Baba Jobe's 'driver' to be deported

http://www.observer.gm/artman/publish/article_378.shtml


By Omar Bah
Dec 1, 2003, 22:21

Abdulai Sarho, said to be a driver in the employment of House Majority leader, Baba Jobe, is to be deported to his native Liberia.

The Gambian authorities have decided to deport Sarho, an ex-combatant in the Liberian civil war, over his "unregularised" immigration status in the country. "He is an illegal immigrant in the country. So, he is going to be deported. He has already been served with the deportation notifications," police public relations officer, Superintendent Pah-Amady Jallow told this paper yesterday when contacted for clarification. Supt Jallow also cleared the fog surrounding a double-barrelled gun reported to have been found in Sarho's possession.

The said gun, he disclosed, was found during a police search in the house of Lamin Kuru Konjira, an associate of Baba Jobe. "The gun was found in Kuru's house during a police search. He [Kuru] is said to be out of the country at the moment, but as soon as he returns, we will confront him on whether the gun was licensed or not," Supt Jallow said.

Daily Observer has learnt that at the time of the search, Mr Konjira, who works with the presidential jet, New Millennium, was in Saudi Arabia with the First Lady who was on the minor Muslim pilgrimage, the umrah. It could be recalled that Sarho has been in police custody since Thursday, November 20 and refused bail. His lawyer, Mai NK Fatty, has earlier told this paper that Sarho was a refugee and that his detention beyond 72hr in the absence of a charge against him was an infringement of his constitutional right.

Modou Soma Jobe
Meanwhile, the Commissioner of North Bank Division, Momodou Soma Jobe, a cousin to Baba Jobe, is still under police custody. This paper has reliably learnt that last Friday, Momodou Soma Jobe was transferred to the Farafenni police for further investigation into allegations that he sold hundreds of bags of rice and sugar the President gave out for distribution to Muslims in The Gambia during Ramadan. However, by press time last night, it was reported that Commissioner Jobe has been brought back under police guard to Banjul. He was expected to have spent the night at the serious crimes unit at police headquarters, Banjul. No charges have been preferred against him yet. It is not known when he would he granted bail from his ten-day police detention.

Baba's houses searched
Meanwhile, Daily Observer has also learnt that two houses belonging to the embattled House Majority leader, Baba Jobe, in Jarra Karantaba and Kotu, have been searched by the police. Supt Jallow confirmed the searches but declined to make any further comment. 

However, this paper has learnt that the searches were in relation to ongoing investigations of Mr Jobe. Asked whether any incriminating articles of evidence were found during the CID searches, Supt Jallow said, "I cannot comment".
However, Daily Observer has confirmed that the detective police found nothing.



© Copyright 2003 by Observer Company

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