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October 25, 2024
The President's legal representatives, IDA D. Drameh & Associates, have filed Civil Suit No. HC/723/24/co/106/ci, seeking damages for the alleged defamatory content published in the September 23 edition of The Voice Newspaper.
President Adama Barrow has filed a defamation lawsuit in the High Court of The Gambia against journalist Musa Sheriff, the publisher of the Voice Newspaper, and its deputy editor Momodou Justice Darboe.
The suit follows the publication of an article on September 23, 2024, saying President Barrow was working on an "exit plan" ahead of the 2026 presidential elections.
According to the report in The Voice Newspaper, unnamed officials from Barrow's National People's Party (NPP) revealed that the president had allegedly chosen Muhammed Jah, a relatively unknown figure in Gambian politics, as his successor. The article suggested that this decision had sparked concerns among senior members of the ruling party, causing "consternation and trepidation."
The President's legal representatives, IDA D. Drameh & Associates, have filed Civil Suit No. HC/723/24/co/106/ci, seeking damages for the alleged defamatory content published in the September 23 edition of The Voice Newspaper.
The President's legal team emphasised that the report's claims were false and had damaged Barrow's reputation.
They noted that the article portrayed President Barrow as unreliable, untrustworthy, and no longer interested in leading The Gambia.
"The words published are highly defamatory of our client," the legal statement read. "At no time did our client indicate a lack of interest in continuing as President, nor did he choose Muhammed Jah as his successor."
The publication also suggested that the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) was opposed to President Barrow's bid for a third term due to regional concerns over political stability and security.
The lawsuit points out that the news report falsely insinuated that President Barrow had already handed over his political leadership to Jah, creating an impression of a secret succession plan.
In response, the President's legal counsel has demanded a formal retraction and apology from The Voice Newspaper within 24 hours, citing severe harm to the President's reputation.
They argue that the story has caused embarrassment and distress for President Barrow, who recently announced his intention to seek a new five-year term in the 2026 elections.
The statement of claim reads in part: 'The Plaintiff is, and was at all material times, a politician, the President of the Republic of The Gambia, and the Secretary-General and Party Leader of the National People's Party (NPP), a political party registered in The Gambia.
"The First Defendant Musa S. Sheriff ("1" Defendant'), is the Editor-in-Chief and Managing Director of the Second Defendant (2 Defendant'). The 2nd Defendant are the proprietors, printers and publishers of a newspaper called The Voice, which has a large circulation throughout The Gambia.
"On Monday the 23 day of September 2024, the Defendants falsely and maliciously wrote and printed and published or caused to be written, printed and published, on the front page of the said newspaper dated that MONDAY the 23 day of September 2024 and concerning the Plaintiff "BARROW CHOOSES MUHAMMED JAH AS SUCCESSOR AS PRES. WORKS ON EXIT PLANSOURCES on the top of a photograph of the Plaintiff and a Gambian businessman called Muhammed Jah.”
It continues, "President Adama Barrow is working on an exit plan a little more than two years before Gambians return to the poll to select their next President, NPP officials were quoted as saying.
"Already, the report that President Barrow has chosen politically little-known Muhammed Jah as his successor has caused consternation and trepidation among some top members of the ruling party
"Apparently, the news hit some NPP members and top-brass like a thunderbolt as it was just a fortnight ago that Mr. Barrow announced his intention to seek another five-year mandate in 2026
"Reports reaching this medium intimated that ECOWAS has been averse to President's Barrow third-term ambition at a time when the sub-regional grouping was dealing with the nerve-wracking challenges of coups d'etat and Islamic insurgency in the West Africa sub-region
"However, according to reliable information, President Barrow had since expressed his desire to relinquish power but was reportedly talked out of it by some NPP officials, who advised him that the unity and longevity of the NPP rested on his shoulders.”
Barrow in his statement, "My name is Adama Barrow. My official residence is at the State House Marina Parade Banjul The Gambia. I am a Gambian
"I am the Plaintiff in this suit. I am a politician and have been the President of the Republic of The Gambia since 2017. I am also the Secretary-General and Party Leader of the National People's Party (NPP"). The NPP is a political party which is registered in The Gambia and which has put forward candidates who have contested elections in The Gambia
"The NPP intends to compete in the 2026 elections and I will if the NPP elect me as the flagbearer of the NPP seek to stand as the presidential candidate in the said election. This is a well known fact to many persons.”
Barrow claimed the publication has injured his credit and reputation.
He added that the said article has generated a lot of discussion in the country and elsewhere.
"I believe that the Defendants published the said words out of malevolence or spite towards me, in order amongst other things to affect my standing with the NPP and to negatively affect my chances of re-election in the next elections and by so doing boost the chances of other persons in the 2026 elections,” he said.
Meanwhile, a writ of summons requires the defendants to appear in court on October 25 to hear the claims against them. They must file their defense, if any, within 30 days of being served.
Earlier in October, Saharareporters reported that a Nigerian human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, SAN, had called on Barrow to withdraw the charges against The Voice Newspaper and its journalists, following their arrest over a controversial report.
Musa S. Sheriff, the Managing Editor of The Voice, and reporter Momodou Justice Darboe were charged with disseminating false information under Section 181A of The Gambia's Criminal Code.
The report, featured in the September 23, 2024 edition, claimed that Barrow had selected relatively unknown politician Muhammed Jah as his potential successor, a move that allegedly alarmed members of the ruling National People’s Party (NPP).
In response to the publication, President Barrow’s legal team, Ida D. Drammeh and Associates, issued a letter on September 25, demanding a retraction and an apology from The Voice, and threatening a costly civil lawsuit if the demands were not met.
Falana condemned the government's actions, stating that the president should have publicly denied the claims made by The Voice instead of resorting to legal threats.
He, however, urged Barrow to abandon the charges and uphold press freedom in Gambia.
Meanwhile, Gambian lawyer Salieu Taal, former President of the Gambia Bar Association and a prominent human rights advocate, has also called on Barrow to drop all charges against journalists.
Taal condemned the government's use of "draconian laws" to suppress press freedom, describing the charges as both unfortunate and a major embarrassment for the country.
Taal’s appeal echoes similar calls from organizations such as the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and other advocates, who stress the importance of safeguarding journalistic integrity in The Gambia.