Gambiaj.com – (BANJUL, The Gambia) – The Office of the Mayor of Banjul has issued a cease-and-desist notice to nominated Councilor Fallou Gallas Ceesay Jr., accusing him of defamation and threatening legal action if he fails to retract and apologize for allegations made against the city’s leadership. Councilor Ceesay took to Facebook, striking a defiant tone and appearing unfazed by the legal threat.
In a letter dated 5th February 2026 and signed by Counsel Abdoulie Fatty of A TTY & Co., the Mayor’s legal representatives allege that Councilor Ceesay embarked on a “deliberate, intentional, and sustained campaign of smear” aimed at damaging the reputation of Lord Mayor Rohey Malick Lowe and the leadership of the Banjul City Council (BCC).
The letter, issued pursuant to Rule 3(1) of the High Court Civil Procedure (Alternative Dispute Resolution) Rules, 2022, serves as a pre-action notice seeking an amicable settlement before court proceedings are initiated.
Allegations of Defamation
According to the Mayor’s lawyers, Ceesay made “false allegations” of corruption, financial impropriety, mismanagement, collusion, and favoritism in relation to foreign trips and council projects.
Particular reference was made to remarks he made as a panelist on the Sunu Reww current affairs programme on Eye Africa TV, where he reportedly accused the BCC leadership of financial impropriety, mismanagement, and marginalising councilors.
The legal team further alleged that Ceesay admitted during the programme to authoring a letter to the United States Embassy in Banjul raising concerns about the REFELA/BCC Cleaning Partnership and the Urban Youth Led Cleaning System Project.
Describing the statements as “grossly false, misleading, and vindictive,” the Mayor’s office argued that they have caused serious reputational harm both domestically and internationally.
Mayor Lowe currently serves as President of the Network of Locally Elected Women of Africa (REFELA), a position her lawyers say heightens the potential international ramifications of the allegations.
Demands and Threat of Court Action
The notice demands that Ceesay immediately retract his statements and issue a public apology for the alleged reputational damage. It gives him 14 days to comply, failing which the Mayor’s office says it will file a defamation suit at the High Court.
In the event of litigation, the Mayor intends to seek a declaration that the statements were defamatory and D5 million in damages for reputational harm at both personal and professional levels, as well as legal and administrative costs. The letter also signals the possibility of pursuing punitive damages.
The notice was copied to the Minister of Local Government and Lands, the Permanent Secretary at the ministry, the CEO of BCC and the Office of the Mayor.
Ceesay Responds on Social Media
In response, Councilor Ceesay took to Facebook, striking a defiant tone and appearing unfazed by the legal threat.
He recounted that a letter from the BCC had been delivered to his residence, adding that he initially assumed it concerned the scheduling of a general council meeting, which he claimed had been “intentionally delayed for 3 months.”
Instead, he said he was informed it was a notice of legal action. “I just took a slow sip of Café Touba, turned over, and went back to bed,” he wrote.
Ceesay defended his involvement in the Urban Youth Led Cleaning System Project, asserting that he pre-financed D36,000 at the project’s inception for reflectors and personally covered over D450,000 in monthly salaries when cheques were delayed to ensure services were effectively delivered.
“I got accused of mismanaging funds from a project I prefinanced… And now, in the middle of the game, I am expected to stay quiet???” he wrote.
For many, the dispute underscores growing tensions within the Banjul City Council, particularly around the implementation and oversight of development projects and council governance.
Should the matter proceed to court, it could test the balance between political expression by elected officials and the legal thresholds for defamation under Gambian law, while further exposing internal fractures within the capital’s municipal leadership.
