Ghana intensifies investigation into the Gambian killings

Accra, Aug. 22, GNA - A seven-member government delegation will depart Accra for the Gambia on Friday, August 24 this year as part of the continuing investigations into the murder of eight Ghanaians and disappearance of about 44 (forty-four) others in July, 2005 whilst en route to Europe through Senegal, a statement in Accra said on Wednesday. The delegation comprising experts from the criminal Investigations Department, the Ghana Police, The Attorney Generals Department, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Ministry of Information are working in close collaboration with the Ghana Mission Dakar, Senegal and other contacts in the Gambia on the matter.

The statement signed by Mr. Jefferson Kwamina Sackey, Media Relations Officer of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the final phase of Ghana's investigations is due for completion in September, 2007 after which a final and comprehensive report would be presented to the Government.

It recalled that President John Agyekum Kufuor, in receiving the report in 2005 sent a high level fact-finding Mission to the Gambia to meet with the Gambian leader, President Yahyah Jammeh and other high-ranking Gambian security officials on the matter.

It said during their first visit to the Gambia, the Ghana fact-finding mission proposed a joint Ghana-Gambia investigative effort to unravel the circumstances leading to the murder/disappearance. The proposal was accepted by President Jammeh, who pledged his country's full co-operation to unearth the truth.

Subsequently, a number of visits were undertaken to the Gambia, underscoring the Ghana government's commitment to pressurize the Gambian government's to consider all means available to deal with the matter, the statement added.