Director General Denies Charges

As the Local Government Elections gets nearer, the National Intelligence 
Agency, (NIA) has been accused of allegedly impounding 3000 voters cards from 
Foni.

The accusation were forwarded by a caller claiming to be from Bwiam on a GRTS 
IEC show in the run up to the April 25th Local Government Elections. The 
caller who said he was concerned about the alleged impounding of voters cards 
by the NIA urged the IEC panel to vigorously pursue the matter. He wondered 
why the voters cards should be seized and whether the NIA has the right to 
impound the voters cards. The IEC officials at the show expressed dismay over 
the claims saying it was news to them. They promised the caller that they 
will take up the matter with the NIA officials, stressing that nobody has the 
right to impound such cards. They called on the public not to hand over their 
voters cards to people who are not officials of the IEC.

In another development said Usuf, the IEC Information Officer yesterday told 
The Point that the NIA Director General Kebba Ceesay has flatly denied 
accusations. “We had a meeting with the Director General of the NIA and he 
denied the claims. He said it is not true. He said the allegations are 
unfounded,” said Usuf in a telephone conversation with this reporter. 
According to the Information Officer Usuf, the NIA Director General flatly 
rejected the charges. Usuf said he challenged the caller to report to the IEC 
if has evidence to back up his allegations. He added that the caller is also 
free to go to the police or the courts to seek redress if he feels that he 
has a case. Said Usuf told The Point that nobody has the right to seize 
voters cards including the NIA. “The cards belongs to the IEC. They don’t 
have the right to seize anybody’s cards. But they said the allegations are 
unfounded,” said Mr. Usuf.

Usuf added that there are people in this country, who are bent on peddling 
false rumours while citing the October 17 Presidential elections where there 
was this rumours that 30,000 people were at the Brikama College. “All these 
were rumours,” he concluded. 

Speaking to The Point the NIA DG Kebba Ceesay expressed surprised, “it is 
news to me, if he is too sure of what he is saying, he should disclose his 
identity.” Mr. Ceesay who burst into laughter added. “If he feels what he is 
saying is correct why should he call the GRTS? Why can he come to the NIA? 
Why should he hide his identity? I am reserving my opinion until I know this 
man.”

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