STATE MOVES TO STRIKE OUT EX-AUDITOR GENERAL’S REPLY IN SUPREME COURT SHOWDOWN

By JarranewsTV Staff Reporter, Banjul

The State, represented by the Solicitor General and Legal Secretary, has filed a strong objection before the Supreme Court seeking to strike out the reply submitted by former Auditor General Modou Ceesay in his ongoing constitutional suit.

Mr. Ceesay is challenging what he describes as his forceful removal from office, naming the Attorney General, the Inspector General of Police, and Cherno Alieu Sowe as the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd defendants, respectively.

In a “Brief of Argument on Notice of Objection” dated 12 November 2025, counsel for the 1st and 2nd defendants asked the Supreme Court to strike out parts—or the entirety—of Mr. Ceesay’s “Reply to Defendants’ Statement of Case,” arguing it is procedurally defective and substantively improper.

Four Grounds of Objection

The State’s objection rests on four principal arguments:

1. No Provision Exists for Filing a Reply

The Solicitor General argued that the Supreme Court Rules do not provide for a plaintiff to file a reply to a defendant’s statement of case. He noted that such a document is unnecessary and improperly introduces matters not relevant to the constitutional issues before the court.

2. Lack of Mandatory Verification

The Solicitor General submitted that Mr. Ceesay’s reply is incompetent because it was not verified by an affidavit, contrary to Rules 46(2)(a) and 46(2)(b) of the Supreme Court Rules. He stressed that any statement of case lacking verification cannot serve as evidence or be relied upon during trial.

3. Introduction of New and Irrelevant Issues

The State further contended that the reply improperly introduces new issues and attaches annexures—such as an audit report—that are unnecessary for resolving the constitutional questions raised in the suit. This, according to the Solicitor General, risks complicating matters before the court.

4. Paragraph 19 Described as Unclear and Irrelevant

Particular concern was raised regarding Paragraph 19 of the reply, which spans nearly two pages. The Solicitor General described the paragraph as unclear, irrelevant, and difficult to respond to, urging the court to strike it out.

State’s Prayer Before the Court

The Solicitor General urged the Supreme Court to strike out the entire reply for failing to comply with procedural requirements.

Alternatively, should the court choose to strike out only Paragraph 19 and order an amendment, the State requested leave to file a rejoinder responding to any amended portions of the document.

The Supreme Court is expected to rule on the objection in due course as the high-stakes constitutional battle continues.

Editor’s Note:
The Gambia operates a procedural legal system in which strict adherence to court rules is essential. All filings—including statements of case, replies, and supporting evidence—must comply with established procedures to ensure fairness, clarity, and efficient determination of matters before the courts. Documents that are not properly verified or filed in accordance with the rules may be struck out, and in some instances, entire cases can be dismissed for procedural irregularities. Proper procedure remains a cornerstone of the justice system and a safeguard for the integrity of judicial proceedings.

Disability Stakeholders Review Enforcement of 2021 Act

By Madi S. Njie, Banjul

A nationwide push to strengthen the enforcement of The Gambia’s Persons with Disabilities Act, 2021 continued on Thursday as representatives of disability organisations and government institutions convened at the GOVI Resource Centre in Kanifing.

The forum, organised by the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Welfare in partnership with the National Advisory Council for Persons with Disabilities (NACPWD), served as a platform to brief stakeholders on progress made since the law came into effect and to address persistent gaps in service delivery and inclusion.

Government Reports Gains on Implementation

Delivering remarks on behalf of the Ministry, Principal Social Welfare Officer Modou Suwareh said enforcement efforts have gathered momentum in recent years. Key milestones, he noted, include the formal gazetting of the Act in 2023, the establishment of NACPWD chaired by His Worship Muhammed Krubally, and the refurbishment of a permanent Secretariat in Banjul, which is set for inauguration on Saturday.

Mr. Suwareh further disclosed that D4 million was disbursed last year to ten organisations of persons with disabilities (OPDs), the Gambia Federation of the Disabled (GFD), and the Advisory Council through the newly created Disability Fund. A similar amount has already been approved for 2025.

“We want to support every organisation, but with limited resources, priority will be given to groups that did not benefit last year,” he explained.

The Ministry is also working with Stand (formerly Start4Africa) to rehabilitate the National Rehabilitation Centre and plans to open a new rehabilitation unit at Bansang Hospital in January 2026.

Legal Reforms Strengthening Inclusion

Representing the Ministry of Justice, Senior State Counsel Fatoumatta Drammeh applauded the progress made so far, recalling that the Disability Act followed The Gambia’s ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2016.

“This legislation was overdue,” she said. “It ensures equal opportunity and full participation of persons with disabilities in the national development process.”

Counsel Drammeh highlighted that the Act guarantees access to employment, infrastructure, and public services, while also outlining penalties for rights violations. She encouraged disability organisations to maintain constructive engagement with state institutions to ensure that the law delivers on its promise.

Call for Stronger Collaboration

Chairman of NACPWD, His Worship Muhammed Krubally, underscored the importance of government–civil society partnership in realising an inclusive society.

Mr. Krubally—also The Gambia’s only visually impaired magistrate—urged continued advocacy for adequate resources, technical support, and coordinated policy execution.

Education, Data and Rehabilitation Highlighted

Moderating the session, GFD Acting Executive Director Sainey Camara said that education and economic empowerment remain major setbacks, with only about three percent of persons with disabilities completing basic education.

He announced that The Gambia will conduct its first national disability survey since 1998 in 2026, supported by the World Bank. The new data is expected to guide planning and tailored interventions across all sectors.

Mr. Camara also outlined the four pillars of rehabilitation—economic empowerment, personal independence, assistive devices, and social inclusion—stressing that accessibility to infrastructure and communication remains a decisive factor in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

Regional Outreach Continues

Organisers confirmed that similar forums will be hosted in Brikama, before moving on to other regions across the country as part of a nationwide sensitisation drive on the Act.

Photo Credits

Photos by Mutarr Jarju (OSDIV) and Muhammed Jallow (NUDY).

REVENUE REVOLUTION! DARBOE’S GRA TURNS TAX INTO DEVELOPMENT POWERHOUSE FOR BARROW’S GAMBIA

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By JarraNewsTV Staff Reporter

Driving the President’s Vision Through Domestic Revenue

In a bold display of leadership and reform, Commissioner General Yankuba Darboe has turned the Gambia Revenue Authority (GRA) into one of the most dynamic and results-driven public institutions in the nation — transforming it into a financial engine powering President Adama Barrow’s national development agenda.

As the country pushes toward self-sustained growth, GRA’s record performance is proving that The Gambia can now fund its own future through homegrown revenue, not foreign borrowing.

D23 Billion Target Within Reach — Ahead of Schedule

At the African Princess Hotel on Wednesday, CG Darboe confidently announced that GRA will meet its D23 billion revenue target by the end of November, a full month before year-end.

 “We want to make life easier for taxpayers,” Darboe said.

“With ITAS, you can register, file, and pay from the comfort of your home or office — no queues, no delays.”

He attributed this exceptional performance to digital transformation, transparency, and a renewed spirit of efficiency within the Authority.

Digital Transformation: The ITAS Revolution

The newly launched Integrated Tax Administration System (ITAS) is the centerpiece of GRA’s modernization drive, replacing the outdated GAM TaxNet system.

Designed to simplify tax compliance, ITAS enables faster registration, e-filing, and online payments — all while reducing human interference and ensuring better data accuracy.

Deputy Commissioner General Essa Jallow described the system as “a milestone in building a taxpayer-centered institution that promotes fairness and trust.”

Fueling Development from the National Coffers

For ten straight years, the GRA has met or exceeded its revenue goals. Those billions, collected and accounted for, are now funding national development directly from the state coffers — from new roads and hospitals to schools and digital infrastructure.

This performance has made GRA the backbone of President Barrow’s development vision, demonstrating that good governance and financial discipline can deliver real results.

Government Applauds the Reforms

Speaking on behalf of the Ministry of Finance, senior official Alagie Jallow commended the Authority’s leadership and reaffirmed government’s support.

“ITAS is not just technology — it’s a transformational leap toward efficiency and transparency in revenue collection,” he said.

“Every dalasi collected will directly serve the people.”

Project Manager Samba Jallow added that the ITAS program, backed by the World Bank, will ensure seamless interaction between taxpayers and administrators, reinforcing public confidence in the system.

Stakeholders Stand United

The one-day workshop brought together the Ministry of Finance, GCCI, Women and Youth Chambers of Commerce, AmCham, and key business players — all united in appreciation of GRA’s proactive approach and forward-looking leadership.

Against the Noise — Results Speak Louder

Despite ongoing criticism from opposition-aligned outlets, the results are clear and indisputable.

Under Yankuba Darboe’s command, the GRA has become the honey basket of national development — turning tax into transformation, and delivering prosperity from the nation’s own resources.

“This is not just revenue collection,” Darboe declared.

“This is nation-building in action.”

 The GRA today stands as a model of service, accountability, and performance — a living testament to President Barrow’s vision of a prosperous, self-reliant Gambia.

Editorial Darboe’s Double Standards: The Truth Behind the Parliamentary Inquiry into Jammeh’s Assets

By JarraNewsTV Editorial Board

In recent weeks, Lawyer Ousainou Darboe has made bold headlines with his dramatic denunciation of the National Assembly’s inquiry into the sale of former President Yahya Jammeh’s assets. He has branded the investigation as political theater, dismissed the committee’s work as partisan, and called instead for a “judicial inquiry” led by a High Court Judge.

But in doing so, the veteran lawyer and UDP leader has not only contradicted his own past positions — he has also sought to rewrite the very history that produced this inquiry in the first place.

The Real Origin of This InquiryLet us remind ourselves: the ongoing parliamentary probe was not born out of political malice or partisan vendetta. It was born out of public outrage.

 The Janneh Commission, which Darboe now glorifies as a paragon of judicial impartiality, stands accused of serious legal irregularities and procedural excesses in the management and sale of Jammeh’s confiscated assets.

Numerous reports and testimonies indicate that the Commission — dominated by lawyers and judges — overstepped its mandate. It ordered asset sales without proper judicial validation, authorized transfers to politically connected individuals, and allegedly failed to ensure transparent accounting for the proceeds.

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The National Assembly’s Select Committee was therefore established not to retry Jammeh’s regime, but to examine the integrity of the Commission’s own actions. If some of those actions amounted to manipulation, abuse of office, or conflict of interest, Parliament has both the constitutional authority and civic duty to investigate them.

Darboe’s Convenient Amnesia

Ousainou Darboe’s sudden defense of the Janneh Commission is as puzzling as it is revealing. Not long ago, the same Darboe publicly questioned the legality of the Commission’s decisions when they targeted individuals close to his own political circle.

Back in 2019, he criticized the sweeping confiscations of private properties, warning that the Commission had become “a court of confiscation rather than of justice.”

 Now, as the focus shifts to the Commission’s own conduct — and by extension, the powerful legal elite that led it — Darboe has changed his tune.

What we see today is not a defense of constitutional principle, but a defense of privilege and proximity. His call for a “judicial inquiry” is less about fairness and more about keeping the matter within the comfortable walls of the legal fraternity, where the same actors could once again sit in judgment of themselves.

Parliament Has the Mandate — and the Duty

Darboe’s argument that Parliament is “usurping judicial authority” is legally and constitutionally flawed.

 Under Section 109 of The Gambia’s 1997 Constitution, the National Assembly is empowered to investigate any matter of public concern — especially those involving the mismanagement of public property or abuse of authority.

A parliamentary inquiry is not a court. It cannot convict or confiscate. What it can do, and must do, is shine light on wrongdoing, recommend reforms, and ensure that public officials, regardless of status, face accountability.

If the courts have already had their turn — through the Janneh Commission — and left behind a trail of controversy and unanswered questions, then it is Parliament’s turn to act on behalf of the people.

The Politicization Claim Is Pure Projection

In his interviews, Darboe warns about the “politicization” of the inquiry and invokes the so-called “Talib factor,” suggesting that the proceedings are designed to target UDP figures.

 This argument collapses under scrutiny.

The Committee’s questioning of Lawyer Amie Bensouda, the former Lead Counsel of the Janneh Commission, is not a political attack — it is a matter of direct responsibility. Bensouda was central to the Commission’s decisions on asset valuation, sale, and legal compliance. Her actions, like those of any other public officer, must withstand scrutiny.

It is disingenuous to shield her behind her son’s political status. Accountability does not become persecution simply because it touches those with political connections. The rule of law must apply evenly — or it does not apply at all.

Transparency, Not Secrecy

Darboe’s call for “in camera” (closed-door) sessions betrays a troubling double standard.

 When the Janneh Commission was hauling former Jammeh officials and private citizens before live cameras, Darboe raised no objection. Now that lawyers and judges are the ones facing public questions, he suddenly discovers a love for confidentiality.

If openness was good enough for Jammeh’s ministers, it should be good enough for the Janneh Commission’s operatives. Gambians deserve to witness every step of this process, precisely because secrecy is what allowed injustice to flourish in the first place.

The Real Test: Accountability Without Exception

The parliamentary inquiry into the sale of Jammeh’s assets is more than a political episode — it is a test of our democratic maturity.

 For too long, judicial and legal elites have operated above scrutiny, wielding public power without public accountability. The National Assembly’s investigation represents a turning point — an assertion that no office, no title, and no profession is beyond the reach of oversight.

Darboe’s attempt to frame this inquiry as a political circus is, in truth, an effort to shield a professional circle that once acted with unchecked authority. But Gambians are wiser now. They know that justice must not only be seen to be done — it must be seen to be done to everyone, without fear or favor.

Our Take

JarraNewsTV holds that the National Assembly’s Select Committee is operating squarely within its constitutional mandate. The Committee’s mission is to seek truth, expose misconduct, and restore integrity to a process that has long been cloaked in legal mystique.

Ousainou Darboe’s legal grandstanding may play well to partisan audiences, but it collapses before the facts. This inquiry was not launched by politicians seeking revenge; it was compelled by the failures of those who once claimed moral superiority under the guise of legality.

The Gambia does not need fewer inquiries — it needs honest ones, free from both political and professional manipulation.

 The people deserve answers, not lectures. They deserve truth, not theater.

JarraNewsTV Editorial Board

 “Justice must not protect privilege; it must serve the people.”

Bajo Leads Inauguration of GFF Legends Committee to Strengthen Legacy and Welfare of Former Players

By JarranewsTV Staff Reporter

KANIFING – The President of the Gambia Football Federation (GFF), Mr. Lamin Kabba Bajo, on Thursday presided over the official inauguration of the GFF Legends and Veteran Affairs Committee at the Football House in Kanifing. The newly constituted body is tasked with preserving the legacy of Gambian football icons and promoting the welfare of retired players and administrators.

In his keynote address, President Bajo underscored the significance of the committee’s formation, praising its members for their lifelong service to the game.

“I have no doubt about the commitment of the members of this committee,” he said. “Your sacrifices and contributions to Gambian football cannot be overemphasised. The Committee comprises highly qualified individuals with deep knowledge of our football—both past and present.”

Hon. James Gomez, appointed as Vice Chairman of the committee, expressed gratitude to the GFF leadership for the confidence reposed in him and his colleagues. He lauded the initiative as a vital step towards honouring those who have shaped the sport.

 “Some of us are retired, but when we’re called by football, we must answer,” Gomez remarked, urging fellow members to uphold the high standards expected of them.

Other speakers, including Mr. Cherno Bara Touray, Mr. Tijan Masaneh Ceesay, Mr. Essa Faye, Mr. Edmond Shonubi, and Mr. Baboucarr Sowe (Laos), also commended the GFF for the initiative and pledged their unwavering support to deliver on the committee’s mandate.

The Legends and Veteran Affairs Committee will play a pivotal role in recognising excellence, ensuring fairness in the GFF’s annual awards, and safeguarding the welfare of former players and administrators.

According to the Terms of Reference, the committee’s responsibilities include:

Establishing eligibility criteria for recognising former national team players as official Legends.

Serving as the panel of judges for the GFF Annual Awards Ceremony, overseeing the nomination and selection process in collaboration with the GFF Awards Committee.

Vetting nominations across all award categories to ensure transparency and equity.

Using official competition statistics from the GFF Competitions Department to assess nominees from both male and female divisions.

Developing nomination and award criteria for foreign-based players.

Maintaining a comprehensive database of legends, nominees, award recipients, and former administrators.

Submitting detailed post-event reports highlighting successes, challenges, and recommendations.

Holding periodic meetings as determined by the Chairperson.

Establishing a GFF Hall of Fame to celebrate football excellence.

Creating and managing a Veteran Welfare Fund to support former players and officials.

With the launch of this committee, the GFF takes another significant step in institutionalising recognition for those who have dedicated their lives to Gambian football—both on and off the pitch.

“Data Is the New Gold”: GRA Boss Yankuba Darboe Champions Smart, Secure Data Use for Stronger Tax Systems

By JarranewsTV Staff Reporter

Algiers, Algeria — The Commissioner General of the Gambia Revenue Authority (GRA), Mr. Yankuba Darboe, has underscored the vital role of third-party data in shaping the future of efficient and transparent tax administration across Africa.

Speaking on Wednesday at a high-level panel during the African Tax Administration Forum (ATAF) Annual General Meeting in Algiers, Darboe described data as both “the lifeblood of compliance management” and “the new gold” of modern revenue collection systems.

He emphasized that by integrating data from external sources, revenue bodies can gain a comprehensive understanding of taxpayer activities, which is crucial for identifying non-compliance, reducing the tax gap, and promoting fairness within the system.

Drawing on The Gambia’s ongoing digital transformation, the GRA boss revealed how the institution has successfully harnessed third-party information to improve revenue performance. However, he also pointed to challenges that accompany such advancements — particularly issues of data privacy and ethical use.

 “The goal is to find the right balance,” Darboe said, stressing the importance of restricting data sharing to information that directly supports revenue collection, while protecting citizens’ privacy.

In this regard, Darboe noted that the GRA has already signed Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with key government institutions and stakeholders to facilitate controlled data exchange. He further highlighted that the newly enacted Data Privacy and Protection Act provides a strong legal framework to ensure that these processes remain secure and accountable.

His remarks struck a chord with fellow tax administrators from across the continent, many of whom are navigating similar issues as they strive to boost domestic resource mobilization. Darboe’s message — that smart data use and respect for privacy can coexist — resonated as a guiding principle for sustainable reform.

The ATAF meeting continues through the week, bringing together delegates and policymakers to share insights and innovative strategies aimed at strengthening Africa’s tax systems in an increasingly data-driven world.