The Honourable Minister of Interior, Seyaka Sonko has called on the general public to collectively preserve and jealously guard the peace of our beloved country, and to protect one another. The Interior Minister made this call on Friday 15th September, 2023 at a press briefing organised by the Gambia Police Force, in collaboration with the Ministry of Interior and the Office of the National Security.
The press briefing was convened to update the public on the preliminary outcome of the ongoing investigations into the recent tragic shooting that caused the death of two police officers and left one more in critical condition.
Minister Sonko stated that sometimes when crisis happen, the most affected are the civilians and they need the protection of the security service; hence the need to show some love to the security personnel.
He expressed his heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of the late police officers. He advised the general public to work away from crime scenes; especially if one has no information to share with the investigation team, to avoid tempering with the evidence of the case. This, he warned, can make the work of the police investigators difficult.
He commended the media for the good job they are doing in keeping the public informed about the incident. He however advised the media fraternity to be vigilant and be mindful of the interviews and information they share with the public, making sure that it does not distract the ongoing investigations.
The Interior Minister applauded the good leadership manifested by His Excellency President Adama Barrow during this difficult moment. He also thanked the Minister of Defence and Service Chiefs who joined him on the scene of the crime to assist in the investigation.
The National Security Adviser, Abubacarr Sulayman Jeng told the press that when the incident occurred, a combined security and law enforcement manhunt was swiftly initiated for the capture of the assailant(s). He affirmed that Ousainou Bojang is the primary suspect of the murder of two police officers and six more suspects are in police custody but none of them has ever served in any of the national security institutions in The Gambia.
Speaking on behalf of the IGP, the Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police, Momodou Sowe explained the steps undertaken to apprehend the primary suspect, Ousainou Bojang. He said the primary suspect Ousainou Bojang has confessed to the investigation panel that he killed the two police officers and also shot a third officer who is in critical condition.
DIG Sowe urged the media to always seek information from the police for accurate and dependable information prior to publication.
