On 9 July 2026, the Banjul Magistrates’ Court acquitted members of the civil society movement Gambians Against Looted Assets (GALA) who had been prosecuted on charges of unlawful assembly following a protest outside the National Audit Office (NAO) in September 2025. In a ruling delivered by Principal Magistrate Sallah Mbye, the court held that the prosecution had failed to establish that the gathering met the legal threshold for an unlawful assembly and ruled that the accused had no case to answer.
The case arose after GALA members organised a protest opposing the removal of the Auditor General, arguing that the decision undermined the independence of the National Audit Office and public accountability. The acquittal has been widely welcomed by civil society as an important affirmation of due process and judicial independence. The judgment also reinforces constitutional protections for peaceful assembly by demonstrating that criminal charges against protesters must be supported by sufficient evidence rather than assumptions arising from civic mobilisation. At the same time, the case highlights the continuing use of criminal proceedings against civic activists, even where prosecutions ultimately fail, illustrating how lengthy legal processes can themselves impose costs on civil society participation.