Environment Minister Rohey John Manjang and Alkamba Times Journalist Kebba Ansu Manneh (Photo Credit: Alkamba Times)
By Landing Ceesay
Hon. Justice Sonia Akinbiyi of the Banjul High Court Annex has urged Hon. Rohey John Manjang, the Minister of Environment, Climate Change and Natural Resources, and Alkamba Times journalist Kebba Ansu Manneh to engage in discussions and attempt to resolve their legal dispute outside of court.
In October, the Environment Minister filed a D50 million civil lawsuit against Kebba Ansu Manneh, stemming from an article he published on June 20, 2024.
The article in question alleged that a sum of D150,000 was paid into the Environment Minister’s personal bank account, purportedly as proceeds from the sale of a Mahogany tree in Kiang Kaiaf, Lower River Region (LRR). The Environment Minister is now seeking a court order compelling Kebba Ansu Manneh to issue an apology for what she describes as “libel and slander.”
The Minister has requested that the apology be published on the Alkamba Times website and on any other public platforms where the article was shared. Additionally, she is seeking a perpetual injunction to prevent Kebba Ansu Manneh, his agents, or associates from making further defamatory statements, whether online or through any other medium.
Furthermore, the Environment Minister is asking the court to order the removal of all defamatory content from Kebba Ansu’s social media accounts. In addition to the apology and retraction, the Minister is requesting D50 million in damages, along with D500,000 in administrative costs and interest at a rate of 15% per annum until judgment.
When the case was first heard on Tuesday, Counsel Modou M. Drammeh, representing the Environment Minister, informed the court that they had received Kebba Ansu’s statement of defense and requested time to file their reply.
Hon. Justice Akinbiyi then suggested that both legal teams attempt to settle the matter out of court. In response, Kebba Ansu’s lawyer, Sulyaman Junkung Jobarteh, informed the court that his client was unwilling to issue an apology to the Environment Minister.“We have not made any formal negotiation because the statement that was given to us by the plaintiff (Environment Minister) came with conditions that my client (Kebba Ansu Manneh) should write an apology for publishing wrong information, which we don’t agree to. We can write a rejoinder, but we cannot apologise,” Counsel Jobarteh told the court.
In reply, the Environment Minister’s lawyer, Counsel Drammeh, emphasized that negotiations for an out-of-court settlement would only be possible if Kebba Ansu agreed to apologise.
Hon. Justice Akinbiyi then urged both parties to engage in further negotiations to explore an amicable resolution outside of court. The case has been adjourned to December 12, 2024, for further mention and to report on the progress of the out-of-court settlement discussions.