Bala Garba Jahumpa, Others granted bail

Benedict Jammeh, Inspector-General of Police, yesterday evenning confirmed to the Daily Observer , the release on bail of Bala Garba Jahumpa, former Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Bai Ousman Secka, former Permanent Secretary No 2, at the Department of State for Foreign Affairs, Tijan Bah, Deputy Permanent Secretary at the Department of State for Foreign Affairs and Batata Juwara, Director of Protocol, Department of State for Foreign Affairs.

The four were arrested by the Police mid last week, but no official reason has been publicly advanced for their arrest. But local press reports intimated that it is in connection with the discovery of visa and passport scam, at the Department of State for Foreign Affairs.

However, the Office of the President, last Thurday afternoon  issued a press release, urging “all those in possession of Service and Diplomatic Passports and are no more in goverment services, to immediately surrender it to the Inspector-General of Police not later than Monday October 8, 2007”.