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Slok Air in £22, 275 Suit

Sep 11, 2008, 6:23 AM | Article By: By Modou Sanyang

Slok Air International is engulfed in another suit at the Kanifing Magistrates' Court before Magistrate Abdoulie Mbackeh.

The plaintiff Gambia Tourism Authority (GTA) is claiming from the defendant Slok Air International the sum of  GBP 22,275 (twenty-two thousand two hundred and seventy-five pounds) being arrears of development levy collected by Slok Air International for the period of September, October, November 2007 and February 2008. The interest penalty on the sum is calculated at the bank rate of 2% per month from October 2007 till the date of payment and costs.

According to the particulars of the claim, the plaintiff is at all material times a statutory authority established under The Gambia Tourism Authority act 2001 and responsible for the promotion and development of all aspects of the tourism industry in The Gambia. It added that the defendant is a Company incorporated in The Gambia whose principal office is situated at the FIBBuilding,

55 Kairaba Avenue
, The Gambia. The claim continued that the plaintiff is mandated by the government of The Gambia to collect a development levy of ( 5 pounds sterling) from all airline operators for each in-bound passenger into The Gambia.

The claim further revealed that the defendant had collected the said levy on behalf of the plaintiff for the period of September, October, November 2007, February and March 2008 and has failed to remit the funds collected to the plaintiff. Its states further that the defendant is under a legal obligation to remit the development levies already collected on behalf of the plaintiff and has failed to do so. It concluded that after several demands by the plaintiff, the defendant has neglected or refused to settle this sum.

When the case was called, the plaintiff counsel, Salieu Taal, applied for the court to enter judgement in their favour since neither of the defendants' counsels were present. But the presiding Magistrate Mbackeh told the plaintiff to give the defendant the benefit of the doubt.

The case was since adjourned to 24 September 2008.