Senior magistrate Sidi Jobarteh has been appointed to lead the inquest into the suspicious death of Gambian ambassador to the US, Dawda Fadera. 

The late Mr Fadera was on a visit to Banjul when he was taken ill. 

He passed away shortly at the Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital on Sunday. 

He was suspected to have been poisoned. Family and friends of the late ambassador had demanded an investigation into his suspicious death. 

The Attorney General office sent a letter on Monday (21 February) to the Chief Justice Office demanding an inquest into the ambassador’s death. 

The letter which was shared with Gambiana said: “Following circumstances which raise a reasonable suspicion with regard to the cause of death of the person, the honourable attorney general acting under section 11 of the Coroners Act CAP 7 Laws of The Gambia, would like to request yoour Lordship to order an inquest touching on the death of Dawda Fadera (deceased).”

The Chief Justice office responded swiftly to the request for inquest and appointed senior magistrate Sidi Jobarteh of the Banjul Magistrate Court to lead the investigation into the suspicious death of the ambassador. 

“As a magistrate of the First Class in the City of Banjul, His Lordship the Honourable Chief Justice has designated you as the Coroner to inquire in accordance with the Coroner’s Act Cap 7:1  Section 11 (1) a Laws of the The Gambia,” the Chief Justice said. 

The death has raised concerns about the safety of government officials.