President Adama Barrow has voiced strong reservations over United Democratic Party (UDP) leader Lawyer Ousainou Darboe’s recent “national address” following the High Court’s acquittal of Ousainou Bojang and his sister Amie Bojang in the high-profile Sukuta-Jabang police shooting case.
Speaking on Thursday, April 2, 2026, at the conclusion of his six-day nationwide tour in Somita, where he laid foundation stones for various projects, President Barrow suggested that public perception holds that Darboe’s “hands are not clean” in the matter. The president’s remarks underscore the intense political and public scrutiny the case continues to attract, months after the fatal incident.
Barrow hinted that the state intends to appeal the acquittal, rejecting the court’s decision to free the Bojang siblings. The comments came shortly after Darboe delivered a public statement on the verdict, addressed the nation, prompting a swift response from the presidency.
The Sukuta-Jabang case stems from a September 2023 shooting at the Sukuta-Jabang traffic lights junction, in which two Police Intervention Unit (PIU) officers, Constables Sang J. Gomez and Pateh Jallow, were killed and a third officer injured. Ousainou Bojang faced multiple charges, including murder, attempted murder, grievous bodily harm, and acts of terrorism. His sister, Amie, was charged as an accessory after the fact for allegedly helping him flee the scene.
On April 1, 2026, High Court Justice Ebrima Jaiteh acquitted and discharged both siblings, citing contradictions in witness identifications, inconsistencies in accounts of the number of shots fired, and weaknesses in the prosecution’s evidence, including the credibility of a recorded confession. The verdict triggered emotional scenes outside the court and at Mile 2 Central Prison. However, the siblings were briefly rearrested by PIU officers shortly after their release before being returned to custody amid the ongoing legal process.
The case has polarised public opinion in The Gambia, with debates over justice, police accountability, and the politicization of the trial. Defense lawyers, including senior counsel associated with the case, had argued that the wrong individuals were prosecuted and pointed to broader questions about who was truly responsible for the killings.
President Barrow’s intervention adds a new layer to the controversy, framing Darboe’s public comments as potentially compromised. The government’s decision to appeal signals that the legal battle over the Sukuta-Jabang shootings is far from over, keeping the incident in the national spotlight.
