Fourteen GALA Activists Charged With Unlawful Assembly & Common Nuisance

GALA Activist Address the Media After Release © Askanwi

By Fatoumata Jaiteh

After waiting hours for a magistrate to be assigned to commence the trial, some 14 activists affiliated with the anti-corruption youth movement, Gambians Against Looted Assets (GALA), were granted court bail on Monday, 11th May 2026, after being charged with unlawful assembly and common nuisance by police.

The activists were arrested on Friday, 8th May 2026, after police prevented GALA from commemorating their first anniversary at the Youth Monument in Westfield. According to a widely shared video of the arrest, police officers approached GALA organisers at the Youth Monument, asking them for a permit for their commemoration.

In response, organisers presented approval from the custodians of the Youth Monument (Kanifing Municipal Council). However, police deemed this insufficient and conducted multiple arrests throughout the day, starting with eight around midday.

On the day of the hearing, the GALA activists were expected to be arraigned in court from 8am. However, Magistrate Binta Sowe of the Kanifing Magistrates’ Court commenced the hearing at 3pm. Although no explanation was given for the delay, a standoff occurred after activists refused police bail and instead demanded to be released unconditionally or charged in court.

Unwilling to release the activists unconditionally, police were forced to arraign them before a magistrate, with the 72-hour constitutional limit at risk of being breached at 1pm for the first eight activists arrested on Friday.

Presenting the charges, Police Deputy Commissioner for Prosecution M. Jarju announced the prosecution team, while Senior Counsel L. S. Camara led the defence of the 14 activists. The first objection came very early, as Counsel M. Tabally attempted to announce the names of the defence lawyers, with M. Jarju arguing that court rules require the most senior lawyer for the defence to announce the names of the legal team.

The names of the accused are Omar Saibou Camara, Hakeem Touray, Alieu Sarr, Omar Sanyang, Abdoulie T. Bah, Ebrima Janha, Alieu Bah, Muhammed Sillah, Mamadou Jallow, Kemeseng Sanneh, Fallou Gallas Ceesay, Kaddy Jadama, Maimuna Bah and Ebrima Kaira.

All the accused opted to speak in English, and the charges were read, to which all pleaded “not guilty.” All fourteen were charged with “unlawful assembly contrary to section 63 of the Criminal Offences Act, 2025” and “common nuisance contrary to section 137 of the Criminal Offences Act, 2025.”

According to the Criminal Offences Act 2025, unlawful assembly carries a penalty of one year imprisonment without hard labour, while common nuisance carries a fine of not less than twenty thousand dalasis, community service, or both.

After the charges were read and all the accused pleaded not guilty, police prosecutor Jarju applied for the case to be adjourned to another date when he would call his first witness. Most importantly, Prosecutor Jarju argued before Magistrate Sowe that the police “are not opposed to bail; however, we want the court to take judicial notice that the 1st accused (Saibou Camara), 3rd accused (Alieu Sarr), 5th accused (Abdoulie T. Bah), 7th accused (Alieu Bah) and 11th accused (Fallou Gallas Ceesay)” were all facing similar charges in another case.

He argued that the court should take judicial notice of this and caution the aforementioned five accused against engaging in any similar action as alleged on Friday, 8th May 2026.

Defence Counsel Tabally countered Prosecutor Jarju’s submission by arguing on the principles of natural justice and fair hearing. Counsel Tabally urged the magistrate to dismiss the request for judicial notice and argued that although the charges may appear similar, the particulars of the alleged offences are materially different. She added that the other cases referenced were all independent of each other and are still pending before the court. Tabally argued that an inconclusive case cannot have any bearing on another case.

In her ruling, Magistrate Binta Sowe dismissed the prosecutor’s request for judicial notice and to warn the accused and granted bail to the accused persons in the sum of D80,000 each. All accused are to provide two sureties who would be liable in the event that the accused fail to appear in court. The matter was thereafter adjourned to 11th June for continuation of proceedings.

Follow our live coverage in the link below.