The AKI trial continued on Wednesday, 12th November 2025, at Banjul High Court, where proceedings were marked by a tense exchange between the presiding judge, Justice Ebrima Jaiteh, and defence Counsel Oket over the absence of an additional witness the defence had previously indicated would testify. More in the news report.

Often, protesters are denied permits by the police, but are permits required for public gatherings and all protests? Our reporter sought answers from the police and a lawyer on the legislative framework guaranteeing freedom of assembly and the legal limitations. More in this explainer.

The Executive Director of the Medicines Control Agency (MCA), Mr. Essa Marenah, came under sharp scrutiny during a tense cross-examination at the High Court on Thursday, as part of the ongoing lawsuit over the deaths of children linked to contaminated medicines. The courtroom tension later spilled outside, where Mr. Marenah confronted a journalist for taking his photo and allegedly attempted to force its deletion. More in the report.

Banjul, The Gambia — The Managing Director of Atlantic Pharmaceuticals, Mr Suman, faced intense cross-examination in the High Court as legal proceedings continued over the deaths of more than 70 children allegedly caused by contaminated medicinal syrups imported from India. Plaintiffs’ counsel accused the company of negligence and collusion with Maiden Pharmaceuticals, raising serious questions about regulatory compliance and corporate accountability. More in the report.

Witchcraft accusations remain a pervasive issue across Africa, often resulting in serious human rights violations, including violence, social exclusion, and, in extreme cases, death. These accusations disproportionately affect vulnerable groups such as women, children, the elderly, and persons with disabilities. In the Gambia, a particularly disturbing incident occurred in 2009 when nearly 1,000 individuals were detained and forced to confess to witchcraft under duress. More in this factsheet.

The Director of Atlantic Pharmaceuticals, Ali Suman, came under intense cross-examination at the High Court in Banjul on Tuesday, as legal proceedings continue into the deaths of over 70 children allegedly caused by contaminated cough syrups imported by his company. Facing pointed questions from the plaintiffs’ legal team, Mr. Suman defended his company's practices as scrutiny mounted over expired import documents and discrepancies in certification claims. More in this report.

This publication interrogates the question of whether Parliament and the Executive have violated the law with regards to budget implementation by making reference to legal provisions and highlighting instances when this legal requirement has been ignored. This leaves the door open for waste, fraud, and abuse to continue unabated in The Gambia.

The ongoing Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) legal battle between some 27 bereaved children against the government and two pharmaceutical companies saw more moving testimonies from parents on how “bad medicines” killed their children. More in the report.

During the continuation of the AKI Court Case hearing on the afternoon of 23rd January 2025, witnesses narrated how their children died soon after ingesting paracetamol syrups prescribed by doctors from the hospital. More in this report.

Our latest publication on the marathon AKI Court case hearing, which took most of 23rd January 2025, highlights how Justice Ebrima Jaiteh accepted the substitution of two witness statements. The AKI Court case has seen some 27 bereaved parents file a lawsuit against the government and two pharmaceutical companies. More in Askanwi’s first publication from the whole day’s court hearing.