One of the wives and three children of former Gambia’s president, Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara, are suing one of his sons for their share of his wealth.
Jawara who ruled the Gambia from 1965 to 1994, passed away on 27th August 2019 in Banjul at the age of 95, living behind several properties and shares worth millions of Dalasis in local financial institutions.
Since the demise of the late president, there has been rumours of tension in the family over his assets and on Thursday, the Islamic court in Kanifing will hear a suit filed by Lady Chilel Jawara, Foday Sheriff Jawara, Ebrima Jawara and Ramatoulie Jawara against one of his sons, Dawda Kairaba Jawara.
According to Foroyaa newspaper quartet are seeking their part of the inheritance on the late president’s 3047,408 shares at the Standard Chartered Bank Gambia Limited, 433,333 shares at Trust Bank Gambia Limited, and shares at CFAO Gambia Limited.
They also seeking their inheritance on his money at Standard Chartered Bank Gambia Limited, Trust Bank Gambia Limited, Access Bank Gambia Limited, BSIC Bank Gambia Limited, Guaranty Trust Bank Gambia Limited, rents received from a property in Banjul, Brikama and the 2019 dividends from Standard Chartered Bank.
Lady Chilel Jawara, Foday Sheriff Jawara, Ebrima Jawara and Ramatoulie Jawara further are further seeking their share in a number of the late president’s properties and assets, which they said have not been distributed since he passed away. This include a property situated at Lasso Walf and Grant Street in Banjul, property situated at 40 Atlantic Boulevard, a property situated at Brikama in West Coast Region, 3,500 shares Leo Agro-Marketing Company Limited, cash held at Natwest Bank in the United Kingdom, cash received from properties in Brikama and Banjul, a Mitsubishi Native vehicle, Mercedes-Benz ML and a Mercedes-Benz E200.
Born Saikou Almami Jawara, the late president is survived by two wives, Lady Chilel Jawara and Lady N’jaimeh Jawara and several children including, Dawda Kairaba Jawara, Almami Jawara, Kawsu Immanuel Jawara, Momodou Musa Jawara, Fatoumata Jawara, Mariama Jawara, Dr N’jaimeh Asamoah-Owusu, Mustapha Jawara, Housainatou Jawara, Foday Sheriff Jawara, Ebrima Jawara, Chilel Jawara and Ramatoulie Jawara.
The Islamic courts in the Gambia have jurisdiction to apply the Sharia in matters of marriage, divorce, child custody and inheritance where the parties or other interested parties are Muslims. A panel consisting of the Cadi and two other scholars of the Sharia preside at hearings at first instance. Appeals against decisions of Cadi courts are made to the High Court.
