Court Acquits Three GALA Members After Finding Prosecution Failed to Establish Case

By Seedy Jobe

The Kanifing Magistrates’ Court on Thursday acquitted three members of the Gambia Action for Local Accountability (GALA), ruling that prosecutors failed to present sufficient evidence to support charges of unlawful assembly and common nuisance.

The ruling cleared Kemo Fatty, Omar Saibo Camara and Alieu Bah, who had been arrested in connection with a planned protest at the National Audit Office on Sept. 15. The demonstration, according to the group, was intended to defend democratic institutions and demand accountability.

In delivering the judgment, the magistrate found that the prosecution had failed to establish a prima facie case against the accused. The court subsequently discharged all three defendants.

The case had been brought by the state through the police, which alleged that the three men had participated in an unlawful assembly and committed common nuisance. However, the court determined that the evidence presented was insufficient to sustain the charges.

Speaking to Kerr Fatou after the ruling, GALA spokesperson Omar Saibo Camara described the judgment as a vindication of the group’s actions and criticized the authorities for pursuing the case.

“The court found that they had no evidence to support their claim,” Mr. Camara said. “They charged us with unlawful assembly and common nuisance, but they could not substantiate those allegations.”

Mr. Camara argued that the prosecution reflected an attempt to intimidate citizens who seek to hold public officials accountable.

“That shows the government was engaging in foul play,” he said. “What they were doing was to intimidate people and forcefully act against us because they think they have power. But what they need to understand is that we, the citizens, have the power.”

He also linked Thursday’s ruling to a recent Supreme Court judgment that declared the removal of the Auditor General unlawful, saying both decisions reinforced the legitimacy of the group’s campaign for institutional accountability.

“We were on the side of truth,” Mr. Camara said. “This is another good case for our democracy and the fight for justice.”

The prosecution did not immediately comment on the court’s decision.

The acquittal marks the end of a case that drew attention from civil society groups and governance advocates, who viewed the charges as a test of the constitutional rights to peaceful assembly and civic participation. The judgment is likely to add to the ongoing debate over the balance between public order laws and citizens’ rights to organize and protest peacefully in The Gambia.