Chaired by a six-judge panel, the chief justice of The Gambia, Eli Nawaz Chowhan, announced in a congested courtroom that the panel of six could not hear the case review because they were not up to seven judges. The case was expected to be reviewed by a seven-member panel of judges when it resumed yesterday at the Supreme Court in Banjul.
Dissatisfied with the Supreme Court’s decision to uphold the death sentence verdict delivered by the high court, the convicts turned to the same court for review of their case. However, when the case was mentioned, Chief Justice Chowhan said: “There is a constraint… We don’t have a panel of seven members for the case of review. We cannot hear it until we are seven.”
Former Chief of Defence Staff Tamba, former deputy defence chief Omar Bun Mbye, former intelligence chief Lamin BO Badjie, former deputy police chief Modou Gaye, former senior military officer Kawsu Camara alias Bombardier, former Gambian diplomat Gibril Ngorr Seck and tycoon Abdoulie Joof (alias Lie Joof) were convicted and sentenced to death by Justice Amadi in June 2010 for attempting to overthrow the government of The Gambia in 2009.
In 2011, the convicts challenged the decision at the Court of Appeal but were also rejected. This recent action is their last cause of action to overturn their death sentence. They are being represented by Lawyer Sheriff Tambadou.
By Binta Bah
]]>
