By: Malanding Darboe
The 50 million Dalasi civil suit that the environment minister Rohey John Manjang instituted against the Alkamba Times’ senior journalist Kebba Ansu Manneh will resume today at the Banjul High Court Annex.
The case was last mentioned on 12 December 2024, when theparties to the case further agreed to proceed with the out-of-court settlement after the minister’s lawyer sought the court’s permission to extend the period of time for the negotiation.
Justice Sonia Akinbiyi, presiding, accepted the request for extension to allow for the out-of-court settlement between the parties or through the alternative dispute resolutionmechanism.
Minister Rohey John Manjang said she felt aggrieved by journalist Manneh’s publication on the Alkamba Times about his alleged involvement in a shady timber transaction. The minister described the content of the article as malicious and unfounded. She went to the court to seek for the publication of an “unreserved apology” on website of The Alkamba Timesand other platforms on which the article was published. Mrs. Manjang also asked for a compensation of D50M and an orderfor journalist Manneh to remove from all the social media platforms the publication about her alleged involvement in the log issue. She also sought for the granting of a perpetual injunction to restrain Manneh from making any further “defamatory” statement against her; indirectly or through his agents, associates and contacts.
However, both The Alkamba Times and its senior investigative reporter are standing by the published article and vowed never to retract it nor apologise to Mrs Manjang.
The case resumes today at 09:30.
