By Kemeseng Sanneh (Kexx)
A senior police officer has informed Foroyaa that they are not benefiting from the allowances allocated to government lawyers.
The officer said the Police Force has a good number of lawyers, adding the aforesaid security agency has a higher number of lawyers compared to other security units.
The officer said a significant number of them have either been deployed on secondment or transferred to other departments.
“The main reason for the movement is the lack of allowances that police cum lawyers receive compared to their counterparts in other government agencies like the Attorney General’s Chambers, Gambia Armed Forces, Drug Law Enforcement Agency and State Intelligence Service,” the officer said.
Another officer added: “Well we are not receiving some allowances like robing and non-practicing allowances that the Ministry of Justice is receiving.”
Police cum lawyers, according to sources within the police, opt to go on secondment because they do not receive allowances.
A senior officer informed Foroyaa that the police had sent their request contained in a budget for the allowances to start in January 2024, but they have still not received anything yet. The police cum lawyers, who spoke to this medium on condition that they would not be mentioned, said they are dissatisfied and felt that they are entitled to the allowance. Sources within the police said some of the police cum lawyers have requested to be transferred to the Ministry of Justice on secondment. Some of them also said they are contemplating leaving the police for other jobs.
According to our sources, the police cum lawyers are actively involved in writing legal opinions and prosecuting cases in Magistrates’ Courts, which are tasks that are not carried out by their counterparts in other sister forces.
When contacted for comment, the police said that the new leadership has taken up the issue as a concern and they are working to ensure that police cum lawyers are treated fairly and are paid the allowances that they rightfully deserve.
