By: Sarjo Brito
Dalaba Estate residents have expressed concerns following the release of suspects linked to robberies at the Estate. The suspects have since been charged with conspiracy to commit a felony, armed with intent to commit a felony, and possession of a suspected stolen property. While the arrest of the alleged armed robbers was a sigh of relief to the residents, their release from police custody has raised eyebrows among Dalaba residents as they grew worried about what their next move could be.
Police PRO Cadet Assistant Superintendent Binta Njie said the police are committed to protecting the lives and properties of all Gambians and residents of the Gambia. However, she added that the arrest and release of suspects must be done within the confines of the law, citing the presumption of innocence until proven guilty by law, as enshrined in the constitution.
“We understand their plight. We know they are concerned but we want to assure them that we are equally concerned because we are mandated to ensure the protection of their lives and properties. However, we work by the law and at the moment we can’t keep them beyond 72 hours because that is not what the law says. So, whatever action we are taking we want them to understand that we are doing it by the law and the law says they have a presumption of innocence until proven guilty by a competent court of law.’’
Cadet ASP Njie reiterated the commitment of the Gambia police to protect lives and properties as they continue their investigations. Njie assured the residents of Dalaba Estate that the incident will not be swept under the rug, and anyone found wanting will be duly prosecuted.
“We are still investigating, and we assure them that if they are found wanting of any offense or crime, we will prosecute them duly.’’
Meanwhile, PRO Njie urged the residents of Dalaba Estate to be more vigilant as most of the robberies have been alleged to take place during the day. Njie said the police will continue to carry out rigorous operations to ensure that these occurrences become a thing of the past.
“Our men are always patrolling Dalaba during the night and most of these occurrences happened during the day. You would not even suspect that these people are there to rob.’’
