Heavyweight businessman Abubakary Jawara has announced he has instructed his attorneys to commence legal action against ‘key’ individuals most responsible for defaming him.
Jawara remained mute in the last years as scores of Gambians went about accusing him of all kinds of things including importing guns into the country illegally. Just recently, false claims were made against him that he is a friend of Banta Keita who is wanted by police over nearly three tons of cocaine seized at the port. And at the start of this week, people circulated a photo of Jawara with President Barrow with claims a third man in the photo is Banta Keita. It later emerged the man was the businessman’s uncle.
In a statement he personally signed and shared with The Fatu Network, Jawara said he does not know Banta Keita, has never met him and ‘at no point have I been associated with him’.
“For a number of years now, I have been the subject of social media fabrications aimed at damaging my reputation. I have for so long remained silent and taken the high road but this has to end at some point,” the businessman said in his statement.
He said elsewhere: “All individuals bent on spreading falsehoods against my person are hereby warned to cease and desist from these ill-intentioned acts. Henceforth I shall not hesitate to utilise all resources at my disposal to ensure that my rights are protected under the law and that the said individuals who create, post and share unfounded information about me are made to answer before our law courts.
“Thankfully our laws protect against defamation and individuals found wanting by the courts are liable to pay very considerable financial compensation and punitive damages to the victims of their false statements. I have today, Wednesday the 27th January 2021 instructed my solicitors to commence legal action against certain key individuals most responsible for the propagation of these unfounded statements.”
