By Buba Gagigo
In a significant legal development, the High Court in Banjul has issued a ruling in favor of Melville Robertson Roberts, ordering the Gambia police to return his jewelry within fourteen days or face a substantial penalty of $50,000.
A confidential source close to the proceedings revealed to Kerr Fatou that Melville achieved a significant victory against both the Attorney General and the Inspector General of Police. The court’s verdict declared a violation of Melville’s fundamental human rights to property and mandated the immediate return of the jewelry within a strict fourteen-day deadline. Failure to comply would result in a hefty compensation payment of $50,000 to Melville. Additionally, the court awarded him D250,000 dalasis as compensation for the infringement of his rights, along with D200,000 for legal fees and a further D50,000 as costs.
“Melville wins massively against the Attorney General and Inspector General of Police. The court has made a declaration that Melville’s fundamental human rights to property has been violated. Thus, an order that the said jewelry must be returned immediately within 14 days, failing which the respondents must pay the sum of $50,000 to Melville. The court made a further award of D250,000 dalasis as compensation for violating the rights of Melville, a further award of D200,000 for Legal Fees and a final award of D50,000 as cost,” our source said.
Melville Robertson Roberts had filed a lawsuit against the Inspector General of Police and the Attorney General, alleging violations of his fundamental rights and freedoms under Sections 22 and 37 of the Constitution. His plea to the High Court sought a declaration regarding the unreasonable withholding of his jewelry, valued at $50,000, by the Inspector General of Police. He demanded that the court either compel the immediate return of the items or impose a payment of $50,000 as their market value at the time of seizure.