Minister
of the Interior Mai Ahmad Fatty has said that he did not authorise the arrest
of Lawyer Baboucarr M.O Badjie or any other person of interest to law
enforcement officers, neither was he consulted prior to Badjie’s arrest.
In
a statement released via social media yesterday afternoon, Minister Fatty said
although he takes full responsibility of the satellite institutions under his
ministry, it would constitute a misconception of his role as interior minister
to include the power of arrest, detention and prosecution.
Badjie’s arrest has caused a several reactions both locally and online, and the minister said he deemed it “useful to clarify the situation”.
“It would be wrong assumption to conclude that the Minister of Interior would be aware of every arrest or detention situation in the country. The Minster should not interfere in such matters,” he said.
Badjie
released on bail
Meanwhile
SIS’ lawyer Badjie has been released on bail by the police at about 4.30 pm
yesterday after he turned down an initial bail condition, arguing that it was
stringent.
“A
bail bond of D1 million with two male sureties was exorbitant in my situation,”
he said of the first bail condition.
“I
am a senior officer of the agency [SIS] and my rank is equivalent to a Police
Commissioner so I see no reason why my bail condition should be so stringent.”
Badjie
said he also had security concerns which made him turn down the bail offer due
to the presence of operatives of the SIS special operations unit and other
people he identified to be close associates of ex-President Jammeh’s brother,
Ansumana Jammeh at the station.
Badjie
is subject of government investigations relating to alleged misconduct. His
boss Ousman Sowe at the SIS accused him of leaking official secrets to the
public.
Investigation
panel comprising various personnel of the police are currently investigating to
establish if the allegation advanced by Badjie’s boss is in fact true.
He
was served with an interdiction letter from the Personnel Management Office at
around 7pm on Friday. With the
interdiction letter, he is suspended from work pending the outcome of the
investigation.
Lawyer
Badjie maintained that he is victim of a witch hunt by the head of the agency
who he accused of unwilling to implement reforms as recommended by the new
government. He also accused him of being
reluctant to hand over all suspects in the murder of the Solo Sandeng.
However,
the SIS, in reaction to the allegations, described Badjie as a “renegade
officer” whose allegations constitute violations of official secretes.
