By Lamin Cham
Two protocol officials at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have been arrested while a third one is wanted by the police after it has been established that he is out of the country.
According to reliable sources, the officials are being held in connection with an alleged illegal facilitation of an unspecified number of diplomatic passports for people not eligible or approved to have one, for monetary benefits.
A police source which declined to give names said the matter is being investigated and as such no further details can be given to the press.
Saikou Ceesay, Communication Officer at MOFA confirmed the arrests, adding that a third official is believed to have left the country not long ago.
”I cannot of course, give you names now until investigations reach such a stage,” he added.
Under the law, only the President can approve the issuance of diplomatic passports in The Gambia.
It is not known who are the people involved in buying the document from the officials or how much was involved and how it was done.
However a source said the lid on the matter was blown off when one of those in possession presented it somewhere.
