Posted by By Bekai Njie
After evidence of conviction, the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) has finally rejected the nomination of Pa Amadou Suso, the candidate for the Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction (APRC) in the Basse Area Council.
The rejection of Mr. Suso’s candidature came on the heels of a petition filed in by the Gambia Democratic Party (GDC) on the grounds that he was a convict in 2013.
The IEC in accordance with Section 49 of the Election Act, therefore rejected the nomination of Pa Amadou Suso as a candidate for election to the position of chairperson under the APRC ticket for the Basse Area Council.
“Mr. Susso has not met the requirements to be nominated under the provisions of the Local Government Act 2002,” IEC stated.
The Gambia Democratic Congress (GDC) on Wednesday sent a petition against the candidature of Rambo Jatta, Talib Ahmed Bensouda Pa Amadou Suso, urging the commission to revoke their nominations on the grounds that they were not qualified.
However, the IEC’s regional office in Basse on Wednesday requested the case file of Mr. Suso from Basse Magistrates’ Court after it became clear that he was charged with stealing by clerk and preparing a document without authority in 2013 while working with the Alternative Dispute Resolution Secretariat (ADRS) in the Basse Branch.
He was subsequently sentenced to pay a fine of D3000 on count one and D2000 on count two.
A source has revealed that the GDC was able to get a copy of the judgment sent in a case file reference number to the IEC. The IEC then requested and referred the court to that case file number.