By Yaya Dampha
In every functioning democracy, public debate and scrutiny of government officials are both necessary and healthy. However, there is a clear line between constructive criticism and the growing culture of intimidation and political pressure aimed at forcing public officials out of office whenever controversy arises. The recent calls by some opposition figures and self styled media activists demanding the resignation of attorney general and minister of justice dawda a. Jallow must therefore be viewed with caution and a sense of fairness.
Minister jallow’s position is both constitutionally sound and politically responsible. As he clearly stated during his press briefing, he serves at the pleasure of president adama barrow. In any democratic system, ministers are appointed by the president and remain in office until they decide to resign or until the appointing authority decides otherwise. This principle is not unique to the gambia; it is the foundation of executive governance in democratic states across the commonwealth and beyond.
To suggest that a minister should resign simply because critics demand it is to undermine the very structure of democratic accountability. Governments cannot function if public officials are constantly harassed or intimidated into leaving their positions over every controversy or perceived failure.
More importantly, the notion that a justice ministry must win every case in court is both unrealistic and legally flawed. No justice department anywhere in the world wins one hundred percent of its cases. The role of the ministry of justice is to prosecute matters before the courts based on available evidence, but the ultimate decision lies with an independent judiciary. That independence is precisely what gambians fought for during the years of authoritarian rule.
If the courts acquit an accused person, it does not automatically mean that the prosecution failed in its duty or that the justice ministry is incompetent. It simply means that the court, after evaluating the evidence presented, determined that the threshold required for conviction had not been met. That is how the rule of law functions in a democratic society.
Minister jallow also rightly reminded the public of an important legal distinction that many critics deliberately ignore: an acquittal does not necessarily equate to innocence. It simply means that the evidence presented before the court was insufficient to meet the legal standard of proof beyond reasonable doubt. This is a cornerstone principle of criminal justice systems throughout the world.
Those who claim to be investigative journalists must also ask themselves an honest question: where is their investigative work on the issues they now loudly criticize? Journalism has always played a crucial role in uncovering truth, even during the most difficult times in our country’s history.
As a reporter for foroyaa newspaper during the dictatorship of former president yahya jammeh, i personally undertook investigations into some of the most sensitive cases of that era. Following the march 22, 2006 alleged coup plot, the government claimed that daba marenah and five other officers escaped during a prison transfer after their vehicle reportedly crashed into a ditch and nearly somersaulted on the way to janjanbureh prison. I took it upon myself as a journalist to investigate the matter and present the facts to my editor in chief.
The same investigative commitment guided my reporting on the disappearance of chief ebrima manneh and the case of ousman “rambo” jatta. These were not easy assignments, especially under a repressive system where journalists faced intimidation and persecution.
If such investigations could be conducted during a dictatorship, what prevents today’s journalists from doing the same in a democratic gambia where press freedom is significantly greater?
Rather than calling for resignations at every turn, journalists and activists should dedicate their energy to uncovering facts and presenting evidence that contributes meaningfully to public understanding.
Public officials, like every professional in society, are not immune to mistakes or challenges in the execution of their duties. In our daily lives, how many of us perform our jobs without ever encountering setbacks or failures? Doctors lose patients, lawyers lose cases, engineers face structural problems, and journalists occasionally publish stories that later require correction.
Acknowledging this reality does not mean celebrating failure. It simply means recognizing that governance and justice are complex processes where outcomes are not always guaranteed.
Attorney general dawda a. Jallow deserves to be judged based on the broader performance of the justice system under his leadership, not on the emotional reactions surrounding individual cases. The ministry of justice operates within a legal framework that respects judicial independence, evidence based prosecution, and constitutional authority.
What the gambia needs today is not political hysteria but mature democratic engagement. The rule of law must remain guided by facts, legal principles, and institutional processes—not by the loudest voices on social media or partisan pressure groups.
Minister jallow’s refusal to be intimidated into resigning is therefore not arrogance; it is a reaffirmation of constitutional order and the independence of public office.
In a democracy, accountability matters—but so too does fairness.
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