Suspects in Recent Killings Are in Custody
By Yankuba Jallow
The Inspector General of Police, Seedy Mukhtar Touray, on Thursday gave a detailed account of recent killing cases in The Gambia, outlining police operations, arrests, and ongoing investigations during an emergency press briefing held in Banjul.
The briefing, which brought together officials from the Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Information, Media and Broadcasting Services, and members of the press, was convened to update the public on recent security concerns and measures being taken by the police.
“I have been tasked by the two Honourable Ministers of Information and my own minister, the Minister of Interior, to come here today to share with the Gambian people, residents of the Gambia, the recent happenings as it relates to alleged murder cases in the country, more especially in the urban areas.”
He said the police were providing statistics on recent incidents, the victims involved, and suspects already in custody.
“Thereafter, we can invite questions and answers. Thank you,” he added.
The IGP said the country was going through a difficult moment following recent killings, but assured that arrests had been made in all cases under investigation.
“We are gathered here today to give an account of the security situation in view of the unfortunate alleged murders recently occurring,” he said. “We acknowledge the irreparable loss of valuable lives and commiserate with the affected families.”
He added: “We pray that Almighty Allah grants eternal repose to the deceased and gives their loved ones the fortitude to bear the loss.”
Touray said although the police could not prevent every incident, efforts were ongoing to strengthen patrols and community engagement.
“The Gambia Police Force is doing everything they may be possible to police the streets,” he said. “But in as much as we would love to, it is just not possible for us to be everywhere at every given time.”
He listed several recent incidents, including killings in Fajara, Wellingara, Fajikunda near St. Charles Lwanga Church, Manjai Kunda, and Latrikunda.
“These are all regrettable deaths that could have been prevented if the owners of the premises took necessary precautionary measures,” he said.
The police chief said security operations had been intensified across the country using intelligence-led policing and coordinated patrols.
“Our patrols are not wild goose chase operations,” he said. “Cognisant of the resource constraints, we use crime data to inform our deployments.”
He explained that joint patrols were conducted in the Kanifing Municipality and West Coast Region over a period in June.
“To illustrate this, we conducted 16 by 4 joint patrols in KM and WCR from the 5th to 28 June 2026,” he said.
“Our personnel combed the streets of the two most densely populated administrative regions, and we were able to prevent crimes as well as arrest offenders.”
He added: “In this third window, 615 arrests were made and several cases are currently before the courts.”
Touray said the police relied on public cooperation to improve effectiveness.
“Because we cannot be everywhere, we encourage the general public to share credible and timely information with the police to respond to criminal activities,” he said.
He added that community policing initiatives were also ongoing.
“Through community policing initiatives, we are engaging with the public and schools to share crime prevention tips and better understand your security needs to help us plan better for the future,” he said.
“We need your help to make The Gambia a safer place for all law-abiding citizens and residents.”
Touray said many of the recent killings were linked to domestic or spontaneous disputes.
“However, moving forward, it is a huge challenge for us to prevent domestic crime such as stabbings in bars, motels, restaurants, nightclubs and sometimes even in private premises or rooms,” he said.
He urged business owners to take responsibility for security within their premises.
“We strongly recommend that owners of such businesses screen patrons for weapons before entry and employ security guards to prevent fights that lead to preventable deaths,” he said.
He added: “We don’t have the wherewithal to be deployed to all these places at all times.”
The IGP cited one of the recent incidents in which a dispute at a mechanical garage escalated into violence.
“One person brought his car for the mechanic to fix,” he said. “He wasn’t able to do it that morning, and then the guy came back. There was an exchange of words, and suddenly a knife was pulled, and someone was stabbed.”
He questioned expectations placed on the police.
“Do you expect police officers to be deployed at mechanics’ garages to prevent crime? I want to believe the answer should be a resounding no,” he said.
Touray also referred to another incident at St. Charles Lwanga Church involving a youth gathering.
“That was a party, youths, around 5 a.m. in the morning,” he said. “Usually when they have programmes and suspect crowd control issues, they write to the police, and we deploy.”
He added: “But that responsibility, even when you look at it critically, is not supposed to be the work of the police alone.”
He continued: “That incident happened around 5 a.m. We were not there, and you don’t expect us to be at every church hall or event.”
The IGP also explained how cases move through the justice system.
“When we finish the investigation, we will send it to the legal office,” he said. “That is the office of the Solicitor General and Legal Secretary.”
“This is where they will dissect the investigation and come up with areas where they think there are gaps,” he added. “If it is done, we send it to them. That is when it is sent to court for prosecution.”
He said the police had no control over court decisions.
“Anything that happens at the courts, the police have no control over this,” he said. “That is entirely the prerogative of the courts.”
He cited recent convictions as evidence of the system working.
“Yesterday I read that two young men were sentenced to 20 years each for violent robbery,” he said. “So the process may be slow, but at the end of the day, justice is served.”
Touray said official figures showed a decline in crime.
“Let me reiterate that crime is decreasing in The Gambia,” he said. “This is confirmed by the first quarter report of 2026 statistics, wherein we realised a 7.29 per cent reduction in the crime rate compared to the first quarter of 2025.”
He also referenced international rankings.
“Globally, The Gambia is ranked 56th on the Global Peace Index,” he said. “In Africa, we are the fourth most peaceful, and in West Africa, we top the list.”
Responding to questions, the IGP addressed concerns about foreign nationals allegedly involved in some cases.
“With the exception of one or two cases, the alleged killer of Yunus Ambay is confirmed to be a Guinean national,” he said.
He added: “The victim of another case was a Senegalese national, but the suspect is also believed to be a Guinean.”
Touray cautioned against generalisation.
“What led to that killing was very trivial,” he said. “As trivial as a satellite dish dispute in a shared compound. Do you expect police to be deployed in every compound?”
The IGP said police efforts would continue with joint operations involving multiple security agencies.
“The Anti-Crime Unit, Police Intervention Unit, Immigration, Drug Law Enforcement, Fire and Rescue Services, and others are all supporting regular patrols,” he said.
He added: “We will spare no effort to prevent crime. Where prevention is impossible, we will detect, apprehend and prosecute offenders in accordance with the law.”
The briefing ended with further questions from journalists on police deployment, response capacity, and the nature of recent investigations.
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