Rising on what she described as an urgent issue, Hon. Cham began by alerting the Speaker to the ongoing chaos in Brufut, saying paramilitary officers were clashing with residents following the release and subsequent re-arrest of an individual after a court ruling.
Her remarks immediately stirred unease across the chamber, with interruptions mounting before she could fully develop her argument.
Before she could proceed, nominated member Kebba Lang Fofana invoked Order 29(2), arguing that her submission risked breaching parliamentary rules by referencing a matter still before the courts. He warned that the state had already indicated plans to appeal the ruling and had filed an ex-parte motion, making the issue sub judice and therefore off-limits for debate.
What followed was a sharp exchange that exposed divisions within the chamber. Fofana drew a thin line between lawmakers there to inform and those there to inflame, a remark that some interpreted as a direct swipe at Cham’s intervention.
The Speaker, Seedy K. Njie, quickly moved to enforce order, pressing Cham repeatedly to clarify the exact case she was referring to.
Despite her insistence that she was addressing the situation on the ground rather than the court ruling itself, the pressure intensified. When she finally mentioned the release of Ousainou Bojang, the Speaker swiftly ruled against her, ordering her to take her seat and withdraw.
An attempt by Hon. Sulayman Saho to counter the ruling added another layer of controversy. He argued that the case was no longer active in court since the accused had been acquitted and discharged, and therefore should be open for parliamentary discussion.
His objection, however, was overruled, with the Speaker maintaining that the matter remained before the courts due to the state’s appeal.
Outside the procedural wrangling, Cham’s core message barely made it through the noise. She had warned that tear gas and disruptions in her constituency were forcing women and businesses to shut down, with injuries reported among residents.
She called for authorities to refrain from using force on civilians.
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