Gambia Immigration Department GID has responded to the Semlex data concerns. But the central question remains
By Ndey Jobarteh
The Gambia Immigration Department says the Semlex data is available and accessible. Good! That is an important clarification.
But a press release cannot substitute for evidence before a Court Of Law.
If the records are accessible, GID should produce the original documents used to obtain the National ID being challenged, through the appropriate Court procedures.
That is precisely what lawyer Ya Kumba Jaiteh requested.
GID also claims its Officer was misunderstood. What exactly was misunderstood?
The issue is not whether the servers are sitting somewhere in The Gambia. The issue is whether the State can produce the records needed to verify an individual’s identity.
If the data is accessible, produce the relevant evidence before the Revising Court so that the case can proceed.
Gambians deserve more than press releases. We deserve transparency, accountability and verifiable evidence.
I am also calling on the National Assembly Of The Gambia, particularly its relevant oversight committees, to seek a formal explanation from the Ministry of Interior, The Gambia.and the Gambia Immigration Department.
What exactly was transferred by Semlex in March 2024?
Who controls the historical data? And can the original supporting documents be retrieved when a National ID is challenged in court?
The National Assembly should examine these questions as a matter of institutional accountability, without interfering with the independence of the Revising Court.
This is not simply about one disputed National ID. It is about whether the Gambian State has effective custody, control and verification capabilities over its national identification records.
Public institutions must be accountable to the people they serve.
#RevisingCourt2026#NationalIDVerification#ElectoralIntegrity
