The Director - General of the Gambia Prison Services, David Colley, has been removed from his post.

According to our correspondent in Banjul, Mr. Colley was removed from office on Tuesday, and was immediately replaced by former Director - General of the National Intellingence Agency, Major Ma Lamin Jarjou. Unconfirmed sources have said Mr. Colley has been offered a post at Interior Department.

David Colley was found guilty of stealing a generator donated to the Juvenile Wing of the Old Jeshwang Prison in December 2007. He was ordered to pay a fine of D3,000. Colley was however acquitted of another charge of stealing D27,000 from the prison department.

The Gambian President Yahya Jammeh, who is believed to be related to Mr. Colley, re-instated him to the post in April 2008 after his shameful conviction of theft.

There is however enough evidence suggesting Mr. Colley could neither read or write better than a seven grader. 

North Carolina - based Gambian online paper, The Gambia Echo, has chronicled the unhealthy prison conditions in the country, which was blamed for close to a hundred deaths.