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.” ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to: [log in to unmask] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~