No PUBLIC confirmation from Gambia Gov so far

Justice Joseph Wowo has been appointed as the new Chief Justice (CJ) of The Gambia, according to reports by the pro-government newspaper, the Daily Observer.

On Monday, June 24, the paper said Wowo’s appointment as CJ takes immediate effect.

So far, there has been no official confirmation of the Nigerian judge’s appointment by the Gambia Government. However, the paper reported that Justice Wowo expressed gratitude to the people and government of The Gambia over his appointment.

A former President of the Court of Appeal, Wowo was arrested on Jan. 17, 2013, subsequently dismissed from his position and charged with “giving false information” to a public officer. He pleaded “not guilty”.

Wowo, who served briefly as Gambia’s acting CJ was accused by prosecutors of writing a letter to the National Intelligence Agency, NIA, on Dec., 3, 2012, informing them that Mrs. Amie Bensouda, a private lawyer, conducted herself in a manner that was undermining the administration of The Gambia Judiciary, by asking for data on pending cases related to land.

At the time, the police said Wowo knew this information was false. He was later compelled by authorities to leave The Gambia in March. He returned to the West African country in May.

Justice Wowo has served the Jammeh Government as Senior State Counsel, High Court Judge, President of the Court of Appeal, and acting CJ between 2007 and 2013.