By Bruce Asemota
The Supreme Court of the Gambia presided over by the Chief Justice Hassan Jallow and four other panel of judges have adjourned for ruling on the preliminary objection raised by the attorney general in the case on the banning of female genital mutilation in The Gambia.
National Assembly member Almameh Gibba, Yassin Fatty, Nano Jawla, Kaddijatou Jallow, Concerned Citizens, Islamic Enlightenment Society, and Women Association for Islamic Solidarity filed a civil suit at the Supreme Court seeking for certain reliefs on the ban of FGM.
The state’s preliminary objection hinges on the competence of the suit and that the Supreme Court does not have jurisdiction to hear the matter.
Furthermore, the plaintiffs applied to amend the heading of the suit.
Plaintiffs’ counsel, Lamin J Darboe argued that the submission of the state on the preliminary objection on Section 127(1)(a) would robbed the Supreme Court of the powers to deal with Section 18, 33 and 36 of the Constitution which deals with fundamental rights.
The ruling on the objection is expected to be heard on Tuesday.
