By Fatou Bojang
In a legal dispute at the Bundung court, Aminata Sanneh, a Gambian woman, has initiated a lawsuit against two defendants, Ebrima Sanyang and Ousman Cham, seeking financial compensation for the damage and mismanagement of her Ford Transit Van. Your Worship Fatty presides over the case.
The plaintiff is pursuing a total of £4,500, equivalent to 315,000 Gambian Dalasi, to cover the costs associated with the damage to the vehicle caused by the defendants. Alternatively, she demands the van be restored to its original condition within fourteen days.
Aminata purchased the van from the United Kingdom, investing considerable time and resources to ensure it was roadworthy for commercial use. However, complications arose before reaching the Brusubi turntable when the van developed a minor issue that resulted in its breakdown.
After receiving advice from defendant Ebrima Sanyang, who claimed to know mechanics capable of fixing the vehicle, the plaintiff’s driver accepted Sanyang’s suggestion to tow the van to a workshop. Following an alleged repair, the van began emitting smoke just a short distance from the starting point.
The situation deteriorated when Ebrima Sanyang informed the plaintiff that the van required a new engine. The defendants reportedly convinced her to pay D50,000 for this engine but purchased a different one without her consent, leading to further complications. Sanyang allegedly sold the original engine without the plaintiff’s or her cousin’s permission, placing her in a complicated legal and financial predicament.
The plaintiff claims she has exhausted all avenues for resolution and wishes to recover not only the cost of the van but also an additional D50,000 for the engine, along with D9,600 for fuel and spare parts. She additionally seeks D50,000 for damages and D65,000 to cover legal and administrative fees.
The defendants attempted to repair the purchased engine but were unsuccessful. They subsequently took the van to a vehicle electrician in Farato, who rebuilt the engine and test-drove it over three days. However, since April 2023, the vehicle has remained unrepaired and abandoned in Farato. The plaintiff has been forced to pursue legal action to reclaim her van and the replaced engine, but she has yet to succeed.
This case has been adjourned until January 16, 2025.
