LEGAL OPINION
Constitutional fidelity and democratic renewal: Reflections on the Gambia Bar Association and the promise of never again
By Abdoulie Fatty The constitutional issues arising from the appointment of the chief justice are presently before the Supreme Court for determination. Nothing in this essay should be understood as expressing a concluded view on the legal merits of those proceedings. That responsibility belongs exclusively to the Supreme Court, whose judgment—whatever the outcome—must be respected […]
Tambadou’s Demand letter puts The Gambia’s promise of press freedom to the Test
A former Attorney General who helped end criminal defamation now challenges an investigative report. The real issue is whether Gambian law protects vigorous public-interest reporting when powerful officials object. By Sarjo Barrow, Esq In April 2025, The Republic published Mustapha K Darboe’s investigation into the sale of assets forfeited from former President Jammeh. The article […]
From rifts within Pastef to regional security challenges
On Saturday 9th May, the broad presidential coalition brought together activists and supporters from across the region to pay tribute to President Diomaye Faye. The “Diomaye Président” coalition gathered in Mbour, the current president’s stronghold, to honour him in the presence of his parents, relatives and friends, two years after he came to power. This […]
From fact-finding to fact-proving at the ICJ: The Gambia v Myanmar and the court’s coming reckoning on evidence, interventions, and intent
By Khan Khalid Adnan Oral proceedings on the merits in The Gambia v Myanmar (12-29 January 2026) ended where genocide litigation before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) almost always ends: not with a dispute about atrocities as such, but with a dispute about how the Court is permitted to know what it knows. The […]
Procession or meeting? The legal question the Gala arrests cannot escape
Sarjo Barrow, Esquire On 8th Friday, 2026, according to news reports, police in the Kanifing region prevented members of Gambians Against Looted Assets (Gala) from holding a first-anniversary commemoration at the Youth Monument, citing a lack of registration despite the group having permission from the venue’s custodians—KMC officials. The incident led to multiple arrests, scuffles, […]
When appellate courts review trial court decisions: The standard that governs
Appeal is not a new phenomenon in The Gambia. It has been part of the criminal justice system since its inception. So why has the state’s decision to appeal the acquittal of defendants in the police shooting case caught the nation’s attention? The answer lies, perhaps, in the manner in which the prosecution was handled. […]
The Ousman Sonko case
Week 1: The appeal trial begins Week 1: (30 March – 2 April)Days 1 and 2 (30 and 31 March): Preliminary questionsAt the opening of the trial on 30 March 2026, the presiding judge confirmed who was present: the Office of the Attorney General (OAG), Ousman Sonko and his lawyers, and 5 plaintiffs who had […]
Legal consequences arising from the policies and practices of Israel in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem (Request for Advisory Opinion)
Oral submission of the Republic of The Gambia by Attorney General and Ministerof Justice, Dawda Jallow at International Court of Justice on 21 February 2024 Mister President, Honourable Members of the Court, it is an honour for me to appear before you to represent the Republic of The Gambia in these essential advisory opinion proceedings. […]