Diedrich still in Immigration custody

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By Sailu Bah The fate of Mr. Bern George Diedrich, a German national, who is being held by DiedrichImmigration Personnel at Tanji, is still not known as reports indicate that he risks being deported by the Gambian authorities.A source told Foroyaa yesterday, Thursday, 15 January, that Mr. Diedrich is still held at the Immigration station since on Wednesday 14th January. According to the source, the German national was asked to book a flight to return to his home land in Germany on Friday, 16th January, (today) as he would not be allowed to go back to his residence in Busumbula in the West Coast Region. Speaking to Cadet Inspector Saidou A.M. Bah, the Public Relation Officer (PRO) of the Gambia Immigration Department (GID), on phone yesterday, he confirmed that the issue of Mr. Dietrich is still under investigation and that he will get back to Foroyaa to report on any development. Mr. Dietrich and Gambian friend, Mr. Alieu Barry, were earlier evicted from a compound that was a matter under litigation and which the high court eventually ruled is the German’s bona fide property. It was reported last month that officials from the Physical Planning Department, accompanied by armed personnel from the Police Intervention Unit (PIU), demanded the keys of the said compound from Diedrich and Barry and then asked them to immediately vacate the place.]]>