The Gambia Police Force has clarified the case of the disappearance of Ebrima Ceesay, a taxi driver from Wellingara, who was reported missing on July 18, 2024.
The matter has understandably raised public concern, and the GPF says it remains committed to ensuring transparency and accountability.
According to investigations, Ebrima Ceesay was reported missing by his family on July 18, 2024.
The police said that following the information, a body was discovered in a pond in the swamp of Kampant village in the Foni Kansala district on July 20, 2024. The corpse was hurriedly buried by villagers who were unaware of the ongoing missing person case.
“When the police picked up the intelligence of the discovery and subsequent burial of the body, we swiftly acted to exhume the body on July 21, 2024, and evacuated it to the EFSTH mortuary for proper identification,” the report added.
The report further said the family of Ebrima Ceesay were duly informed of the discovery of the body and encouraged the family members to visit the mortuary for identification. “However, at that time, the family led by the deceased father, Baba Ceesay, refused the request, claiming the corpse that they saw on social media was not Ebrima Ceesay.”
The Police understood their grief and continued investigating the missing person case while encouraging the family to verify the body, the report stated. It was only on December 26, 2024, five months later, after consistent persuasion from the Police, that the family finally visited the mortuary and confirmed that the body was indeed that of their missing son, Ebrima Ceesay.
The report indicated that during the investigation, one Ebou Secka emerged as a person of interest connected to the mysterious disappearance of Ebrima Ceesay. During all this period, the police were searching for Ebou Secka, who was in hiding.
“Fortunately, the dedicated police investigators were able to locate and arrest him on October 6, 2024,” the report confirmed.
According to the police report during the same period, the investigators were also focused on tracing Ebrima Ceesay in solidarity with the family.
However, at that time, faced with the challenges encountered by investigators, the suspect Ebou Secka was remanded over an earlier robbery case, pending determination of the matter.
The report stated that, on December 19, 2024, Ebou Secka escaped from police custody. Since then, the Police have been actively pursuing his arrest, “applying all” the means at their disposal.
“Meanwhile, internal investigations are ongoing to establish the circumstances leading to his escape from custody,” the report stated.
The GPF remains committed to ensuring that justice is served and that the principles of justice and a fair trial are upheld, the police said, urging the public to remain patient and to cooperate with the ongoing investigation as well as to provide relevant information to assist the police.
The GPF said the police would continue to provide updates as progress is made, reiterating their commitment to accountability, transparency, and the pursuit of justice for all.
