Omar Jammeh, a legal practitioner, has sued Momodou Lamin Jarjue known as Rongo seeking One Hundred Million Dalasi (D100,000) from the artist for defamation and breach of contract. The case was filed in May 2024.
Lawyer Jammeh wants the high court to issue an order for Rongo to pay him Fifty Million Dalasi (D50,000,000) as damages for defamation of character.
He also wants another D50,000,000 as damages for breach of contract. The Lawyer said he had an agreement with Rongo to give him 3 plots of land at Lamin CDC measuring 80 meters by 80 meters, 50 meters by 100 meters, and 50 meters by 50 meters. Barrister Jammeh added that the plots were reserved for legal service and assistance in one of Rongo’s civil suits with the number HC/594/22/CL/157/AO. It is the case of the lawyer that Rongo does not have title over that area because it forms part of the Banjul International Airport reserve land.
The Lawyer is also claiming compensation for general damages and a further One Hundred Thousand Dalasi (D100,000) as cost for legal and administrative fees.
In his statement of the case, Lawyer Jammeh stated that in 2022 while working in Antouman Gaye’s Chambers as a legal practitioner, he was assigned by his senior Segga Gaye to go to Rongo’s home to collect a judgment. While in Rongo’s house, Rongo informed him about a case he has against the Alkalo of Lamin, Kubariko Makumbaya, and 14 other people. He explained that Rongo informed him that the case was not filed and he needed a lawyer to file the case. The Lawyer said Rongo took him on a visit from the Lamin Market to Babilon and then Kubariko claimed ownership of the area. He added that during their journey, Rongo found some people plastering their houses in an area he claimed to have owned, but he was almost severely beaten by the people of Kubariko.
He explained that they saw a notice board by the Mendy Kunda family claiming ownership of the area and then Rongo took a picture of it. He said Rongo sent him a WhatsApp message instructing him to add Muhammed Mendy as the 17th Defendant. The WhatsApp message was part of the documents the lawyer seeks to rely on. He stated that Rongo took a lot of pictures and the said pictures were part of the documents he is relying on.
The Lawyer said after the site visits, he went with Rongo to the Yundum Police Station to lodge a formal complaint on behalf of Rongo. He added that Rongo later contracted him to form part of the team of lawyers, which included Lawyers Bory S. Touray, Ebrima Jah, and Secka. He explained that this was when Rongo transferred the 3 plots of land to him as his remuneration for legal service and assistance. The alleged transfers were part of the documents the lawyer provided to the court.
The lawyer said on the 23rd of May 2022 he went to clear the 80 meters by 80 meters land on a Sunday, but he was stopped by one Modou Manneh of Kubariko. He added that he called Rongo informing him of the situation and this was when Rongo and Modou Manneh began insulting one another. The Lawyer said he informed Rongo that he was no longer interested in the land and Rongo relocated him to a plot opposite the CDC graveyard. He added that on the 22nd of May, 2022 Rongo forwarded him a WhatsApp voice note he sent to Lawyer Ebrima Jah informing him that he was part of the legal team. He added that on 22 June 2022, Rongo sent him a sketch plan indicating that he had transferred the three (3) plots of land to him. He indicated that he would rely on the sketch plan in proving the case against Rongo.
The Lawyer said he had attended two meetings with lawyer Ebrima Jah at his office along Kairaba Avenue in the presence of Rongo while Lawyer Borry Touray and Counsel Secka were absent. He added that it was agreed that he [Lawyer Jammeh] should take up the case as the junior counsel and when he is done with the processes, he will forward it to Counsel Jah, who shall then forward it to Counsel Borry Touray.
Lawyer Jammeh said Rongo, on the 29th of May 2022, sent him the list of the people he wanted to sue and the Lawyer now wants to rely on the WhatsApp list in the case. The Lawyer also claimed that Rongo on the 18th of July 2022 sent him a WhatsApp message instructing him to add Buba Ceesay of Kubariko to the case and further asked him to sue him separately because the lands in question were different. He added that Rongo on 18 July 2022 sent him a message asking him to speed up the process because he was the one he was waiting to file the case.
The Lawyer said Rongo on 23 September 2022 wrote an alleged defamatory letter to him accusing him of forgery and completely denying that the Plaintiff ever worked for him as a legal practitioner.
Read the next edition for Rongo’s statement of defence and the counter claim he made against the lawyer.
