Serekunda residents plan to take legal action against the Sheriff Division of the Gambia High Court and Supersonicz Financial Limited regarding what they call an unlawful sale of Gaddafi Mosque property. The Sheriff Division sold part of the land around 2019 after a High Court decision about a D1.6 million lawsuit filed by Supersonicz Financial Limited against former employee Demba Marena. Community elders headed by Alieu Momar Njai state the property belongs to everyone in Serekunda, contrary to what the Sheriff Division and Supersonicz believed.
Buba Senghore serves as secretary for the Gaddafi Mosque Committee. He told The Standard newspaper that following a community gathering, elders have sought legal counsel to fight this matter in court. The group has also written directly to the Chief Justice asking for help. Their letter explains how the Sheriff Division sold community land connected to the Muammar Gaddafi Mosque, also known as the Libyan Grand Mosque, causing major problems for residents.
The letter describes how the property served many public needs over time. It previously hosted farm shows, provided space for holiday celebrations during Tobaski and Koriteh, offered temporary housing for people without homes, and eventually became home to both a mosque and school with support from Libya through the World Islamic Call Society. The community claims the Sheriff Division acted on wrong information from either Supersonicz or Marena about who actually controlled the property.
Community members strongly reject any claim that Marena held rights to the land. They state he has no ownership or legal authority over the property. His presence there, along with his late brother Oustas Ansumana Marena, came only from community kindness, which gave him no actual rights. They asked the Chief Justice to help check whether the sale was legal and allow them to challenge it through proper channels.
Chief Justice Hassan Jallow responded that the Sheriff only carries out court orders. He advised the Serekunda elders that if they disagreed with these actions, they should seek help through normal court procedures to direct the Sheriff differently. A senior official at Supersonicz named Njundu explained that Marena worked for their company and became involved in a D1.6 million fraud situation around 2009, which prompted management to sue him.
The court ruled Marena should return the money to Supersonicz. The official claimed they have no idea how the Sheriff Division concluded Marena had rights to the disputed land. He mentioned Marena lived there with an older brother who possibly served as either Imam or school Principal. The Supersonicz representative stated their company played no role in how the land was sold, as the Sheriff Division and court handled everything. After the sale, Supersonicz received repayment for the money owed to them.
Buba Senghore serves as secretary for the Gaddafi Mosque Committee. He told The Standard newspaper that following a community gathering, elders have sought legal counsel to fight this matter in court. The group has also written directly to the Chief Justice asking for help. Their letter explains how the Sheriff Division sold community land connected to the Muammar Gaddafi Mosque, also known as the Libyan Grand Mosque, causing major problems for residents.
The letter describes how the property served many public needs over time. It previously hosted farm shows, provided space for holiday celebrations during Tobaski and Koriteh, offered temporary housing for people without homes, and eventually became home to both a mosque and school with support from Libya through the World Islamic Call Society. The community claims the Sheriff Division acted on wrong information from either Supersonicz or Marena about who actually controlled the property.
Community members strongly reject any claim that Marena held rights to the land. They state he has no ownership or legal authority over the property. His presence there, along with his late brother Oustas Ansumana Marena, came only from community kindness, which gave him no actual rights. They asked the Chief Justice to help check whether the sale was legal and allow them to challenge it through proper channels.
Chief Justice Hassan Jallow responded that the Sheriff only carries out court orders. He advised the Serekunda elders that if they disagreed with these actions, they should seek help through normal court procedures to direct the Sheriff differently. A senior official at Supersonicz named Njundu explained that Marena worked for their company and became involved in a D1.6 million fraud situation around 2009, which prompted management to sue him.
The court ruled Marena should return the money to Supersonicz. The official claimed they have no idea how the Sheriff Division concluded Marena had rights to the disputed land. He mentioned Marena lived there with an older brother who possibly served as either Imam or school Principal. The Supersonicz representative stated their company played no role in how the land was sold, as the Sheriff Division and court handled everything. After the sale, Supersonicz received repayment for the money owed to them.
