By: Sandally Sawo
The Gambia Police Force (GPF) has completed phases one and two of their probe into suspected misappropriated COVID-19 funds.
This revelation was made by the Gambia’s police chief Seedy Mucktarr Touray on Tuesday morning.
It would be recalled that the National Assembly on 14 September 2023, passed a resolution for the Inspector General of Police to launch an exhaustive investigation against the National Disaster Management Agency over undelivered COVID-19 food relief items worth over D100M. The National Assembly Finance and Public Accounts Committee (FPAC) resolved that the IGP ensured that an account of this transaction was rendered to the AG’s department on or before 25 September 2023, and notify it.
The committee also passed a resolution for the police chief to probe former permanent secretary at the health ministry over his failure to produce payment vouchers worth D1.6M.
Meanwhile, the Gambia Press Union did not also escape the scrutiny of FPAC. The committee passed a resolution for the IGP to investigate the country’s apex press body and the Grant Management Committee over unaccounted D462,437.86 COVID-19 funds. FPAC also passed a resolution around the outstanding documents on the retirement of the COVID-19 Funds by the Gambian embassy in Madrid.
The unretired imprests and COVID-19 monies not refunded amounted to D139M.
It now appears that legal actions against these institutions and organizations are no longer distant possibilities as the Gambia Police Force reportedly seek legal advice from the AG Chambers.
Speaking on West Coast radio breakfast show Tuesday morning, the Gambia’s police chief Seedy Mucktarr Touray indicated the GPF’s eagerness to get to the bottom of every corruption case that finds itself on the desk of the police.
IGP Touray said they have now sent their findings to the country’s law office, seeking legal advice as prospects of prosecution loom large.
