By Mariama Marong
State Counsel A.A. Wakawa has applied to the Kanifing High Court, seeking an order of mandamus to compel the Registrar of the Kanifing Industrial Tribunal to produce records of proceedings in an ongoing appeal.
The applicants in the case are the University of The Gambia and Bobo Baldeh, the Acting Registrar of the University, while the respondents are Dr. Alieu Gibba and Professor Matar Njie, both dismissed lecturers.
In his application contained in his motion, Counsel Wakawa urged the court to issue a writ of mandamus—an order commanding a public official to perform a duty required by law—directed at the Registrar of the Kanifing Industrial Tribunal. The requested order seeks to mandate the Registrar to transmit the complete records of Suit No. KIT/CS/235/24, which is the subject of the appeal now before the High Court.
The University, as appellant, has expressed dissatisfaction with the ruling of the Industrial Tribunal and has filed an appeal. Counsel Wakawa is saying the High Court cannot proceed to hear the appeal without the records from the lower court.
He informed the court that multiple efforts had been made to obtain the records from the Registrar, but all attempts had failed. “The Registrar of the lower court is by law saddled with the responsibility of preparing and transmitting the records,” Wakawa said, noting that the failure to do so is hindering the appeal process.
He asked the court to compel the Registrar to fulfil her legal obligation in order to facilitate the expeditious determination of the matter.
The motion will be moved on 15th July 2025 for the hearing of the application before Justice G.A. Kwabeng of the Kanifing High Court.
