By Nelson Manneh
Chief Inspector Alasana Ebrima Bah of the Gambia Police Force appeared on Thursday, September 11, 2025, before Magistrate Thomas Touray at the Kanifing Magistrates’ Court to testify in the ongoing trial concerning protests against the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority’s (PURA) new mobile data price floor.
Chief Inspector Bah, a resident of Banjul and officer attached to the Police Intervention Unit (PIU) headquarters in Kanifing, was the first prosecution witness. He described the events of August 22, 2025, when Gambians Against Looted Assets (GALA) and other civil society groups protested PURA’s decision to impose a minimum price of D50 per gigabyte of mobile internet data. Protesters argued that the move ended competitive pricing and sharply increased internet costs for ordinary consumers.
“On the 22nd of August, while on duty at the PIU headquarters, I received information from my superior, Superintendent Lamin B. Sarr, that there was an unlawful assembly around the PURA building along Kairaba Avenue,” Chief Inspector Bah told the court. “As the officer responsible for the operations, I prepared the troop and was ready to move. Upon arrival, we saw many people gathered, shouting and holding placards.”
Bah said Superintendent Lamin B. Sarr initially addressed the crowd, warning that the assembly was unlawful. “Before the protesters got arrested, we informed them to leave and go about their business, but they refused, insisting their gathering was lawful,” he testified. Following the warnings, the protesters were arrested and taken to Kairaba Police Station for further action.
During cross-examination, defense counsel Lamin J. Darboe questioned Bah on his understanding of the protest and PURA’s role. Bah acknowledged that PURA is the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority, responsible for regulating GSM companies, but said he could not recall the exact wording on the protesters’ placards. When asked whether he knew the accused were simply petitioning PURA on public interest matters, Bah responded, “I cannot establish that they were merely there for that. As a public officer on duty, I was asked to disband them because they were unlawfully there.”
The defense pressed him on the meaning of “unlawful assembly” and whether the protesters had been given proper opportunity to explain their purpose. Bah explained that unlawful assembly refers to a crowd gathering without a permit, and that the police had informed the protesters to disperse before taking action.
The matter was adjourned to October 2, 2025, at 12:30 p.m. for the continuation of cross-examination.
The protest follows PURA’s August 2025 introduction of a price floor of D50 per gigabyte of mobile data. PURA justified the policy as a measure to safeguard consumers from negative consequences of unsustainable pricing and to ensure quality service.
The organisers, GALA, along with the Edward Francis Small Centre for Rights and Justice (EFSCRJ) and Team Gom Sa Bopa, has described the decision as anti-consumer and organized protests and petitions calling for its suspension.
