“Wrong People, Politicized ”Case”—Darbo Criticizes Government Following Bojang Acquittal

By Seedy Jobe

Senior Counsel Lamin J. Darbo, on Monday, March 30, 2026, welcomed the acquittal of his client, Ousainou Bojang, who had been standing trial for the killing of two police officers and the wounding of a third at the Sukuta–Jabang traffic lights in September 2023. The High Court also cleared Bojang’s sister, Amie Bojang, who had been charged as an accessory after the fact.

Speaking to journalists shortly after the verdict was rendered, Darbo, who led the defence team for Ousainou Bojang, sharply criticized the government’s handling of the case, arguing that it was flawed from the outset.

“The government refused to conduct a credible investigation. The matter was politicized, and the wrong people were brought before the courts,” he said, adding that the authorities “should be ashamed” and must undertake a thorough and impartial inquiry.

Darbo further contended that evidence presented during the trial pointed to other individuals who, he claimed, have not been held accountable.

“Through our evidence, through the trial, we know what happened. We know the persons who are responsible for the murder of service personnel of the Republic of The Gambia. Nothing happened to them,” he stated.

He maintained that innocent individuals were unjustly targeted.

“Innocent people were followed, arrested, persecuted, and eventually dragged to court. With the hope that the courts would close their eyes and convict and imprison innocent people,” he said, criticizing what he described as the prosecution’s failure to present compelling evidence.

The senior lawyer also called for reforms within the justice system, including constitutional safeguards for the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and the appointment of a Gambian national to the role.

“It is now about time that we give constitutional guarantees to a Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP). And it is about time that we now have a Gambian DPP. We should stop this nonsense of appointing foreigners as directors of public prosecution in The Gambia. We have very qualified young people who are able, far, far more able than any foreigner you can find, to act as DPP, to serve in the role, in the position of a DPP in this country,” he said.

Darbo further argued that the Office of the DPP should be independent of the Ministry of Justice.

“The two roles are incompatible. The Attorney General and Minister of Justice are executive appointees. And more than likely, they would want to do what the government wants, especially in politically significant cases like this,” he noted.

When asked about the identity of the perpetrators and his next steps, Darbo pointed to evidence adduced during the trial, suggesting that those responsible would eventually face justice.

“We know what happened. The evidence actually pointed out that it was some of those eyewitnesses who were responsible for the murder of our service citizens. We will follow that. And eventually, they will be dragged to court,” he said.

He expressed confidence that accountability would ultimately be achieved.

“Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but we know very well that at some point, at some point, they will be placed before the courts. They will have their day in court, and they can tell us who engaged them. They can tell us who hired them to do what they did. There is no question about this. The evidence has clearly, clearly proven the killers in this case. There is no doubt about it. I have no doubt,” he said.

Darbo also commended his legal team for what he described as a collective effort. “This was a team effort. My team and i were responsible for this victory today, it’s a collective victory. I just happen to be the head of the chambers.”

He concluded by praising the presiding judge for what he described as a courageous decision.

“And of course, the court was also very proactive, very consistent. And we are happy about what happened today because it takes a lot of courage for a judge to arrive at a decision like this. Even if that is where the evidence leads,” Darboe said.