The police have reversed their decision to withdraw officers assigned as orderlies to magistrates, following backlash from the judiciary.
Last week, magistrates expressed anger and concern for their safety after the abrupt withdrawal of their security personnel without explanation. The situation disrupted court proceedings, as magistrates staged a sit-down strike in protest.
In response, the Chief Justice’s office held a meeting with the Inspector General of Police and officials from the Ministry of Justice to address the issue. The meeting resulted in an agreement to restore the orderlies to their posts and provide additional security to other magistrates.
Neneh Cham, president of the Gambia Bar Association, confirmed the resolution, stating, “We welcome the decision to reinstate the orderlies. This is what should have been done from the beginning. We thank the police and the Chief Justice’s office for their intervention.”
Court operations are expected to resume as normal following this resolution.
