By: Sainabou Sambou
The Supreme Court of The Gambia has ordered the government to pay former Auditor General Modou Ceesay a total of D17,585,213.69 by 30 November 2026. The decision stems from a constitutional case brought against the Attorney General, the Inspector General of Police, and Cherno Amadou Sowe against Ceesay’s unconstitutional removal.
Justice O.M.M. Njie delivered the ruling on 30 July 2026 on behalf of a five-member panel led by Chief Justice Hassan B. Jallow. The other justices were A. Bah, E.F. M’Bai and C.S. Jallow. The order follows the court’s judgment of 7 July 2026, which found in Ceesay’s favor and directed the parties to submit evidence on his salary, allowances, gratuity and pension entitlements.
After examining affidavits and documentary evidence from both sides, the court established that Ceesay’s net monthly salary and allowances totaled D160,978. It awarded him D1,529,291 for the period from 15 September 2025 to 7 July 2026, plus 10 percent annual interest of D54,088.65.
The court further ordered payment of D8,853,790 in salary and allowances covering the remainder of what would have been his nine-year term, from 7 July 2026 to 25 November 2031. Additional awards include D732,310.65 in gratuity and D2,560,000 in fuel allowance for the period between September 2025 and November 2031.
The Attorney General and the Inspector General of Police were jointly ordered to pay D4 million in vindicatory damages. The court also ruled that Ceesay is entitled to a monthly pension of D120,733.50, with payments to begin immediately from 7 July 2026.
An outstanding National Audit Office loan of D144,266.61 owed by Ceesay is to be deducted from the total sum. The judges accepted the government’s request for more time to settle the awards, noting the need for the National Assembly to appropriate the funds. This extended the original 60-day deadline to 30 November 2026.
The court emphasized that the legality of its earlier judgment could not be reopened, as no application for review had been filed.
