Comium, the newest cellular company in The Gambia, is reportedly locked in a legal battle with Pa Ebou Sanneh, husband of Mam Sai Njie, Acting Mayoress of Banjul. The lawsuit is said to be centred on a claim of D200,000.00 (Two hundred thousand dalasis) made by Comium against the defendant, Mr. Sanneh.

According to the particulars of the claim, on 28th October 2006, the defendant signed a rental agreement with the plaintiff for a term of 10 years, effectively allowing the plaintiff to build and install a 65-meter mast on a property located along Tesito Road in Banjul. The premises in question is said to be temporarily allocated to the defendant in 2002 as a workshop, and upon signing the agreement the plaintiff paid the defendant the sum of D200,000.00 as rent for two years.

Lawyer Amie Bensouda, the counsel for Comium, told the court that after the signing of the agreement the plaintiff was refused a building permit by the Department of Physical Planning by reason of the fact that the defendant did not have legal ownership of the property but was merely granted license by Banjul City Council for the purpose of operating a restaurant.

In addition to the principal, Comium is further claiming a 22 percent interest rate from 13th March 2007 until the date of judgement and 4 percent thereof, plus D10,000.00 as costs.

The case was mentioned on Monday, 24th September 2007 at the Banjul Magistrates’ Court before Magistrate BY Camara and was thereafter adjourned to Tuesday, 9th October for continuation.