By: Dawda Baldeh
Justice Ebrima Jaiteh of the High Court in Banjul has issued a judgment ordering Alieu Bangura to pay $50,000 to Cruise Ship Crew Gambia Limited.
Alieu Bangura had acted as a guarantor for Saja Bangura, who was recruited by Cruise Ship to work on their vessel.
However, Saja Bangura deserted the ship, and the court found that Alieu Bangura had no defense in the case.
Despite being served with the plaintiff’s writ of summons and other documents, Alieu Bangura failed to file a notice of intention to defend the suit.
As a result, the court entered a judgment in favor of Cruise Ship Gambia Limited and ordered Alieu Bangura to pay the specified amount as a guarantor for Saja Bangura.
Reacting to the court verdict, Musa Drammeh, the Director of Operations at Cruise Ship Crew Gambia, said the judgment is timely and will pay dividends in preventing people from absconding.
“Saja’s actions by absconding have led to many visa rejections and ruined the opportunity for hundreds of young people who have been in the ship. New hires and those in the shops are not allowed to go out due to one person illegally entering the Americas,” he explained.
Drammeh added, “We are happy that the court has ruled in our favor, and now Saja (Alieu’s Guarantor) will have to pay the money or make sure Saja Bangura is back, or he should be jailed.”
He described Saja’s absconding as a selfish decision that has negatively affected hundreds of others whose visas have been rejected, and their appointments canceled, among other things.
Thus, he said, is significant damage to the agency and the Gambians at large.
Furthermore, the agency warned people whose main objective is to use the opportunity to travel to Europe or anywhere around the world without wanting to work on the ships to desist from doing so.
In his conclusion, Mr. Drammeh warned that the agency will not relent in making sure absconders are brought to justice and encouraged their crew members onboard to work hard and make a better living.
