Cherno Amadou Sowe has formally assumed duties as Auditor General today (16 September), a day after security forces forcibly removed incumbent Modou Ceesay from the National Audit Office.
The takeover followed chaotic scenes on Monday, when riot police clashed with protesters and fired tear gas at supporters of Ceesay, who had rejected a ministerial appointment and insisted on remaining in office.
Although calm has since returned, senior management has urged staff to continue working.
But the manner of Ceesay’s ouster has sparked outrage among civil society and legal experts, who warn it violates the constitutionally protected independence of the Auditor General.
The Gambia Bar Association described the removal as “deeply troubling” and inconsistent with both the 1997 Constitution and the National Audit Office Act, while rights group Gambia Participates called it “unlawful interference” that undermines public trust in oversight institutions.
Ceesay has vowed to challenge his removal in court, setting the stage for a legal and political showdown over the future of the audit office.
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