Gambiaj.com – (BANJUL, The Gambia) – The Hon. Chief Justice of The Gambia, His Lordship Hassan B. Jallow, sitting as a single judge at the Supreme Court, has ordered that the new Auditor General, Mr. Cherno Amadou Sowe, be joined as the third defendant in the ongoing lawsuit filed by former Auditor General Mr. Modou Ceesay against the State.
The order was made on Wednesday, October 12, 2025, during the continuation of the case’s preliminary hearing. Acting suo motu (on its own motion), the Supreme Court directed that Mr. Sowe be added as a party to the proceedings.
Chief Justice Jallow further ordered that all court processes be served on Mr. Sowe, who is at liberty to respond to the suit.
He also directed both the plaintiff, Mr. Modou Ceesay, and the defendants (the State) to consult and agree on the issues in dispute before the next hearing.
The parties were instructed to file summaries of evidence or affidavit statements by November 26, 2025, and to notify the Court of the agreed issues and facts by December 3, 2025, when the case is scheduled to proceed.
How It All Started
Mr. Modou Ceesay was forcefully removed from office on September 11, 2025, by members of the Gambia Police Force, a day after he publicly rejected a ministerial appointment announced by President Adama Barrow.
On September 10, State House announced a cabinet reshuffle in which Trade Minister Baboucar Ousmaila Joof was reassigned to the Ministry of Defence, while Mr. Ceesay was appointed as the new Minister of Trade, Industry, Regional Integration, and Employment.
Following the reshuffle, Cherno Amadou Sowe, then Director of Internal Audit, was named Auditor General, with Masireh K. Drammeh appointed Acting Director of Internal Audit.
The development sparked widespread public criticism, with many Gambians alleging that the appointment was politically motivated and aimed at shielding corruption exposed by the National Audit Office. Civil society organizations and commentators urged Mr. Ceesay to reject the ministerial post and continue in his constitutional role as Auditor General.
Mr. Ceesay later issued a public statement from his office, formally declining the appointment and reaffirming his commitment to uphold the Constitution and perform his duties independently. Shortly after, armed police officers entered the National Audit Office and removed him from his post.
In response, Mr. Ceesay filed a lawsuit at the Supreme Court challenging what he described as his “unlawful removal.” He is seeking several declarations, including that:
The actions of the Attorney General (1st Defendant) and Inspector General of Police (2nd Defendant) in ordering or permitting his forcible removal violated sections 158, 159, 160, and 169 of the 1997 Constitution;
Their actions contravened sections 3(2), 11, 13, 14, and 16 of the National Audit Office Act, 2015, and his removal from office was “unconstitutional, unlawful, and therefore null and void.”
