Perm. Sec Ablie Manneh, AG Appeal Against Ruling

The Permanent Secretary, Department of State for Local Government and Lands, Mr. Ablie Manneh, alongside the Attorney General has appealed against the ruling delivered by Justice Haddy C. Roche in the lawsuit filed against them by the former CEO of Brikama Area Council.

Ex-CEO Lamin Jammeh had, in March of last year, instituted a suit against permanent secretary Manneh, seeking a court declaration that the termination of his appointment as CEO of BAC was unlawful. Mr Jammeh had also filed a lawsuit, seeking damages for ‘wrongful’ termination of his appointment.

The defendants; permanent secretary of the Department of State for Local Government and Lands and Attorney General, premised their preliminary objection on the fact that the high court had no jurisdiction to hear the case.

But Justice Roche, the presiding judge, had on Friday, 7 December 2007, ruled that the court indeed has the jurisdiction to arbitrate among the disputants and the case should, therefore, proceed.

Meanwhile, Mr Lamin Jammeh was sacked at a time he was reportedly pursuing the settlement of monies revolving around disparity of accounts in the cash books, expenditures and actuals in the 2002, 2003 and 2004 which consisted a summary of D25, 685,000 (twenty-five million six hundred and eighty-five thousand dalasis).

He was arrested and detained for 10 days without charge and subsequently removed from office without any official reason(s) being advanced.

The case continues on 10 January 2008.