On Monday, August 25, 2025, the Kanifing Magistrates’ Court was in disarray when Principal Magistrate Thomas Touray ordered 23 young people accused of controlling procession in violation of Public Order Act section 5(5) to be placed on detention.
On Friday, August 22, 2025, the remanded youngsters were taken into custody during a nonviolent demonstration outside the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) headquarters on Kairaba Avenue, which is next to the American Embassy.
They participated in a protest against PURA’s decision to set a D50 floor price for 1GB of mobile data, following a pricing war between telecom operators that had driven prices below that threshold. The new rule, according to protesters, significantly increased the cost of data, burdening consumers—especially low-income earners, teachers, students, health professionals, farmers, and small companies.
Due to the protest’s lack of a permission, police deemed it illegal and originally detained 19 protesters. By Monday, however, 23 people had been arraigned in the Magistrates’ Court.
The demonstrators insisted that since they were only expressing their constitutional right to peaceful assembly and weren’t in a procession or using loudspeakers, no permit was needed.
Hundreds of people gathered outside the courthouse on Monday to await the verdict as the accused were taken in. When Magistrate Touray declared that all 23 would be placed on remand at Mile 2 Central Prison, tensions erupted.
“Take us all to Mile 2 or unconditionally release them.” As they staged a sit-in at the court gates, some supporters yelled, “We will not allow you to remand them.”
Others were dejected and frustrated. “The court shouldn’t remand them because they haven’t done anything wrong. One demonstrator remarked, “We should all be treated equally because we are Gambians.” As family members witnessed the removal of their loved ones, tears fell down their cheeks.
Bring them to Mile 2, where God will decide who gets to judge us. Another fan bemoaned, “We made a simple demand and it ends up like this.”
Ali Cham, a rapper and activist better known by his stage name Killer Ace, was one of those remanded. He boldly declared: “I knew this is the only way you want to suppress us, but we will never surrender.” I’m going to keep fighting corruption. There must be an end to nepotism.
After demonstrators threw stones into the court grounds in retaliation for police using tear gas on the crowd, the situation became out of control. The scene swiftly descended into chaos and violence. Red Cross workers were observed transporting unconscious people to safety after many people suffocated from the tear gas.
Journalist Amadou Jawo of The Point Newspaper said that in a related event, highly armed members of the Police Intervention Unit (PIU) had taken 14 young people, including four women, into custody outside of Mile Two Central Prison. In protest of the incarceration of 23 young people who were remanded earlier today, the group was marching in the direction of Banjul.
The protesters, led by well-known environmentalist Kemo Fatty, were stopped at the prison gates by PIU personnel, who claimed that they were obstructing their route due to official directives. Fatty urged the authorities to permit the protest, arguing that it was lawful and peaceful.
A chief inspector confronted Fatty in spite of his plea and ordered the group’s immediate arrest.
The court will decide the accused’s bail application on Thursday, September 4, 2025, when the case was postponed. All 23 are still being held at Mile 2 Prison in the interim.
