By Nelson Manneh and Kemeseng Sanneh
Hon. Rohey John Manjang the Minister of Environment, Climate Change and Natural Resources civil suit against Kebba Ansu Manneh, a Gambian Journalist working for The Alkamba Times (TAT) was on Tuesday 12 November 2024 mentioned at the Banjul High Court.
In this civil suit, Minister Manjang, the plaintiff, is claiming fifty million dalasis as special damages from Kebba Ansu Manneh the defendant.
Kebba Ansu Manneh, TAT National Investigative Correspondent, in June 2024 published an article that contained claims of D150,000 being paid to a bank account belonging to the minister of the Environment.
The amount is allegedly from a sum of D200,000 generated from the sale of a mahogany tree that stood on the outskirts of Kiang Kaif.
When the case was called before Justice Sonia Akinbiyi of Banjul High Court, the plaintiff Rohey John Manjang was absent whilst the defendant Kebba Ansu Manneh was present. The Counsel for the plaintiff Lawyer Modou M. Drammeh and Lawyer J Jobarteh for the defendant were all present.
Counsel Modou M. Drammeh informed the court that they have been served with the statement of defence by the defendant’s counsel, but they will need time to file their response.
Justice Sonia Akinbiyi, who presided over the matter, asked the parties whether they had made any attempt to negotiate the matter outside court.
“We have not made any formal negotiation because the statement that was given to us by the plaintiff came with conditions that my client should write an apology for publishing wrong information which we don’t agree to. We can write a rejoinder but we cannot apologise,” said counsel J Jobarteh for the defendant.
Counsel Modou M. Drammeh told the court that if the defendant agrees to apologise for publishing wrong information, then they can negotiate the matter.
Justice Sonia Akinbiyi urged both parties to negotiate and see how best they could settle the matter outside court. The case was then adjourned to 12 December 2024 at 09:30 for mention.
In this civil suit, Rohey John Manjang, asked the court to direct the defendant to issue a written apology.
The plaintiff wants the court to direct the defendant to issue an unreserved apology to be published via the Alkamba Times website and any other public platform used to defame the Plaintiff and in widely circulated print newspapers.
The plaintiff wants the court to issue an order granting a perpetual injunction restraining the Defendant either through his agents, associates, contacts, etc. from making any further defamatory statements against the Plaintiff whether online, or in any form or manner whatsoever. He also wants an order for the defendant to remove all statements about the defamation of the Plaintiff from all his social media platforms (website, Facebook, etc). He seeks an order for the Defendant to pay to the plaintiff damages of D50, 000,000.00 (Fifty million dalasis) being special damages. Administrative costs of D500.000 (five hundred Thousand Dalasis), interest at the rate of 15% per annum until judgement.
