Suntou Touray Speaks to RFI

Seven Gambian diplomats have been jailed after being found guilty of running a tax-dodging tobacco scam out of the Gambian embassy in London. Judge Michael Gledhill at London’s Southwark Crown Court said the embassy workers had breached the trust of the president and people of Gambia after cheating British taxpayers out of six million euros. The scam involved ordering half-a-million packets of tax-free rolling tobacco over three years and selling it out of the Gambian embassy. The group became so bold that long queues of customers lined up outside the building. The tobacco was intended only for personal use or that of the embassy staff. RFI’s Daniel Finnan spoke to Gambian opposition activist about the conviction. Suntou Touray, who is based in the United Kingdom, gave his perspective of the high profile case in this interview.