The High Court of The Gambia has ordered the Gambia Tourism Board (GTBoard) to immediately reinstate Lamin Bojang, the Senior Regional Tourism Officer for the Lower River Region (LRR) and the leader of the GTBoard petitioners to the National Assembly.
The High Court has ordered the GTBoard to pay the Senior Regional Tourism Officer all due salaries and allowances from April 2022, excluding the three months’ salary given in lieu of notice. The court described the termination of the leader of the GTBoard petitioners to the National Assembly as wrongful, unlawful, and invalid.
On Friday, May 24th, 2024, Justice Sidi K. Jobarteh issued a landmark judgment concluding the National Assembly’s investigation into numerous corruption scandals highlighted by petitioners to the assembly’s Select Committee. Subsequently, the committee has called for the reinstatement of Lamin Bojang and five other individuals.
“The termination of the service of the Plaintiff (Lamin Bojang) by the Defendant (GTBoard), vide a letter dated April 8th, 2022, is wrong, unlawful, and of no effect,” Justice Sidi Jobarteh delivered in the judgment.
It added: “Defendant is to reinstate the Plaintiff with immediate effect and pay him all salaries and allowances with effect from April 2022, excluding three months salary paid to him in lieu of notice.”
Justice Jobarteh continued to declare that the Gambia Tourism Board should not harass or intimidate the Plaintiff based on any petition written in the past or to the litigation of the suit, noting that the Plaintiff shall also work diligently, effectively, and efficiently with the utmost respect towards the defendant (GTBoard).
The presiding Judge further slams the GTBoard with D30,000 as an award to the Plaintiff, Lamin Bojang, affirming that the Parties are to foot their own legal cost.
It could be recalled that Lamin Bojang resorts to legal action against the Gambia Tourism Board for terminating his service without following due processes, thus claiming D15 million as compensation and another D200,000 for administrative and legal costs.
