This matter has understandably raised public concern, and the GPF remains committed to ensuring transparency and accountability.
According to investigations, Ebrima Ceesay was reported missing by his family on July 18, 2024.
Following this information, a body was discovered in a pond in the swarm of Kampant village in the Foni Kansala district on July 20, 2024. The corpse was hurriedly buried by villagers who were unaware of the ongoing missing person case.
When the police picked the intelligence of the discovery and subsequent burial of the body, we swiftly acted to exhume the body on July 21, 2024, and evacuate it to the EFSTH mortuary for proper identification.
The family of Ebrima Ceesay were duly informed of the found body and encouraged to visit the mortuary for identification. However, at that time, the family led by the deceased father, Baba Ceesay, refused the request, claiming the corpse that they saw on social media was not Ebrima Ceesay.
The Police understood their grief and continued investigating the missing person case while encouraging the family to verify the body. It was only on December 26, 2024, five months later, after consistent persuasion from the Police, that the family finally visited the mortuary and confirmed that the body was indeed that of their missing son, Ebrima Ceesay.
During the investigation, one Ebou Secka emerged as a person of interest connected to the mysterious disappearance of Ebrima Ceesay. During all this period, the police were searching for Ebou Secka, who was in hiding.
Fortunately, the dedicated police investigators were able to locate and arrest him on October 6, 2024.
During the same period, the investigators were also focused on tracing Ebrima Ceesay in solidarity with the family who were to believe that the corpse at the mortuary was that of Ebrima at that time,
Faced with the challenges encountered by investigators, the suspect Ebou Secka was remanded over an earlier robbery case linking him to avoid illegal detention pending determination of the current case.
Unfortunately, on December 19, 2024, Ebou Secka escaped from police custody. Since then, the Police have been actively pursuing the cause of his arrest, applying all the modes at our disposal.
Meanwhile, internal investigations are ongoing to establish the circumstances leading to the escape.
The GPF remains committed to ensuring that justice is served and that the principles of justice and a fair trial are upheld.
The public is urged to remain patient and cooperate with the ongoing investigation and to provide relevant information to assist the police.
The GPF will continue to provide updates as progress is made while reiterating its commitment to accountability, transparency, and the pursuit of justice for all.
