Lawyer J. Darboe Denies UDP Ties Influenced His Role in Auditor General Ceesay’s Case
By Fatou Sillah
Human rights lawyer Lamin J. Darboe has denied claims that his legal representation of former Auditor General Modou Ceesay was politically influenced or connected to the United Democratic Party (UDP).
Speaking in an interview with Teledal TV, Darboe clarified that his decision to take on Auditor Ceesay’s case was strictly professional. Ceesay was recently dismissed from his position after reportedly rejecting a ministerial appointment.
“He is a professional doing his job. I don’t even think he is interested in those public questions. As far as party politics is concerned, he came to me to represent him,” Darboe said.
The lawyer further emphasized that Ceesay has no affiliation with the UDP, dismissing suggestions that his involvement was politically motivated. “The man is not UDP at all; he is absolutely not UDP, but I did not represent him because of UDP considerations. I know he is not UDP,” Darboe asserted.
Darboe also pointed out that despite the UDP’s ongoing constitutional cases before the courts, he has had no involvement in those matters.
“You know UDP has several constitutional cases before the courts, whether that is the Supreme Court or the branches of the High Court. In those cases, I was not even consulted. Have you ever seen me in those cases? So people are not thinking about the overall situation,” he noted.
Addressing questions about his representation of the Gambians Against Looted Assets (GALA) movement, Darboe maintained that his involvement stems from professional duty rather than political opposition.
“So, I have no particular interest in opposing the government for the sake of opposing it. I’m not even opposing the government; I don’t see these things as political matters, so GALA, they came to me, and I was willing to represent them,” he explained.
He added that GALA is supported by multiple lawyers and that his role often depends on the composition of the legal team.
“Whether I represent them or not, somebody will represent them. Of course, there are many, many people who are interested in representing them, and so we are a team, but if you go to court, and I happen to be the senior person among the lawyers there, then I front the matter, but I’m not the only lawyer there,” Darboe concluded.