By Yankuba Jallow
The Banjul High Court presided over by Justice Haddy C. Roche has adjourned the UDP and Sheriffo Sonko case to the 20th August 2020.
The reason for adjournment according to a court official is as a result of the surge in the number of COVID-19 cases.
On Thursday, 23rd July 2020 the judge advised the United Democratic Party (UDP), Sheriffo Sonko and the Independent Electoral Commission to discuss the way forward as she described the case as bad to the image of the country.
The UDP case instituted a case against IEC, Sheriffo Sonko and two of their Councillors in the persons of Billal Faal and Momodou Bojang seeking the court to issue an order of mandamus for the electoral body to conduct elections. It is the argument of the party that the three ceased being their members following their expulsion from the party and therefore, the IEC is required by law to conduct elections.
The matter couldn’t proceed on that day because Momodou Bojang was not served with the processes.
In another development, Sheriffo Sonko’s case against the Independent Electoral Commission has been adjourned to the same date. The case should come on the 11th August 2020 but it has been adjourned owing to the surge in the number of registered COVID-19 cases in The Gambia which is alarming.
Sheriffo Sonko instituted a case against the IEC seeking a court order to restrain the electoral body from conducting elections for the Brikama Area Council chairpersonship, a position he is currently holding.
The Independent Electoral Commission were served with Sonko’s processes and the electoral body has fourteen days to reply. UDP’s lawyer, Bory S. Touray demanded to be added in this case because a specific paragraph in Sonko’s brief affects the party.
The Judge advised Lawyer Touray to look into the issue properly before demanding to be added in the case. At this juncture, Lawyer Touray told the court that he was going to advice himself as to what to do.
