Africa-Press – Gambia. The D50M civil suit that the minister of environment Rohey John Manjang instituted against journalist Kebba Ansu Manneh is set for mention at the Banjul High Court on Tuesday.
The environment minister filed a civil suit against journalist Manneh following the publication of a news story on The Alkamba Times (TAT) on 19th June, 2024, captionedEnvironment Minister, Former LRR Governor Accused of Involvement in Illegal Transaction of Seized Logs.
The minister, through her legal representative, wrote a letter to TAT, asking for a retraction of the story and an apology but the U.S-based Gambian online media platform said it stood by its story.
According to the civil suit, Rohey John Manjang’s lawyer Modou D. Drammeh is seeking an order from the court for journalist Kebba Ansu Manneh to pay D50M to his client asspecial damages, D500,000 administrative costs, a perpetual injunction from the court, restraining Kebba Ansu Manneh, his agents, associates, and contacts from making any further “defamatory” statement against his client.
Lawyer Drammeh is also seeking an order from the court for journalist Manneh to issue an apology via TAT website and any other public platform used to “defame” his client among other claims.
Drammeh’s statement of claim filed before the Banjul High Court stated that on 22 May 2024, Rohey John Manjang’sbodyguard [orderly] received a telephone call from the deputy permanent secretary at the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Natural Resources, Bubacarr Zaidi Jallow, who informed him that the Lower River Region’s regional forestry officer Lamin Bajo had asked for his client minister Manjangto phone him back.
Defense lawyer Drammeh in his statement of claim said when his client phoned Lamin Bajo, he informed her that he had confiscated two timber logs that were illegally felled by some individuals from Kaif village in Kiang East District. Minister Manjang’s lawyer added that one Lamin Bajo informed his client that the Lower River Region Governor, Seedy Lamin Bah, told him that Minister Manjang instructed for the said logs to be transported to the governor’s office.
In paragraph 6 of the statement of claim, defense lawyer Drammeh also stated that his client dismissed the allegations and instructed Lamin Bajo to ensure that the said logs were not moved or brought by anyone.
However, the case will be heard tomorrow at 10:30 am at Banjul High Court annex to be presided over by Justice Sohia.
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