A shocking conspiracy allegedly involving a Supreme Court judge, the Sheriff of the High Court, and a well-known senior lawyer has thrown a high-profile case between 82 Standard Chartered Bank (SCB) Gambia Limited employees and the bank into turmoil. The accusations center on efforts to undermine a High Court order issued on April 16, 2025, which granted a conditional injunction to protect the employees’ rights amid SCB’s impending sale to Access Bank Gambia Limited.
The legal battle began when the 82 employees, Ebrima Jatta and Musu Badjie, filed a lawsuit against SCB, represented by Counsel Ebrahim Sanneh. The plaintiffs sought to halt the bank’s sale, claiming it threatened their employment rights and livelihoods. On April 16, the High Court of The Gambia, recognizing the advanced stage of the sale and its public interest implications, declined to stop the transaction. Instead, it ordered SCB to deposit D250 million into an interest-bearing account controlled by the Sheriff of The Gambia. This fund was intended to secure potential employee compensation or awards, regardless of whether the case concludes or SCB exits Gambia before resolution.
However, allegations of foul play surfaced shortly after the ruling. According to sources close to the case, a senior lawyer named withheld, whose connection to the proceedings is unclear but believed to be linked to SCB or its legal team, secretly contacted the bailiff tasked with enforcing the court’s order. She allegedly instructed the bailiff to leave SCB’s premises, claiming the bank’s compliance was imminent. The bailiff refused, insisting he would only act on official directives.
Within minutes, the Sheriff of the High Court reportedly called the bailiff, echoing the senior lawyer’s directive to abandon the enforcement effort and assuring him that SCB was preparing to transfer the D250 million.
Sources allege the sheriff’s call came after he received communications from both a senior lawyer and an unnamed Supreme Court judge. These coordinated actions have sparked accusations of a deliberate plot to undermine the court’s order and deprive the 82 employees of their legally mandated protections.
SCB Gambia Limited and Access Bank Gambia Limited have remained silent on the allegations, citing the ongoing litigation. The High Court and Supreme Court have also declined to comment.
The case has sent shockwaves through Gambia’s legal and financial sectors, drawing comparisons to past scandals involving judicial interference in corporate disputes. In 2020, a similar controversy erupted when allegations of external influence in a case involving a major Gambian business surfaced.
Legal analysts warn that if these claims are substantiated, they could severely undermine public confidence in the judiciary.
For the 82 employees, the fight is deeply personal. “We placed our trust in the courts to protect our rights, but now it feels like the system is being manipulated against us,” said one plaintiff, speaking anonymously. The group is preparing to lodge a formal complaint with the Judicial Service Commission and is exploring additional legal measures to ensure the April 16 order is enforced.
As the allegations of a high-level conspiracy continue to unfold, the case has become a flashpoint in Gambia’s ongoing struggle for judicial transparency and workers’ rights. The nation watches closely to see whether those accused will face accountability and if the employees will secure the justice they seek.
