A fiery defamation battle pitting two former pillars of the Janneh Commission against each other kicked off on Thursday at the High Court in Bakau, presided over by Justice Coker. Senior lawyer Amie Bensouda, the former Lead Counsel of the Janneh commission probe, is suing Alhaji Mamadi Kurang, the Commission’s former Executive Secretary, for D144 million over alleged slanderous attacks on her reputation.
The courtroom drama unfolded as Counsel Combeh Gaye, representing Bensouda, noted that two statements of claim had been filed, but Kurang’s defense reply was still pending. In a bold counterpunch, Counsel A.J. Njie for Kurang announced plans to submit their statement of defense by Monday, alongside a jurisdictional challenge. Njie argued that Bensouda bypassed mandatory Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) protocols, a legal prerequisite for civil suits.
Gaye responded coolly, stating her team would review the formal objection before deciding on the next steps. Justice Coker adjourned the case to November 17, 2025, at 11:30 a.m., setting the stage for intensified legal sparring.
At the heart of Bensouda’s lawsuit are claims that Kurang, ousted from the Commission in 2018, has waged a relentless campaign of falsehoods via social media and interviews. She accuses him of impugning her integrity, particularly over her role in the Commission’s investigations into seized assets and procedural conduct during the high-profile inquiry into former President Yahya Jammeh’s alleged graft.
Kurang, however, defends his statements as whistleblower revelations grounded in firsthand knowledge. He insists they highlight genuine public interest issues—like procedural lapses and conflicts of interest—that prompted his removal. Labeling the suit an intimidation tactic to muzzle dissent, Kurang has fired back with a counterclaim of D200 million. It targets Bensouda’s legal team for purportedly defamatory content in a pre-litigation cease-and-desist letter.
The Janneh Commission, established in 2017 to investigate financial misconduct during the Jammeh era, recovered millions of dollars in assets but was marred by internal tensions. Kurang’s petition alleging irregularities fueled his dismissal, escalating into this personal vendetta now playing out in court.
Legal experts say the jurisdictional hurdle could delay proceedings, while the dueling claims highlight The Gambia’s evolving free speech and defamation laws following the end of the dictatorship. As both sides dig in, the case promises to expose rifts within one of the nation’s landmark anti-corruption efforts.
Source: Kexx Sanneh (Kexx News)
