Gambiaj.com – (BANJUL, The Gambia) – A high-profile legal dispute is brewing in the Gambia as senior lawyer Amie N. Bensouda has issued a cease and desist letter to Alagi Mamadi Kurang, former Secretary to the Commission of Inquiry into the financial dealings, assets, and transactions of former President Yahya Jammeh. Bensouda, through her legal representatives, alleges a sustained campaign of defamation by Kurang, spanning several years, and is threatening legal action.

The cease and desist letter demands that Kurang immediately stop making defamatory statements, remove existing ones from all public platforms, and issue a full and unequivocal retraction and apology. Kurang has been given seven days to respond to these demands.

Failure to comply, the letter warns, will result in legal proceedings, where Bensouda will seek injunctive relief and substantial damages, amounting to One Hundred and Forty-Four Million Dalasis (D144,000,000).

Furthermore, Bensouda has indicated that she has also instructed legal counsel in London to pursue legal action against Meta Platforms, Inc., regarding the publication and amplification of the defamatory content on its platforms. The letter was written without prejudice to all of Bensouda’s rights and remedies.

The cease and desist letter to Alagi Mamadi Kurang, dated May 16, 2025, outlines Bensouda’s extensive professional background, emphasizing her standing in the Gambian legal community and her involvement in various national and international bodies.

It details her role as a senior legal practitioner with 44 years of experience, a senior lecturer at the Gambia Law School, and her involvement in numerous high-profile organizations.

The letter asserts that Kurang’s alleged defamatory statements have tarnished her reputation and subjected her to public scrutiny.

The core of Bensouda’s complaint lies in a series of statements and publications made by Kurang, primarily on social media and in media interviews, dating back to 2018. Bensouda claims that Kurang has repeatedly made false and damaging allegations.

These include allegations that Bensouda was involved in the improper sale or acquisition of assets seized by the Commission, but also claims of conflicts of interest and “shady dealings” on her part.

The other allegations include insinuations that Amie Bensouda acted with bias or impropriety during the Commission’s proceedings and also accusations that she derived or sought to derive personal benefit from her role.

Bensouda’s legal team argues that Kurang, as a former Secretary to the Janneh Commission, was well aware that Bensouda, as Counsel to the Commission, had no authority over the sale or valuation of assets. They contend that Kurang’s statements were malicious and intended to damage her reputation.

The letter also details specific instances where Kurang allegedly used veiled references and epithets to identify Bensouda, even when not mentioning her by name, in order to continue his campaign of defamation.