NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR LAW REPORTING MARINA PARADE P.O. BOX 645, BANJUL, THE GAMBIA TEL: 4224969/4224967 THE GAMBIA LAW REPORTS (2002-2008) VOL. I FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF THE GAMBIA NATIONAL LAW REPORTING COUNCIL 2008 THE GAMBIA LAW REPORT 2002 – 2008 VOL. I i THE GAMBIA LAW REPORTS (2002-2008) VOL. I NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR LAW REPORTING HONOURABLE ATTORNEY GENERAL & SECRETARY OF STATE FOR JUSTICE Hon. Marie Saine – Firdaus THE NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR LAW REPORTING (As at August , 2008) Hon. Justice Emmanuel Akomaye Agim (ORG) – Chairman Hon. Justice Safiyatou N’jai – Vice–Chairman Dr. Henry D.R. Carrol – Solicitor General & Legal Secretary Mrs Amina Saho-Ceesay (Master of the High Court) Mr. FaFa Edrissa M’bai – (Chairman Gambia Law Reform Commission) Mrs. Rachel Mendy Mr. Sydney Winston Riley Mr. Swaebou Conateh Barrister O. K. Akerele (Editor) ii THE GAMBIA LAW REPORTS (2002-2008) VOL. I EDITORIAL COLUMN EDITOR OSENI KEHINDE AKERELE, LLB (ABU, ZARIA), BL (LAGOS), CHIEF STATE COUNSEL, DIRECTORATE OF CIVIL LITIGATION LAGOS STATE MINISTRY OF JUSTICE, LAGOS, NIGERIA LECTURER/HEAD OF ADMINISTATION (WEST AFRICAN INSURANCE INSTITUTE),THE GAMBIA PUBLISHERS: NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR LAW REPORTING iii THE GAMBIA LAW REPORTS (2002-2008) VOL. I JUSTICES OF THE SUPREME COURT JUSTICES OF THE SUPREME COURT Hon. Justice Abdu Kareem Savage – Chief Justice Hon. Justice Irene Mambilima – JSC Hon. Justice Gibou Semega-Janneh – JSC Hon. Justice Niki Tobi – JSC Hon. Justice Jones Dotsie – JSC Hon. Justice Emmanuel Akomaye Agim – Ag, JSC iv THE GAMBIA LAW REPORTS (2002-2008) VOL. I JUSTICES OF THE COURT OF APPEAL JUSTICES OF THE COURT OF APPEAL COURT OF APPEAL Hon. Justice Emmanuel Akomaye Agim (ORG) – President Hon. Justice Esther Awo Ota – JCA Hon. Justice Madubochi Azubuike Paul – JCA (up to March 2008) Hon. Justice Mabel Maame Yamoa Ag. JCA Hon. Justice Avril Anin – Yeboa Ag. JCA (up to November 2007) Hon. Justice Agnes Dodzie Ag, JCA (up to November 2007) Hon. Justice Joseph Wowo – Ag. JCA v THE GAMBIA LAW REPORTS (2002-2008) VOL. I HIGH COURT JUDGES JUDGES OF THE HIGH COURT Hon. Justice Mabel Maame Yamoa Hon. Justice Agnes Dodzie Hon. Justice Avil Anin – Yeboa Hon. Justice Safiatou Njai Hon. Justice Naceesay Salla Wadda Hon. Justice Joseph Wowo Hon. Justice Ngui Mboob – Janneh Hon. Justice Moses Johnson Richards vi THE GAMBIA LAW REPORTS (2002-2008) VOL. I JUDICIAL SECRETARY Alhagi Harouna Jaiteh MASTER OF THE HIGH COURT Mrs. Amina Saho-Ceesay PRINCIPAL REGISTRARS 1. Miss Bisola Cole – Supreme Court 2. Mrs. Amie Drammeh – Court of Appeal 3. Mr. Abdoulie Conteh – High Court vii THE GAMBIA LAW REPORTS (2002-2008) VOL. I CITATION The mode of citation of this Volume of The Gambia Law Reports is [2002-2008] GLR followed by the page number. viii THE GAMBIA LAW REPORTS (2002-2008) VOL. I TABLE OF CONTENT INDEX OF CASES REPORTED ...................................................................... x INDEX OF SUBJECT MATTER ...................................................................... xi INDEX OF GAMBIAN CASES CONSIDERED IN THIS REPORT ................ xlv INDEX OF GAMBIAN STATUTES CONSIDERED IN THIS REPORT ....... xlviii INDEX OF GAMBIAN RULES OF COURT CONSIDERED IN THIS REPORT l INDEX OF BOOKS CONSIDERED IN THIS REPORT ................................... li CASES REPORTED.................................................................................1-366 ix THE GAMBIA LAW REPORTS (2002-2008) VOL. I INDEX OF CASES REPORTED Page 1. Antoine Banna V Ocean Resort Limited (2008) 1 GLR 1. CA 2. Edward Graham V Lucy Mensah (2008) 1 GLR 22. CA 3. Singam Investment Company Gambia Limited V N.H. Farage Company Limited (2008) 1 GLR 68. CA 4. Gamstar Insurance Company Limited V Musa Joof (2008) 1 GLR 102. CA 5. Haro Company Limited V Ousman Jallow (2008) 1 GLR 127. CA 6. The State V Abdoulie Conteh (2008) 1 GLR 148. CA 7. Armanti Gambia Limited V D.H.L. International (Gambia) Limited (2008) 1 GLR 191. SC 8. Halifa Sallah V Clerk of The National Assembly (2008) 1 GLR 225. SC 9. I.E.C. V National Alliance for Democracy (2008) 1 GLR 250. CA 10. GreenGold Limited V Kombo Poultry Farm Ltd. (2008) 1 GLR 303. SC 11. United Democratic Party V Attorney General(2008) 1 GLR 326. SC 12. Pa Njie Girigara & Sons Ltd V ACE Limited (2008) 1 GLR 344. SC 13. The O Corporation V Kabo Air Ltd (2008) 1 GLR 348. HCT 14. Mohamadou Sissoho V Inspector General of Police (2008) 1 GLR 351. HCT x THE GAMBIA LAW REPORTS (2002-2008) VOL. I INDEX OF SUBJECT MATTER ACTION - Competence of an action – Not to be ignored – Should be resolved before taking further steps - Edward Graham V Lucy Mensah (2008)1 GLR 22 ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE - Reipublicae ut sit finis litium – Principle applied - Halifa Sallah V Clerk of The National Assembly (2008) 1GLR 225 ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE - Courts are accountable to the people and exist and operate on their behalf - Halifa Sallah V Clerk of The National Assembly (2008) 1GLR 225 ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE - Courts to discourage repetitive or piecemeal litigation practice - Halifa Sallah V Clerk of The National Assembly (2008) 1GLR 225 ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE - Justice is administered to ensure the realisation of the aspirations of the people - Halifa Sallah V Clerk of The National Assembly (2008) 1GLR 225 ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE - Technicalities – Not to stand in the way of justice - I.E.C. V National Alliance for Democracy (2008)1GLR 250 ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE - Abuse of process – Court has inherent jurisdiction to prevent abuse of its process - I.E.C. V National Alliance for Democracy (2008)1GLR 250 ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE - Impartiality of court – Underlying principle xi THE GAMBIA LAW REPORTS (2002-2008) VOL. I - The State V Abdoulie Conteh (2008)1 GLR 148 ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE - Substantial justice – Court to strive to do same and not allow procedural rules to prevent it from doing so - Haro company Limited V Ousman Jallow (2008)1 GLR 127 ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE - Technicalities – Defeat justice - The State V Abdoulie Conteh (2008)1 GLR 148 ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE - Technicalities – Courts should emphasis substance and not form - The State V Abdoulie Conteh (2008)1 GLR 148 ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE - Statute – Application – Courts duty to apply appropriate statute – Even if wrong statute relied on - Armanti Gambia Company Limited V D.H.L. International Gambia Limited (2008)1 GLR 191 ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE - Substantial justice – Courts exist to do substantial justice - Armanti Gambia Company Limited V D.H.L. International Gambia Limited (2008)1 GLR 191 ADMINISTRATIVE LAW - Administrative or ministeral power – Who can exercise same – Person or body vested with statutory or constitutional power to do so - Halifa Sallah V Clerk of The National Assembly (2008) 1 GLR 225 ADMINISTRATIVE LAW - Administrative or ministeral power – Exercise of – Judiciary cannot take over and exercise power vested on the executive - Halifa Sallah V Clerk of The National Assembly (2008) 1 GLR 225 APPEAL - Ammendment – Ammended grounds of appeal superced and substitute initial grounds - Haro company Limited V Ousman Jallow (2008)1 GLR 127 xii THE GAMBIA LAW REPORTS (2002-2008) VOL. I APPEAL - Basis of appeal – What an appeal can challenge – The decision or procedure of adjudication like bias - The State V Abdoulie Conteh (2008)1 GLR 148 APPEAL - Competence of appeal – To be resolved frist before going further - Edward Graham V Lucy Mensah (2008)1 GLR 22 APPEAL - Conclusions – Appeal against a conclusion not valid in the absence of an appeal attacking its basis - Edward Graham V Lucy Mensah (2008)1 GLR 22 APPEAL - Findings of fact by trial court – When appellate court will interfer - Greengold Limited V Kombo Poultry Farm Limited (2008)1 GLR 303 APPEAL - Findings of fact – Without an appeal – Cannot be argured against - Haro company Limited V Ousman Jallow (2008)1 GLR 127 APPEAL - Findings of fact – Argument against cannot competently be made without an appeal against same - Edward Graham V Lucy Mensah (2008)1 GLR 22 APPEAL - Findings of fact – Remain valid and binding if there is no appeal against it - Edward Graham V Lucy Mensah (2008)1 GLR 22 APPEAL - Findings of fact by trial court – Appellate court – Attitude. - Armanti Gambia Company Limited V D.H.L. International Gambia Limited (2008)1 GLR 191 APPEAL - Findings of facts – When an appellate court can interfere with same - Armanti Gambia Company Limited V D.H.L. International Gambia Limited (2008)1 GLR 191 xiii THE GAMBIA LAW REPORTS (2002-2008) VOL. I APPEAL - Findings of facts – When appellate court can upset the findings of fact - Greengold Limited V Kombo Poultry Farm Limited (2008)1 GLR 303 APPEAL - Findings of facts – Appellate courts should be deluctant to interfer - Greengold Limited V Kombo Poultry Farm Limited (2008)1 GLR 303 APPEAL - Findings of facts – Appellate Court – Whether can come to a different conclusion from the findings of fact of trial court. - Greengold Limited V Kombo Poultry Farm Limited (2008)1 GLR 303 APPEAL - Findings of facts – Appellate Court – When can disturb findings of fact by trial court. - Armanti Gambia Company Limited vs D.H.L. International Gambia Limited (2008)1 GLR 191 APPEAL - Findings of facts – Appellate Court – When to interfere with findings of fact by a trial court. - Singam Investment Company Gambia Limited V N.H. Farage Company Limited & Anor (2008) 1 GLR 68 APPEAL - Fresh issue on appeal – Incompetent – Without leave - Gamstar Insurance Company Limited V Musa Joof (2008)1 GLR 102 APPEAL - Fresh issue on appeal – Leave to raise same – Different from leave to argue additional grounds of appeal - Gamstar Insurance Company Limited V Musa Joof (2008)1 GLR 102 APPEAL - Fresh issue on appeal – Can be raised only with leave of court xiv THE GAMBIA LAW REPORTS (2002-2008) VOL. I - Haro company Limited V Ousman Jallow (2008)1 GLR 127 APPEAL - Fresh issue on appeal – Incompetent if raised without leave of court - Haro company Limited V Ousman Jallow (2008)1 GLR 127 APPEAL - Fresh issue on appeal – How treated by appellate court.