By Mariama Marong
The Managing Director of Atlantic Pharmaceutical Company Ltd, Mr. Ali Suman, reappeared on Monday, 26th June 2025, before the High Court of The Gambia for continued cross-examination in the ongoing civil case concerning the Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) outbreak that claimed the lives of over 70 children across the country.
Presided over by Justice Ebrima Jaiteh, the case involves multiple defendants, including Atlantic Pharmaceuticals (2nd respondent), Maiden Pharmaceuticals of India (1st respondent), and other government agencies alleged to have regulatory oversight responsibilities during the period when the contaminated syrups entered the Gambian market.
Mr. Suman, who has been operating in the pharmaceutical sector for a decade, was cross-examined by State Counsel M. Mballow. During questioning, he confirmed that his company independently selected Maiden Pharmaceuticals as its supplier of medicinal syrups, which were later linked to the tragic deaths.
“Yes, it was an independent decision,” Mr. Suman told the court when asked whether any entity had influenced his company’s selection of Maiden Pharmaceuticals.
Counsel Mballow asked the witness whether the Medicines Control Agency (MCA) and the Ministry of Health had any involvement in the approval or selection of products sourced from the Indian manufacturer. Mr. Suman responded unequivocally: “MCA and Ministry of Health have nothing to do with approval or selection of products.”
Under further questioning by the defence counsel, Mr. Suman acknowledged the regulatory authority of the MCA but noted that Atlantic Pharmaceuticals itself did not operate under independent internal regulations.
“Yes, the role of MCA is to regulate products, but as a company, we do not have our own regulations,” he said.
The court was reminded that under national drug policy, licensed pharmaceutical distributors have a responsibility to ensure that all products they supply are safe for human use. When asked whether this responsibility fell on Atlantic Pharmaceuticals, Mr. Suman defended his company’s actions.
“The medicines were safe and met standard requirements for distribution. They were certified by the MCA,” he asserted. He maintained that his company followed all existing regulations laid out by the Medicines Control Agency.
