By: Alieu Ceesay
The Kanifing Magistrates’ Court on Monday granted fourteen members of Gambians Against Looted Assets (GALA) bail after they were arraigned on charges of unlawful assembly and common nuisance.
The youths, who pleaded not guilty to the charges, were arrested on Friday, May 8, 2026, at the Westfield Monument during what they described as a peaceful gathering to celebrate the group’s first anniversary. Police claimed the group assembled without a permit, despite reports that the Kanifing Municipal Council had approved the venue.
Presiding Magistrate Her Worship BS Sowe granted each of the accused bail in the sum of D80,000 with one Gambian surety. The surety is required to surrender their Gambian ID card and guarantee the accused person’s appearance in court. The case has been adjourned to June 11, 2026, at 12:30 pm.
State prosecutors, led by Deputy Commissioner of Police Malang Jarju and Deputy Superintendent Y S Colley, charged the 14 under Sections 63 (Unlawful Assembly) and 137(1) (Common Nuisance) of the Criminal Offenses Act, 2025.
Following their arrest, the group was initially offered police bail of D50,000 with one surety, but declined the conditions, opting instead to have the matter heard in court.
Defense counsel, including M Tabally, LS Camara, J Njie, A Fatty, B Badjie, J Jobarteh, and M B Sanyang, applied for bail, urging the court to exercise its discretion judicially. Counsel Tabally argued that the offenses are misdemeanors and invoked Section 187 of the Criminal Procedure Act.
“We respectfully urge the court to grant the bail application,” she submitted.
The prosecution had sought a judicial warning against seven of the accused persons — Omar Saibo Camara, Alieu Sarr, Abdoulie T. Bah, Omar Sanyang, Alieu Bah, Fallou Gallas Ceesay, and one other — citing their involvement in similar pending cases before the same court and the late Magistrate Thomas Touray.
DC Jarju told the court, “We only want the court to take judicial notice of that fact. We want the court to warn the said accused persons from committing similar alleged offenses.”
Defense counsel Tabally strongly opposed the request, describing it as a breach of natural justice.
“The accused persons are only standing trial before the principal magistrate of this court. It is the principle of natural justice and fair hearing that every case tried by a competent court should be tried differently and independently without any consideration of the similarities of the charges,” she argued.
“We urge this court to disregard the prosecution’s submission as this court cannot take judicial notice of a case that is not before it.”
The magistrate ultimately granted bail but imposed stricter financial conditions than the police had offered, reflecting the court’s balancing of the presumption of innocence with the need to ensure the accused return for trial.
The development comes amid growing public debate over the right to peaceful assembly in The Gambia, with civil society groups closely monitoring the case. GALA members maintain they were exercising their constitutional rights at a public monument not under direct police control.
The 14 remain presumed innocent until proven guilty. All eyes will now be on the June 11 hearing as the matter progresses through the justice system.
