The Civil Lawsuit filed by Gunjur against Golden Lead Import And Export Company through a consortium of Environmentalists, Gunjur youths in The Gambia and in the diaspora, will be heard at the High Court in Banjul on Monday, 31st July 2017, to be presided over by Justice Amina Saho Ceesay at 9.30am.
The Golden Lead Company is being jointly sued by Environmental Concern Group (Gunjur), Gunjur Environmental Protection And Development Group (GEPADG), and Gunjur Village Development Committee (VDC), according to court documents seen by this medium.
They are being financed and supported by Gunjur Development Forum (GDF), a Gunjur diaspora outfit in the fight against the environmental degradation as a result of the operations of the Fishmeal company.
The civil suit is believed to be in the region of D15 million for damages, according to court documents filed in the lawsuit.
It could be recalled that Golden Lead Company was first taken to Brikama Magistrates Court charged with four counts of pollution and environmental damage by the Gambia's environmental watchdog, the National Environment Agency (NEA). To the chagrin of many, a government spokeswoman, Amie Bojang-Sissoho read on national TV that the state was going to settle the case out of court.
However, the task force set up by Gunjur Development Forum, and local environmental groups were not consulted in the "out of court" settlement.
WHAT WE KNOW SO FAR - that the government has compelled the National Environment Agency (NEA) to withdraw its case against the Golden Lead company - that a new civil lawsuit was registered at the High Court on 19th July 2017 on behalf of Gunjur by Lamin Mbakau Jammeh, Chairman of Gunjur Environmental Concerned Group (ECGG) - that the case was referred to the Chief Justice to assign it to a court for hearing - that "perpetual injunctions" were added to to the lawsuit to force Golden Lead to stop operations without delay as they are operating illegally without an operational licence for 7 months, among other things - that Gunjur will be represented by lawyers Ebrima Jaiteh, Lamin J Dabo and Lamin K. Mboge - that Golden Lead Company's Counsel is believed to be lawyer Salieu Taal - that Gunjur Environmental Concerned Group has bag loads of evidence against Golden Lead Company dating back to 2015 when the factory was first built - that a Gunjur Development Forum task force has written to all major stakeholders, foreign missions and human rights organisations in the country to register their concerns about the environmental pollution and damage being caused to the people of Gunjur as a result of the operations of the Golden Lead Factory This is a developing story and @Gunjur - The Voice of Dabanani will bring you more on the story when the case has been mentioned at the High Court in Banjul.
Photo: Golden Lead Company