The State, however, has strongly opposed the application, insisting that Manjang remained subject to military law throughout his prolonged absence.

Manjang is represented by Counsel SK Jobe, while the State is represented by Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) A.M. Yusuf.

The proceedings began with the introduction of the members of the General Court-Martial and the reading of the charge against Manjang. He was arraigned on one count of desertion, contrary to Section 53(1)(a) of the Gambia Armed Forces Act.

Asked whether he understood the charge, Manjang answered in the affirmative before pleading not guilty.

Following the plea, defence counsel immediately raised a preliminary objection challenging the jurisdiction and competence of the Court-Martial. Counsel Jobe argued that Manjang had quit the Gambia Armed Forces on 19 January 2017, returned military items in his possession and left the country amid the political crisis that followed the 2016 presidential election.

According to the defence, Manjang remained outside the country for approximately nine years and during that period had no relationship with the GAF. 

Counsel argued that the military did not pay him his salary or allowances and that this conduct, coupled with his prolonged absence, amounted to a termination of his military service.

The defense therefore submitted that Manjang had become a civilian and was no longer a person subject to service law when the alleged desertion occurred. 

Counsel maintained that a civilian cannot be subjected to a court-martial, urging the tribunal to dismiss or strike out the charge, convening order and other proceedings for want of jurisdiction.

The defence further relied on an affidavit sworn by Manjang, in which he stated that he left the Army because he feared arrest during the political and military uncertainty surrounding the departure of former President Yahya Jammeh. He maintained that he never deserted the Army but instead ended his military career.

The State has rejected that account.

In its affidavit in opposition, the GAF, through Major Saikou Kuyateh, Staff Officer 1 of GAF Records, argued that Manjang’s departure did not amount to a lawful discharge, retirement, dismissal or resignation.

The State maintains that Manjang left the country without leave or permission and remained absent from military service for approximately nine years. It disputes his claim that he returned military equipment before leaving.

Crucially, the State produced military records which it says demonstrate that Manjang continued to be regarded as a serving member of the GAF.

According to the opposition affidavit, a 7 February 2017 military signal classified Manjang as Absent Without Leave (AWOL), while a subsequent list dated 28 September 2021 identified him among officers declared to have deserted the Armed Forces.

The State argues that the non-payment of salary or allowances did not automatically terminate Manjang’s military service. Instead, it says the military’s records remained open and continued to classify him as AWOL and later as a deserter.

The prosecution also rejected the defence allegation that the proceedings were brought in bad faith to frustrate Manjang’s liberty, arguing that the Court-Martial case arises from distinct allegations governed by a different legal regime from his separate High Court proceedings.

The Court subsequently adjourned the matter till Monday, 12 October, for the defence to reply to the State’s opposition.

The consignments have been arriving progressively since April and are being received and handled through the Central Medical Store in Kotu for storage and onward distribution to health facilities. Seven containers have been received recently, with additional consignments still on the way.

According to officials, the procurement exercise has been ongoing since the beginning of the year and is aimed at bringing vital health services to the doorstep of every citizen.

Providing an overview of the supplies, Njundu Jatta, a clinical pharmacist at the National Pharmaceutical Services under the Ministry of Health, said deliveries are still arriving due to delays from suppliers.

“That’s why if you go to some facilities, you realize that they don’t have most of the items. But over a period of time, hopefully before the end of this year, we will have most of these items available at health facilities,” Jatta explained.

He added that the medicines have been arriving in batches.

“They’ve been delivered in bits and pieces, but we have received a lot of products,” he said, adding: “The monetary value is over US$700 million and shipments continue to arrive.”

Jatta said the Ministry has a structured distribution system in place to ensure nationwide coverage.

“If you look at the regions, we have seven health regions in the country and each has its own medical store. What we do is distribute to the regional medical stores, and when they receive their supplies, they distribute to health facilities within their region,” he said.

On ensuring that medicines reach intended beneficiaries, he said the Ministry uses the Essential Medicines List — a comprehensive list compiled by experts across different health disciplines.

“For example, for hypertension, diabetes, or any kind of infection, the list covers medicines needed to treat almost all conditions. So that when a patient goes to a facility and is diagnosed, that medicine should be available,” he said.

While distribution is normally done quarterly, Jatta stressed that the Ministry is not waiting for the quarterly cycle.

“When we receive supplies, we push them to facilities immediately. We will not wait for three months. Whatever is available, we want to make sure every health facility has it,” he said. “Our objective is to ensure that at any point in time, when you get to any facility, you have access to the drugs.”

He added that while most supplies traditionally come from India, the Ministry has recently diversified its sources to include suppliers from the European Union.

“So, the shipment currently at the airport is from Europe, the UK and neighbouring countries,” he said.

The project seeks to strengthen the capacity and coordination of civil society organisations in supporting an inclusive, transparent and well-observed electoral process.

Key activities will include the deployment of long-term and short-term election observers across the country and the operationalisation of an Election Situation Room to systematically monitor, analyse, coordinate and report on developments throughout the electoral process.

This partnership represents an important milestone in strengthening the role of civil society in promoting electoral integrity, citizen participation and public confidence in The Gambia’s democratic processes.

“We sincerely thank the British High Commission for its trust, partnership and support to the CSO Coalition on Elections and TANGO,” a statement from Tango applauded the collaboration. “We deeply value this commitment to working with Gambian civil society at such an important moment in the country’s democratic journey and history.

Following the hearing, the Secretary General of the Senegalese Football Federation (FSF), Abdoulaye Seydou Sow, spoke briefly to the press.

According to reports from RMC Sport, he confirmed that Senegal's lawyers had presented their observations and had been heard by the arbitration panel.

"Our lawyers presented our arguments, presented all our observations, and were heard by the arbitration panel," the Senegalese official stated, as quoted by RMC Sport.

Abdoulaye Seydou Sow declined to disclose the content of the proceedings, citing the confidentiality of the deliberations. "I cannot say what actually happened because it is a confidential matter," he said, adding: “But I can assure you that Senegal defended itself well.”

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) is expected to issue its decision in the coming days or weeks.

According to the French media outlet, no statement was made by Morocco following the hearing.

She ordered that the name of Mariama Jallow shall be retained on the register of voters in the relevant constituency. She further ordered that the appropriate entry shall be made in the voters’ list in accordance with section 28 (6) of the Elections Act, 2025.

In her judgement, she stated that the objector principally challenged the eligibility of the objectee on the grounds that she is not a citizen of The Gambia.  She added that the objection was read and interpreted to the parties in a language understood by them. The objectee denied the allegation and maintained that she is a Gambian citizen. She said that in support of her objection, the objector testified as PW1 and called one additional witness, Baba Sonko (PW2). The objectee testified in her defence as DW1.

The objector testified that she resides at Bakoteh and has lived there for 26 years. She is a businesswoman and has been politically active. She told the court that she has served as a polling agent at Bakoteh and at Bakoteh Borehole since 2011. Her evidence was that she knows many persons at Bakoteh Borehole because she belongs to a ‘Kafo’, an association established in 2016 whose members participate in social activities and assist in cooking during ceremonies.

The objector stated that the objectee was registered at Bakoteh Borehole. She objected to the registration because she believed that the objectee was not Gambian. She adduced that she was present when the objectee came to register and saw her present birth certificate, following which the IEC issued her with a voter’s card.  When she raised her concerns, IEC officials informed her that if she was dissatisfied with the registration, she could pursue an objection before the court. She questioned the birth certificate because, in her view, it was an old birth certificate and not the newly recognized form of birth certificate.

Under cross-examination, she made several significant concessions, accepting that she was not born at Bakoteh but at Dippakunda. She admitted that the objection was based upon suspicion.

At this juncture, the presiding magistrate summarised the evidence of the objector’s witness, who accepted that he could not determine whether the birth certificate was legally valid or authentic.

Mariama Jallow, the objectee, in her evidence, stated that she is a Gambian citizen and that both her parents are Gambian. She told the court that she was born at London Corner on 22 August 2000. According to her, her father was born at Basse, Angal Futa, while her mother was from Karantaba. She said that her parents were selling at London Corner at the time of her birth, which explained why she was born there. She added that her mother possesses a Gambian Identity Card. She further testified that at the time of registration, she was residing with her husband at Bakoteh.  “I attended the registration centre and produced my birth certificate. I presented it to the IEC officials and encountered no difficulty. They did not reject the document and issued me with a voter’s card,” she told the court.

At this juncture, the counsel for the objector, under cross-examination, tried to discredit and contradict her but she was not shaken. She stood her ground.

The presiding magistrate, having gone through the pieces of evidence, some laws and authorities, declared: “I have carefully considered the evidence of both PW1 and PW2. The difficulty confronting the objector is that neither witness gave direct evidence establishing that the objectee is a foreign national. The objector did not testify that she knew the objectee to be a citizen of another country. On the contrary, she expressly acknowledged that her objection was based on suspicion. She relied principally on the fact that she had not previously seen the objectee vote or register, her assessment of the age and form of the birth certificate presented by the objectee, and her general knowledge of persons living at Bakoteh Borehole.”

She further said there is no legal requirement that a Gambian citizen must previously have voted before becoming entitled to register. Similarly, she added, the fact that the objector did not know the objectee personally or had not previously seen her in the area could not establish foreign nationality. “The objector herself accepted that Bakoteh had expanded and that there were persons residing there whom she did not know. She further accepted that she could not determine whether such persons were Gambian or non-Gambian,” she adduced.

The disarming of the troops took place some few days ago in the capital.

According to sources, former president Embalo intended to return home in Bissau on 4 October 2026 to upcoming presidential elections. Due to security reasons, the army stated, Embalo would not be allowed to come back.

Guinea Bissau Independent Electoral Commission has announced the postponement of the presidential elections scheduled for December 6 till further notice, stating: "Conditions are not met."

Meanwhile, on 6 October, the transitional president of Guinea Bissau, General Horta Intaa, appointed General Suca Ntchama as Minister of Interior in replacement of Mamasaliu Embalo, a cousin to former president Umaro Sissoco Embalo.

The launch, held at the Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara International Conference Centre, was held under the themes: “Building a Survivor-Led Movement to End FGM in The Gambia” and “Strengthening Collective Action to Eliminate Female Genital Mutilation in The Gambia.”

Funded by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the initiative brings together FGM survivors, regional representatives, civil society organisations, government institutions and development partners to strengthen coordinated action against the practice across the country.

The regional chapters are designed to recognise survivors not merely as beneficiaries of support, but as critical voices, leaders and agents of change in the campaign to end FGM.

Speaking at the event, Fatou Sillah, a participant from the Upper River Region, said women continue to face several challenges, including forced marriage, early marriage and rape, alongside FGM.

She said the Survivor Network would give women the confidence and support needed to speak about challenges affecting them and work collectively to address them.

“We will never be scared because we have people who are showing us what we should do, and we should do it,” she said.

Ms Sillah described the project as important in empowering women and commended WILL Executive Director Fatou Baldeh for her advocacy on issues affecting women and girls.

She urged women participating in the network to serve as teachers and guides to one another, while encouraging them to openly discuss their challenges and support each other.

She also stressed that reports published by the media about women’s experiences are not fabricated, but reflect the realities many women face in their communities.

Fallou Sowe, National Coordinator of the Network Against Gender-Based Violence, described the initiative as crucial, urging survivors to return to their communities and take a firm stand against FGM.

He said survivors and women could play an important role in challenging social pressure and confronting those who continue to promote the practice in the name of tradition.

“The Network Against Gender-Based Violence is always here to support women in the fight against all forms of violence,” he said.

Delivering the keynote address, Joy Michael, Programme Specialist at UNFPA, said sustainable change must be driven by communities themselves.

She stressed the importance of documenting survivors’ experiences, identifying barriers, tracking referrals and using evidence from communities to inform national policies and interventions.

Ms Michael also called for stronger enforcement of laws and national commitments against FGM, saying legislation alone was insufficient without quality services, community-level interventions and efforts to challenge harmful beliefs.

She urged stakeholders, including government, civil society, development partners and the media, to ensure that survivor dignity, confidentiality and informed consent remain central to their work.

“Survivor centrality is central to our mandate,” she said, adding that sustainability would depend on survivor leadership, safeguarding standards, effective referral pathways and continued investment in the regional chapters.

For her part, WILL Executive Director Fatou Baldeh said the organisation’s objective was to build a national movement of survivor advocates capable of sustaining the fight against FGM beyond individual projects.

She said the initiative would establish community-based support systems and safe spaces for women and girls, while strengthening early-warning mechanisms and ensuring that survivor voices shape interventions.

Ms Baldeh said the chapters deliberately bring together survivors from different generations, including older women, adolescent girls and younger women, to ensure that women and girls have people within their communities whom they can comfortably approach.

She explained that communities themselves helped identify women leaders, grandmothers and influential young women to form the chapters.

According to her, the regional chapters currently bring together survivors from the West Coast, Lower River, Central River and North Bank regions, with the aim of building a nationwide survivor-led movement.

“We want communities themselves to drive this change,” she said, stressing that the structures should continue working throughout the year, rather than only when organisations implement specific projects.

This disclosure was made by Robert Staiger, Chief Economist of the World Trade Organization (WTO), at a press conference held on Thursday 8 October 2026, at the WTO headquarters, Geneva, Switzerland.  Conversation focused on the WTO Trade Outlook.

Mr Staiger disclosed that trade in AI-enabling goods including semiconductors - electronic components and machinery - used in advanced chip production grew by an astonishing 67 per cent in value terms during the first half of 2026, accounting for 47 per cent of the increase in global merchandise trade, even though these products represent less than 15 per cent of total merchandise trade.

The WTO Chief Economist revealed that the analysis also shows that global trade has been supported by shifts in production and supply chains, with countries outside the Middle East helping to offset declines in the region’s exports of crude oil, liquefied natural gas and fertilizers.

Meanwhile, he said, Asia has emerged as the dominant contributor to merchandise trade growth, while Europe is expected to lead growth in global services exports.

Highlighting further on the latest Trade Outlook and Statistics, Johanna Hill, WTO Deputy Director General announced that in the face of a major geopolitical shock, supply chains adapted and strong investment in artificial intelligence provided a powerful boost, saying this has led to updated WTO trade forecasts.

She said that when the previous trade outlook was issued last March, the world economy faced two powerful but opposing forces highlighting the conflict in the Middle East, which was expected to weigh on trade growth by disrupting shipments of energy products and fertilizers through the Strait of Hormuz. This would, in turn, lead to higher prices and weaker global GDP growth, she estimated.

At the same time, she said investments in AI and digital infrastructure were expected to provide a boost to merchandise trade by lifting demand for AI‑enabling goods, including electronic components and production inputs, but it was still unclear how the situation would unfold and affect trade.

On the first half in value terms

With the updated outlook reflecting on trade performance in the first half of the year, she said, the US dollar value of world merchandise trade was up 15% year-on-year in the first half of 2026 and, by comparison, trade grew by 7% in 2025 as a whole.

“And although they are strongly influenced by prices and exchange rates, trade statistics in value terms provide a more detailed picture of developments across products and across sectors. They show that growth in the first half of 2026 was led by electronic components, with trade in those products rising by 51% year-to-date, compared with 15% growth in 2025 as a whole,” she explained.

She advanced that least-developed countries also recorded particularly strong export growth, both in volume and value terms, with exports increasing by 25% year-on-year in value terms, driven in large part by a higher demand and prices for commodities, as buyers turned to alternative sources of supply.