, during the course of the investigation, the keys to the house of the deceased were recovered from the suspect; he had kept them in his residence at Bakoteh. We also recovered the items that were stolen from the victim and the hammer he used to kill the deceased,” he said.

He said the suspect is in police custody, and he will be taken to court soon.

Fajara shooting

Regarding the shooting incident at Fajara, Commissioner Pateh Bah said it happened on Thursday between 10 and 11am along Bakau New Town Road, not far from Timbooktoo Bookshop.

“When we got the report, we quickly responded and visited the scene, unfortunately, we could not find the assailants. The victim, Ali Sidi, a Guinea-Bissau national and businessman residing in Fajara, informed us that he was attacked, but the person didn’t succeed, and there was a bitter struggle between them, and that when the suspect fled the scene and joined his counterpart in the vehicle, people tried to chase them, but they escaped,” he said.

He said, luckily for the police, the number plate of the BMW used by the suspects was identified by the people at the scene.

“When we got the number, we mounted an investigation, and I realised it was parked at a mechanic garage in Kololi. The owner of the garage was invited, and he admitted that the vehicle belongs to him and is from his garage, and he was the one who lent it to one of his friends, who is one of the suspects in this case, Seedy Gaye. We continued our investigation and arrested Seedy Gaye in Bijilo and brought him to the office, and he helped us arrest his colleague, who is a Sierra Leonean national living in Dalaba Estate,” he said.

He said both suspects admitted to committing the crime. Commissioner Bah said the suspects had even gone to survey the house before the operation.

“They suspected that Sidi Ali had money, and they wanted to rob him,” he said. He said the first suspect admitted that he owned the pistol, but when they were going for the operation, he handed it over to the second suspect.

“Following the operation, they parked the vehicle at the Aqua View Hotel, but before then, they went back to the garage and changed the number plate and replaced it with another one,” he said.

He said all the materials involved in the case have been recovered, and the victim is recovering from body pain. He said the suspects have been charged with conspiracy, going armed in public, and being in possession of a firearm without authority, and they will be arraigned.

Driver and mate allegedly kill new father

 

 FEBRUARY 6, 2024   standard newspaper

By Tabora Bojang

Bakary Sabally from Basse Sare Mansong was reportedly killed by a driver and his mate after they hit him with a metal bar on his head during an altercation.

The 30-year-old man better known as ‘Momodou’ around his locale, had an altercation with a driver and his mate (apprentice) on his return from a shopping trip for the christening of his newly born daughter.

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Momodou’s sister, Habsa Sabally, told The Standard: “Bakary went to Basse on Saturday with his younger sister to buy items for his daughter’s naming ceremony. He loaded the items on the vehicle and on the way he had an argument with the driver’s mate about the fare and it escalated into a fistfight. When the driver saw his mate fighting with my brother, he stopped the vehicle, removed a metal bar and hit Bakary on the head. He was bleeding profusely and was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead. But some witnesses said he died on the spot.”

She said the body was taken to the main referral Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital in Banjul, where an autopsy is expected to be conducted on it today

Bakary is survived by a son and two girls. Habsa said his brother’s killing has left the community shaken.

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Police spokesperson, ASP Binta Njie, confirmed the case.

She said Bakary was jointly assaulted by two suspects, one of whom is the driver, from Sare Koki and Samba Tako villages.

“The victim after being assaulted fell down and became unconscious. He was taken to the Basse Health Centre where he was confirmed dead. The case file is with the CID and investigations are ongoing.”

Family of murdered forex bureau worker accuse police of permit denial

 

 FEBRUARY 6, 2024   standard newspaper

 By Tabora Bojang

Relatives of murdered forex bureau worker, Fatoumatta Kargbo, who was stabbed to death in broad daylight by a suspected robber at Westfield last month have accused the police of denying them request to hold a solidarity march for her.

Ms Kargbo who worked for H&M Bureau was allegedly stabbed and killed by one Arona Tine a Senegalese.

The suspect has since been arraigned and remanded at the Mile II prison awaiting trial at the Banjul High Court.

Her gruesome killing attracted wide condemnations.

Fatoumatta’s uncle Ousainou, told a news conference organised by the family over the weekend that their plan to hold a peaceful march in memory of the deceased was cancelled because the police declined their request for a procession permit.

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He explained: “This greatly dismayed the family. During one of our visits to the police headquarters, a police commissioner asked us to go and do our preparations because we were going to be given a permit. We returned home with hope, made our preparations and spent a lot of money, only to be told at the last minute that the permit will not be issued.

“This is very disturbing. Our loved one died in a very brutal and gruesome manner and no one in the family reacted in any extreme way. We could have gone out if we wished but we know the authorities were doing their investigations and we ought to accord them their due. We only pleaded with them to allow us two hours to do a peaceful march to honour Fatoumatta’s memory and register our condemnation at the manner in which she was killed but we were denied. We accept it in good faith since we cannot go against the authorities.”

The family said they have also written recommendations and a way forward to be shared with authorities at the Ministry for the Interior, Ministry of Justice and Ministry of Finance and the Central Bank for them to review policy and other regulations of micro-finance institutions to avoid recurrences of such acts.

Police reaction

When contacted the police spokesperson ASP Binta Njie said the denial of the permit was based on “security reasons”.

She also denied suggestions that the request was made on behalf of the family.

She said the police contacted some family members who said they were not part of any request to hold a protest.

 “The request was made by some TikTokers with one of her uncles and a brother. They were told that the police will look at the situation to see if it will be okay to issue them a permit. So, the commissioner later told them that looking into the situation and considering that we are preparing to host the OIC summit, it would not be okay to issue them a permit to hold that kind of a protest. They also made announcements to hold a protest even before they engaged the police. And they were made to understand that it would not be a good precedent if everyone whose family is affected is permitted to go out in the streets and protest,” PRO Njie stated.

AUDIT DEMANDS EXPLANATION FOR D18M ‘USED’ AS FARABA VICTIMS’ COMPENSATION

 FEBRUARY 1, 2024  standard newspaper

By Tabora Bojang

In its 2020 annual audit report, the National Audit Office has said it was unable to make an independent assessment of how D18, 271, 59, claimed to be spent on compensations of victims of the Faraba incident, was used.

In June 2018, a fracas broke out between youths of Faraba and officers of the Police Intervention Unit during which 3 people who were among a group protesting against sand mining were shot and killed by the PIU. Dozens were also injured and many properties damaged.

The president established a commission to look into the incident which submitted its report recommending among other things, monetary compensation to the victims’ families.

In 2019, the government issued a statement that it has accepted a D1 million compensation to each of the families of the 3 civilians killed in the incident while noting that the committee tasked to look into the commission’s report would also review cases of injuries and property damages to determine appropriate compensation. 

But the Auditor General’s report on the 2020 accounts of the government stated that the government has failed to submit all relevant documents and other evidence necessary to confirm if the D18.2 million claimed compensations were made with proper supporting documents.

The auditors recommended that the Attorney General in collaboration with the relevant office’s furnish the audit team with details such as names, correspondence to the mobile numbers, house names if any, mothers and fathers name and current residence of those said to be compensated.

Last week, the chairman of parliament’s Finance and Public Accounts Committee Alagie S Darboe, said these audit findings on the Faraba incident remain unresolved in the audit report and asked for explanations from the deputy Accountant General, Clara Saine.

Ms Saine told lawmakers that the Ministry of Justice has been engaged to provide the relevant information during the audit but they are yet to make any submissions.

“And after the completion of the audit, we engaged the Ministry of Justice requesting that they provide this information but we are yet to receive anything,” deputy AG Saine submitted. 

The committee is expected to present its report before the plenary with recommendations and resolutions on the Auditor General’s findings.

GPPA claims Mansakonko Area Council bought bag of rice for D6000

 July 27, 2023, The Standard newspaaper

By Aminata Kuyateh

The director of procurement policy at the Gambia Public Procurement Authority, Ebrima Sanyang, Thursday revealed that in 2020, Mansakonko Area Council purchased 655 bags of rice amounting to D4,025,750 from a supplier Nemasu Enterprise, which means that each bag of rice costs a little over D6,000.

Worst still Mr Sanyang said Nemasu Enterprise was not registered with the GPPA and the law prohibits area councils from trading with suppliers that are not registered with the GPPA

He revealed that in 2019 there were 495 transactions of single sourcing by the council amounting to D2,280,996.64 as well as 10 transactions of request for quotation amounting D486,850.

Sanyang further revealed that in 2020 there were 446 single sourcing transactions of D25,959,001.62 and 22 transactions through request for quotation amounting to D4,961,155. In 2021, the GPPA man went on, “there were another 436 transactions of single sourcing amounting to D1,469,800.23 and four transactions of request for quotation amounting to D162,020.” He went on to list numerous other single sourcing and request for quotations carried out by the Mansakonko Area Council.

Commission queries GPPA

However, after the lengthy testimony of Mr Sanyang from the GPPA, the Commissioners raised the issue of inconsistencies in the reports of GPPA itself.

Deputy lead counsel Patrick Gomez told the witness that procurement report was done with intention to defraud and asked the witness the cost of a bag of rice.

The witness responded that the highest price for a bag of rice was D2,000 and admitted that there are several inconsistencies in their reports because they sometimes made wrong citations of the Act.

The chairperson of the commission, Jainaba Bah put it to the witness that the GPPA report was not consistent.

Director Sanyang informed the Commission that the GPPA has taken note of the errors and promised that they will adjust. “We will put our house in order,” the witness said.

Sanyang added that “the citations of the law maybe wrong, but the facts and the findings remain the same”.

He testified that the GPPA does not have a legal department.

 

More people dragged to court for guaranteeing Cruise Ship Crew absconders

By Bruce Asemota

 July 26, 2023, The Standard newspaper

The Cruise Ship Crew Company Limited has again filed civil suits against more guarantors of recruited crew members from Gambia who absconded.

The plaintiff is claiming the sum of US$50.000, being the amount the defendants stood as guarantors for the recruitment of the deserters.

The respondents are: Amat Njie and Amat Nyang, who guaranteed Awa Njie from Kukunjang Keitaya; Lamin Jarju from Lamin village who guaranteed Joseph Mendy; Alieu Barry from Brikama Jamisa who guaranteed Saja Bangura; Bakary Saidykhan from Brikama who stood as guarantor for Musa Saidykhan; Dodou Colley from Latrikunda Sabiji who stood as guarantor for Fanta Colley and Biran Jallow from Lamin village, and Amadou Jallow from Tujereng who stood as guarantors for Burrie Njie, from Serekunda.

Meanwhile, the motion was moved yesterday before Justice Ebrima Jaiteh and he ordered that these defendants be served with the copies of the court order, the writ of summons and the accompanying processes. The case was adjourned to 20  October, 2023.

 

D25K reward for information on police station robbery

Press release

 July 25, 2023, The Standard Newspaper

The Guardian Intelligence and Investigative Service, a private security firm, is offering up to D25,000 for information leading to the location or identification of the armed robbers who attacked the Kunkujang Keitaya police station on Wednesday 3 May 2023, which left some officers injured. The robbers allegedly attacked the station and stole a mobile phone owned by one of the police officers.

The reward offered by the organisation on Monday also covers any information that could lead to the arrest of individuals responsible for the attack.

The organisation’s statement reads: “On Saturday, 25 February, 2023, we wrote an article about our security analysis and risk assessment on how there are security vulnerabilities at police stations, court houses, and other government institutions in the Gambia and offered some tips on what countermeasures to put in place to make sure that officers and civil servants in these facilities are well protected and prepared for incidents like the robbery that happened on 12th February, 2023 at the PIU checkpoint in Fass Njaga Choi and on 3rd May, 2023 at Kunkujang Keitaya Police Station (according to What’s On Gambia news platform).

“On Thursday, 2nd February 2023, we also urged the government especially the interior minister, Seyaka Sonko to put measures in place to train and arm our officers with handguns and rifles especially the ones on the frontline to make sure that these armed robbery attacks at police stations or checkpoints do not happen again. Internal security access control such as CCTV cameras, digital Daily Visitor Log (DOL), police reception desk with glass shield, and security doors should be put in place at our police stations, immigration, courthouses, and ministry offices to digitally keep track of visitors. This would have been a great advantage in the robbery attack at Kunkujang Keita-ya police station because investigators would have been able to go back and trace activities prior to the incident and seek help from the public to see if anyone would recognise the suspects based on their clothing, the way they walk, or talk, but because countermeasures were not put in place, identifying, apprehending, and bringing the robbery suspects to justice would almost be impossible to do because investigators do not have anything that would direct them to the suspects.

It has been long overdue to take back the country from these criminals who have no regards and respect for our law enforcement officers and laws of the land by legally and aggressively enforcing the laws to the fullest.”