Police spokesman Inspector Foday Conta has issued a release on the appointment of the new police chief and deputy. The statement reads: “Commissioner Landing Kinteh has been appointed as the new Inspector General of The Gambia Police Force. The outgoing Inspector General of Police Alhaji Yankuba JN Sonko has been redeployed to the foreign and diplomatic mission.
“Prior to his appointment, the new IGP held many positions within the GPF and UN system. He joined the police as a cadet officer (cadet ASP) and rose through the ranks to his present appointment as IGP. IGP Kinteh was assigned as Officer Commanding Airport Police Unit, appointed second-in-command in the prosecution unit, Officer Commanding Prosecution Unit, and Commissioner of Police Prosecution and Legal Affairs Unit.
“The new IGP being the commander of a 100-man team, was deployed to AU mission in Darfur which was later transited to United Nation Mission in Darfur (Unamid). Upon returning from the UN mission, he was deployed to the Ministry of Justice where he helped in the establishment of NAATIP and became its first executive director. Later, he went for another UN mission, this time appointed as the police reform adviser.
“IGP Kinteh obtained an LL B degree in common law and Islamic law (combined honours) at the Usmanu Danfodiyo University in Sokoto, Nigeria. He also obtained an LL M degree in international human right’s law from the Essex University in United Kingdom. Upon completion, he joined the first badge of law students of the University of The Gambia and graduated with a B.A.
“IGP Kinteh just returned from a United Nations assignment to take up his appointment as the IGP of The Gambia.
Commissioner of Police Alhaji Mamour Jobe has also been appointed as the Deputy Inspector General of Police replacing the outgoing Momodou Sowe who has been redeployed to a lower status (Commissioner of Police).
“The new DIG is a veteran police officer who spent the greater part of his career as the administrator of the Police Training School (academy). Before joining the police, Jobe was a schoolteacher. Shortly after his initial training as police officer, he served as a detective officer with the then CID. Later he was transferred to the Police Training School as an instructor in general policing law, related evidence and procedure.
“In his career, the new DIG also served as a drug law enforcement officer. He later became station officer in Banjul, Kalaji and Serekunda police stations, respectively. At the rank of assistant superintendent of police, Jobe was then the second-in-command in Kanifing Region before going back to the Police Training School as Officer Commanding.
DIG Jobe also got experience working with the UN. He was deployed to the United Nations Mission in Liberia (Unamil). Upon completing his assignment in Liberia, he returned home and became the deputy chief of operation, commissioner of police for West Coast Region and Crime Management Coordinator. From there, he was deployed to the Ministry of the Interior and also became commissioner of police for North Bank Region, before finally going back to the police academy as commissioner.
“Until recently, Jobe was redeployed to the Kanifing Region as Regional Commissioner prior to his appointment to the position of deputy inspector general of police. DIG Alhaji Mamour Jobe is currently reading law at the University of the Gambia.”
