The High Court of The Gambia has ruled on an interlocutory application filed by 82 Standard Chartered Bank (SCB) Gambia Limited employees, led by Ebrima Jatta and Musu Badjie, granting a conditional injunction in their lawsuit against the bank. The court’s decision, delivered on April 16, 2025, balances the employees’ rights with the advanced stage of SCB’s sale to Access Bank Gambia Limited.
The plaintiffs, represented by Counsel Ebrahim Sanneh, fulfilled the legal conditions for an injunction to halt SCB’s sale, citing threats to their employment rights and livelihoods. However, the court deemed stopping the sale contrary to public interest due to its advanced progress. Instead, it granted the plaintiffs’ alternative request, ordering SCB to deposit D250 million into an interest-bearing account controlled by the Sheriff of The Gambia. This fund will secure potential compensation or awards for the plaintiffs, whether the case concludes or SCB exits before its resolution.
The lawsuit, filed on March 10, 2025, seeks declarations that SCB’s actions jeopardize the employees’ rights to continued employment and wage protection and violate the Labour Act of 2023 by failing to disclose relevant information. The plaintiffs demand end-of-service or severance pay, redundancy pay, Provident Fund proceeds, and compensation for breach of contract, including damages, interest, and legal costs.
On April 7, 2025, the plaintiffs filed a motion to restrain SCB from transferring its commercial banking subsidiary until the main suit is resolved, argued by Sanneh against SCB’s Counsel Ida Drameh. The court had previously granted an ex parte interim injunction to maintain the status quo pending the motion’s hearing.
The ruling underscores the court’s commitment to protecting the plaintiffs’ employment rights while allowing SCB’s divestment to proceed under strict financial safeguards.
