By: Nicholas Bass
Environment minister Rohey John Manyang has filed a D50M lawsuit against Kebba Ansu Manneh of The Alkamba Times.
The civil suit is scheduled for hearing at the High Court in Banjul on 12 November 2024, at 10:30 am.
The suit followed the publication on 19 June 2024, on The Alkamba Times about the minister’s involvement in shady timber deals. The story was captioned: “Environment Minister, Former LRR Governor Accused of Involvement in Illegal Transactions of Seized Logs”.
The lawyers for the minister wrote to The Alkamba Times to retract the story and apologize to their client or else they would institute a legal action against them.
However, both The Alkamba Times and journalist Kebba Ansu Manneh stood by their publication.
The matter has now taken a new dimension as journalist Manneh received a writ of summons from lawyer Modou Drammeh and Associates to appear before the Banjul High Court annex on the 12th November, 2024, to answer to the writ of summon.
Rohey John Manyang is claiming damages for libel and slander as well seeking from the court to direct Manneh to issue a written apology to her.
The environment minister is also seeking the court to direct Manneh to issue an unreserved apology to be published via The Alkamba Times website and any other public platform used to “defame” her and in widely circulated print newspaper.
She is also seeking an order from the court granting a perpetual injunction, restraining Manneh either through his agents, associates, contact, etc. from making any further defamatory statement against her whether online or in any form or manner whatsoever.
The Minister further seeks an order from the court for the Manneh to remove all statements, pertaining to the defamation of the plaintiff from all his Social Media platforms (website and Facebook etc.).
She is also seeking the indulgence of the court to order journalist Manneh to pay her damages of D50, 000, 000.00 (fifty million dalasi) being special damages plus administrative costs of D500, 000 (Five hundred thousand dalasi) with an interest at the rate of 15% per annum until judgement.