GAMBIA LAWYERS PROTEST APPOINTMENT OF NIGERIAN JUDGES,TO BOYCOTT COURTS

Gambia lawyers protest appointment of Nigeria Judges,to boycott courts

Gambia Bar Association,GBA,ha​s​​​ protested against the appointment of four High Court judges​.

The newly appointed Nigerian judges are Justice Edward Ogar, Justice Mathias Olusegun Agboola, Justice Simeon Abi and Justice Matins U. Okoi.

A statement signed by Secretary-General of the association, stated that the bar association shall proceed to file an action to challenge the appointments, to seek an order quashing same and to seek necessary prohibitive relief.

The group said its members would commence a boycott of the courts presided over by the said judges until further notice.

​GBA ​​however said it would engage the Judicial Services Commission and executive of the government, through the Minister of Justice, to continue the necessary dialogue and consultation for the development and protection of the administration of justice system.

GBA ​has already fi​led a suit against the Judicial Service Commission, JSC, and Attorney-General, seeking the necessary orders from the High Court, including the suspension of the letters of appointments of the said Judges, pending the hearing of the application before the court.

T​he lawyers said they were saddened by the fact that ​their​ ​”​hopes and aspirations that a transparent mechanism would be put in place for the appointment of qualified, eminent, independent jurists that The Gambian people have yearned for so long​”​, had not been respected.

​GBA warned that true justice and independence of the judiciary should not be sacrificed for speedy and superficial appearance of a functioning judiciary.