Pic: Google images
‘Justice Delayed amounts to Justice Denied’
Shocking is an understatement; the Gambia court of appeal presided over by Justice Edrisa Mbye, Justice Awa Bah and Justice Naceesay Sallah-Wadda today took less than 10 minutes to dismiss a high profile political appeal case filed by UDP’s Amadou Sanneh. Mr. Sanneh’s appeal case has been postponed three consecutive times without a full hearing. Today’s appeal hearing came amid controversy over President Jammeh’s abrupt prisoner pardons which has drawn eye brows in many corners. The list of people pardoned by the President included high profile criminals convicted of murder, drug offenses, corruption and abuse of office. It excluded political opponents who were convicted of minor crimes.
When Mr. Sanneh and his lawyers showed up in court today, the justices appears to not even be aware that Amadou’s case was up for another hearing today. When the lawyers asked about Amadou’s whereabouts, the justices scrambled to find his file. Apparently they may not even have recently reviewed or pay attention to the case prior to today’s hearing. The three justices took a quick recess and called the Mile II prisons to ask for Amadou Sanneh to be brought to court. Mr. Sanneh arrived shortly later and the court asked him to stand up and identify himself. Just like that less than 10 minutes Justice Mbye announced that he was dismissing the appeal case without any explanation on why the case was being dismissed. He asked that Amadou return to court on October 15th so the court can explain their reason for dismissing the case.
Talk about travesty of justice, talk about justice delayed being justice denied. How in the world any competent court of law, would presiding justices not even take the time to review a high profile political case which has put to question the moral standing and impartiality of the very court that continue to postpone such a case without any explanation whatsoever? Where is the ethical and professional credibility of the nation’s highest appeal court which is the last hope of citizens for redress? where and what could justify this flimsy case continuous delay while a highly respectable and honest citizen continue to unjustly languish in jail?
Mr. Sanneh and his lawyers are said to be in high spirit and while the court attendees were visibly emotional about the third delay; Mr. Sanneh appealed to his family and all well wishers to have faith and stay calm. As usual in his highly calm demeanor; He asked friends and family to continue to pray for him. That “everything will be ok and they shouldn’t worry but leave everything in the hands of Allah”.
Mr. Sanneh’s case like many others epitomizes what is fundamentally wrong with the justice and political system in the Gambia. Many citizens believe that the court of appeal like the rest of the judiciary have compromised their independence and moral standings in adjudicating justice. That they have lost the mortal credibility to impartially oversee justice and fairness in the tiny West African nation.
Amid controversial prisoner pardons which obviously excluded citizens like Amadou Sanneh and his co-accused, many people were expecting that because of his appeal he may have been excluded from the pardons. The nation was hopeful that the justices will corroborate the President’s symbol of mercy exercised on July 22nd and at the very least have a full hearing of the merits of Mr. Sanneh’s appeal and release him base on that spirit. But no, what the nation witnessed is an absolute disregard for justice from the three appeal justices. How a nation can move towards reconciliation while such travesty of justice is being publicly displaced in the nation’s highest court is beyond comprehension. The Gambian people continue to question the moral and ethical conduct of Gambian’s justices. Justice must be tampered with mercy and justice delayed is justice denied. Amadou Sanneh and co continue to be unjustly treated by Gambia’s justice system simply to appeal to the wishes of the Gambian President who has the ultimate say over what happens in the courts. This case continue to shine shame and mockery of justice in the eyes of the international community.