By Lamin Njie
Fourteen people have been charged over a diplomatic passport scandal that rocked the Barrow administration late last year, according to The Standard.
They are, Mansa Sumareh (former presidential driver), Lang Tombong Sabally (senior immigration officer), Banka Jatta (senior immigration officer), Babucarr MS Jobarteh (former chief protocol at foreign ministry), Amadou Touray, Saikou Sanneh (protocol officers, foreign ministry), Babucarr Bah (a police chief inspector), Dodou Camara, Yankuba Susso, Ebrima J Sanneh (protocol officer, foreign ministry), Ousman Touray (protocol officer, foreign ministry), Micheal Lapido (a Nigerian national), Ismaila Kanteh – Businessman and Ousman Drammeh, according to The Standard.
They are charged with obtaining money by false pretences, forgery: making false documents; uttering false documents; theft; receiving stolen goods; to making documents without authority.
Last year, the Barrow government found itself in a firestorm after it emerged government officials were fraudulently helping individuals to hold Gambian diplomatic passport.
It prompted President Adama Barrow ‘as the singular approving authority of diplomatic passports’ instructing a full investigation into the scandal.
It has now emerged fourteen people have been charged including former friend of President Barrow Mansa Sumareh.
Mr Sumareh who sat No. 1 on The Standard’s list declined to comment when contacted by The Fatu Network.
The solicitor general Cherno Marenah did not pick calls for comment.
The officials face up to seven years in prison if found guilty.
