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Gambia: Baba Keita Loses Lama Lama Case

Magistrate Pa Harry Jammeh of the Kanifing Magistrates' Court, yesterday May 2, delivered judgement on the legal battle involving Baba Keita, current Manager of Lama Lama Bar and Restaurant located in Bakau and Brian Peters, a Briton residing in The Gambia, over the ownership of the place.

Quickly delivering his ruling, Magistrate Jammeh said, following the submission of claims of ownership made by the plaintiff in court, both parties were called and asserted their stories. "The plaintiff Brian Peters called in Dr Borro Suso, the landlord of the Lama Lama Bar and Restaurant and Fatou Gaye amongst the witnesses who testified on the case. The court found evidence of Dr Borro Suso unshakable as the landlord of the place. Tenancy Agreement is between him and the plaintiff, Brian Peters, not the defendant, Baba Keita. The defendant had called in only Lawyer Ousainou Darboe, as his witness to the case," Magistrate Jammeh ruled.

He continued, "by going through the account of the whole argument, the court found out that, joint Tenancy Agreement is between Brian Peters and Mrs Susan Brown, his partner now out of the country," he further stated.

However, Baba Keita had vehemently denied the plaintiff's claims. Magistrate Jammeh then revealed that the court termed the arguments of Baba Keita as mere fake and lies, that he had no legal authority over Lama Lama Bar and Restaurant, but only using his Gambian citizenship to exploit the plaintiff, Brian Peters, who has the legal authority of the place.

Magistrate Jammeh, therefore, ordered for the immediate ejection of Baba Keita from Lama Lama Bar and Restaurant and the immediate seizure of the keys to the place and it should be handed over to the Sheriff Division of the High Court for onward transmission to the Brian Peters. He also ordered that all the properties in the place be retained in there, except the perishable goods to be given to Baba Keita.

Magistrate Jammeh further ordered for the immediate temporal closure of the Lama Lama Bar and Restaurant, pending the formal transfer of the place to Brian Peters in accordance with the laws of land.