In what appears to be a well-coordinated and organized burglary, occurred at The Gambia Armed Forces Headquarters in Banjul on Wednesday morning, Freedom Newspaper can reveal. An unknown man reportedly entered the GAF offices and broke into one of cupboards containing the force’s fuel coupons and stole fuel coupons worth three hundred and ninety thousand dalasis (D390,000). There were guards on duty when the incident happened. The thief later fled and boarded a waiting taxi on Independence Drive. He was chased by the guards, but he escaped.
The theft happened at the office of Major Cherno Jobe. Major Jobe’s job at GAF includes the issuance of fuel coupons to the force. Jobe shared office with Captain Musa K Sambou. Both Jobe and Sambou had keys to the said office.
Jobe’s orderly Adama Mendy also has access to the office. Mendy was officer Arthur Gomez’s orderly before he was assigned to Major Cherno Jobe. Arthor is currently on a visit to China.
Our research also revealed that the GAF cleaner had a key to the said office. The cleaner’s key is usually hung somewhere at the door.
How did the alleged thief entered Major Jobe’s Office?
The GAF Headquarters is located on Marina Parade. There are guards stationed at the Marina Parade main door. They were on sentry when the thief sneaked into the building unnoticed.
Security experts are of the view that the thief might have used a thoroughfare located between the Poly Clinic and the Banjul City Council (BBC) to enter the property. He could have also sneaked through the Gamtel Telegraph road station.
“The thief might have entered the place through a thoroughfare between the BCC and Poly clinic. He must have jumped the fence at Independence Drive and walk through the stairs to enter the building. There is an intelligence office (INS office); CDS’s Office, and the Kitchen around that location. There is no access control around that area. The guards only patrol that side of the fence. He could have jumped the fence and walked through the stairs to access Jobe’s office,” said an expert.
There was no damage to Major Jobe’s office door. The thief entered the office and broke the cupboard. One of the cupboard safes had D8 million dalasis worth of fuel coupon, and the other one had D390,000 worth of fuel coupon, said our source.
The guards later heard a noise around Jobe’s office. By the time they reach the office, the thief had jumped the fence through the independence drive thoroughfare; he then boarded a waiting taxi. He was chased by the guards, but he escaped.
Army Spokesman Major Lamin Sanyang was contacted for comment by Freedom Radio Gambia. Sanyang has confirmed the incident. He said some soldiers have been arrested and were helping the military police in their investigations.
When asked whether the arrested soldiers were being held in connection with the alleged stolen fuel coupons, Sanyang replied in the affirmative. Though he said, he couldn’t comment further on the matter, saying that the investigations were ongoing.
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