By Lamin Fatty
The Gambia Immigration Department on Saturday freed forty-three people, who were held in Basse after they were suspected of entering the country illegally in the wake of the Corona virus pandemic.
These people were arrested by personnel of the Immigration Department who found them gathered in a compound in Basse. They were assembled by a Chinese national responsible for recruiting labourers for the company overseeing the construction of a bridge in Basse.
Commissioner Essa Jawara of the Basse Immigration Department on Tuesday confirmed to foroyaa that 43 people were detained by their office. but they were subsequently released after they conducted investigation into the matter.
Commissioner Jawara said: “Among these forty detainees, 13 are Gambians while the remaining 30 are all foreigners. Among the 30 foreigners, there are 11 Guineans, 11 Malians, 5 Sierra leonians, 2 Senegalese and 1 Nigerian. After our investigation, we found out that these foreigners are based in the Gambia for a long time and some of them even have residential permits.”
Commissioner Jawara added “We hold Mein (a Chinese man) responsible and he paid residential permits for all of them since he needs them to work for him.”
Modou KO Njie a health officer in the region said hence it is confirmed that these people have been living in The Gambia well before the outbreak of COVID-19, there is no need to quarantine them.
He remarked: ” Since it is confirmed they have been living in the country and that most of them are living in surrounding villages of Basse especially in Dampha Kunda, there is no need to quarantine them.”
