By Kebba Ansu Manneh
Louise Gomez, the former Deputy Director General of the defunct National Intelligence Agency (NIA), died at Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital (EFSTH) in Banjul, on Thursday, 11 October 2018.
A Senior Officer of The Gambia Prison and Rescue Service, speaking to The Times on condition of anonymity, confirmed the death of the former assistant spy chief.
According to her, Gomez have been undergoing treatment for sometimes at the EFSTH where he died, on Thursday, around 15:30PM GMT.
He was standing trial at the High Court in Banjul with eight other former NIA officers accused in the killing of the late Ebrima Solo Sandeng, the Propaganda Secretary of the now ruling United Democratic Party (UDP) in April of 2016.
Gomez, a former teacher before joining Yahya Jammeh’s terror machine, pleaded not guilty to charges brought against him by the state in the murder of Sandeng.
He rose through the ranks to different positions at the Agency, before he was appointed Deputy Director by the exiled Gambian dictator Yahya Jammeh.
According to his family, the circumstances surrounding Gomez’s death are unknown. He was held under solitary confinement during his long stint in Mile II Prison. All efforts by The Times to get in touch with The Gambia Prison Services Public Relation Officer for comments on the death of Gomez were unsuccessful.
In a new development on Friday, 12 October 2018, the Ministry of Interior, through Assan Tangara, a Permanent Secretary, released a statement addressed to the Director General of the State Broadcaster confirming the death of Gomez.
“The Government of The Gambia wishes to inform the general public that Mr. Loiuse Gomez, one of the accused persons standing trial in the ongoing NIA case, has died at Francis Small Teaching Hospital (FSTH) [sic] on Thursday 11th, Octobers 2018 [sic]. Steps are being taken to ascertain the cause of his death in accordance with the requirements of the law,” the statement reads in its entirety.