Justice Ministry Reportedly Orders Police Probe Into Bensouda, Lowe, Sanneh, Other Local Officials Amid Security Concerns

By Staff Writer

The Ministry of Justice has directed the Inspector General of Police to establish an investigative panel to question Kanifing Municipal Council Mayor Talib Ahmed Bensouda and several other local government officials adversely mentioned in the government’s White Paper on the findings of the Local Government Commission of Inquiry, sources at the ministry have told Kerr Fatou.

Those reportedly targeted for questioning include Banjul Mayor Rohey Malick Lowe, Mansakonko Area Council Chairman Landing Sanneh, former Basse Area Council Chairman Foday Danjo, and other officials named in the White Paper.

According to the sources, the police have been given 14 days to provide the Justice Ministry with an update on the investigations, a deadline that has reportedly raised concerns within the police high command over its feasibility, cost, and potential security implications.

Senior police officials are said to have questioned the practicality of establishing an investigative panel, summoning the affected officials, conducting interviews, and providing a substantive update within two weeks, particularly given that the commission itself spent approximately three years conducting its inquiry.

Beyond the tight timeline, the police leadership is reportedly concerned about the security risks associated with summoning high-profile political figures, particularly Mayor Bensouda, to police headquarters for questioning.

Sources said senior officers fear such a move could provoke unrest and expose police facilities to potential violence amid heightened political tensions ahead of the December 5 presidential election.

To minimize those risks, proposals have reportedly been made to interview Bensouda in Kanifing rather than at police headquarters, while establishing similar investigative panels in other administrative regions to question officials named in the White Paper.

Kerr Fatou has also learned that senior police officials met with the Deputy Inspector General of Police to express their reservations about the directive and share intelligence assessments of the increasingly tense political atmosphere surrounding the presidential nomination process.

According to the sources, particular concern was raised about Bensouda’s presidential candidacy and the potential consequences of any action perceived as an attempt to prevent him from contesting the election.

Police officials reportedly warned that such a development could trigger unrest that security forces might struggle to contain.

The concerns come amid growing controversy over the government’s White Paper and its recommendations against several local government officials.

Sources at the Justice Ministry further disclosed that the government is reinforcing security around the residences of Cabinet ministers amid fears that senior officials could become targets of violence should political tensions escalate.

The proposed investigations have also raised financial and operational concerns within the police leadership. According to the sources, senior officers believe the exercise would require substantial resources that could otherwise be directed toward other pressing security priorities.

The Inspector General of Police is reportedly expected to meet President Adama Barrow to present the police leadership’s concerns, including its assessment of the security situation, operational challenges and the feasibility of the 14-day reporting deadline.

The developments come at a sensitive moment, with The Gambia’s presidential election scheduled for December 5 and political tensions mounting over the government’s handling of the Local Government Commission’s findings.

Kerr Fatou has not independently obtained the reported directive or verified the accounts of the police leadership’s internal deliberations. The information is based on accounts provided by sources within the Ministry of Justice.