Banjul Mayor Rohey Malick Lowe has taken her fight against adverse findings by the Commission of Inquiry into Local Government Councils to The Gambia’s Court of Appeal.

Mayor Lowe filed a Notice of Appeal on August 3 under Civil Appeal No. GCA/093/2026, asking the appellate court to overturn the findings and recommendations made against her by the commission.

The Attorney General is the respondent in the case.

Represented by lawyer Abdoulie Fatty of A Fatty & Co, Mayor Lowe is challenging the entirety of the adverse findings communicated to her on May 12.

Her appeal sets out five grounds, arguing that the commission misdirected itself in law and exceeded its jurisdiction.

According to the court filing, the commission allegedly held the mayor responsible for legal duties that are not assigned to the mayor’s office under the 1997 Constitution or other legislation.

The appeal further argues that the commission misinterpreted the Local Government Act 2002 by attributing administrative and financial responsibilities to the political mayor rather than the council’s Chief Executive Officer.

Mayor Lowe’s lawyers contend that the Chief Executive Officer is the designated accounting officer responsible for the council’s day-to-day operations.

The mayor has also raised a constitutional challenge, alleging that she was denied a fair hearing during the commission’s proceedings.

Her filing invokes Sections 24, 202 and 204 of the Constitution, claiming that the commission did not provide her with its report, witness statements, exhibits and other key evidence before making adverse findings against her.

The appeal also alleges that the commission failed to identify specific statutory breaches, disregarded evidence favourable to Mayor Lowe and reached conclusions that were not supported by the weight of evidence.

Mayor Lowe is asking the Court of Appeal to set aside all adverse findings and recommendations against her and declare them unconstitutional, unlawful, null and void.

The Commission of Inquiry was established by the government to investigate the financial and administrative operations of local councils across the country.

No date has yet been scheduled for the hearing of the appeal.