By: Isatou Sarr &Cecilia E.L. Mendy
Former Jungler Sanna Manjang Thursday pleaded “not guilty” to two counts of murder at the High Court in Banjul.
It will be recalled that Manjang is charged with the killing of Kajali Jammeh, also known as “Le Cock,” and Samba Wurry in 2006.
He appeared before Justice Sidi K. Jobarteh, where the matter was initially slated for plea taking. Manjang is accused of murdering Kajali Jammeh by allegedly cutting his neck with a knife, and Samba Wurry by allegedly stabbing him in the chest, both incidents said to have occurred in Kanilai, West Coast Region.
The prosecution team comprised of Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions E.R. Dougan, alongside P. Gomez, F. Drammeh, M. Jammeh, and A. Badjie. The defence was led by Counsel S.K. Jobe, assisted by F. Jammeh.
At the commencement of proceedings, defence counsel raised a preliminary objection challenging the competence of the charges. Counsel Jobe argued that the information filed on 12 January 2026 was grounded on the Criminal Code, Cap 10, which he contended had been repealed by Section 344 of the Criminal Offences Act, 2025.
He submitted that a repealed law ceased to exist and cannot form the basis of a criminal charge, citing Nigerian judicial authorities to support his argument that a non-existent statute cannot be relied upon by the courts. According to the defence, the reliance on the repealed Criminal Code deprived the court of jurisdiction and rendered the entire information null and void.
The prosecution opposed the objection, arguing that the alleged offences were committed in 2006, long before the enactment of the Criminal Offences Act, 2025. State Counsel Dougan submitted that the law applicable at the time of the alleged offence was the Criminal Code, and that the new Act could not operate retrospectively.
In his ruling, Justice Jobarteh dismissed the defence’s preliminary objection, holding that although the Criminal Code had been repealed, the savings provisions under Section 2(1)(c) of the Criminal Offences Act, 2025 preserved liabilities and trials for acts committed before its commencement.
He ruled that criminal liability attached at the time an offence was committed, and that prosecutions for offences allegedly committed before the new Act remain governed by the repealed law. Consequently, the court held that the charges were competent and proceeded to take the plea of the accused.
Following the ruling, defence counsel sought time to consult with his client, noting that the bill of indictment had been served only the previous day. Although the prosecution did not object to an adjournment, the court declined, stating that the matter was scheduled solely for plea taking. A brief stand-down was granted for consultation.
Upon the reading of the charges, Sanna Manjang pleaded not guilty to both counts of murder, contrary to Section 187 of the Criminal Code, Cap 10, Volume III, Laws of The Gambia 2009.
State Counsel subsequently applied for an adjournment to enable the prosecution to call its first witness. The case was adjourned to 9 February 2026.
