Fatou Tamba’s brother praised the ECHO and its readers for giving his sister “a fighting chance” of staying in the country
Fatou Tamba has beaten another effort to deport her
A vulnerable Liverpool woman who has been detained by the Home Office for nearly four months and facing deportation has won a last minute reprieve and has been reunited with her family and friends.
The ECHO has reported extensively on the case of Fatou Tamba – a 55-year-old woman originally from The Gambia who has been living in the UK for the past 18 years – with eight of those in Liverpool. She was living near Smithdown Road when in April she went for a scheduled check in with the Home Office in Liverpool and was detained.
She has remained in detention centres ever since and has twice been moments away from being deported to her native country of The Gambia in West Africa, with public pressure and legal efforts thwarting these efforts at the last minute.
Ms Tamba first arrived in the UK from The Gambia as a visitor to her brother Lamin, who has British citizenship. But she did not feel she could return to the country as a change of ruling party had made life dangerous for her and her family.
Having remained in the UK, she had asylum applications rejected but was recently trying again to achieve the right to stay in the country, on the basis that she has built a family life here with her son, partner and community.
During her months-long detention, Ms Tamba’s existing health issues of depression, arthritis and diabetes have all worsened according to her family.
Ms Tamba – a popular community member in Liverpool who has a son and partner here – was facing another attempt by the Home Office to deport her on Tuesday June 17.
Fatou Tamba has beaten another effort to deport her
In a race against time, Jamie Bell, solicitor in Duncan Lewis Solicitors’ public law team, lodged an emergency application for a judicial review. The Upper Tribunal granted an urgent injunction blocking her removal, citing credible medical evidence that she was unfit to fly due to recent deterioration in her mental health.
In his decision, Judge Rastogi stated: “The balance of convenience favours the applicant… I am satisfied there is a real issue to be tried.”
The application was prepared under extreme pressure by Mr Bell, alongside solicitor Elleanor Wilkins-Bell, who coordinated key medical evidence and detailed submissions demonstrating the risks Ms Tamba faced if returned. Their efforts ensured the court had all relevant information just two hours before the flight was due to depart.
Mr Bell said: “Our client was in a highly vulnerable state after months in detention. The Home Office’s approach risked causing irreparable harm. We’re grateful the court acted decisively to prevent injustice—and we now look forward to presenting her case in full.”
Ms Tamba’s legal team raised urgent concerns over the lack of medical treatment and support awaiting her in The Gambia. They argue that her removal would breach fundamental rights under Articles 3 and 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights.
After the deportation was blocked, Ms Tamba was released from detention for the first time in nearly four months. Her brother Lamin said she was “relieved”.
He told the ECHO: “She is relieved big time, she has not had any decent food for months, so I wanted to take her for a meal but the only place that was open was KFC. She really enjoyed it.
“She was very happy to sleep in a comfortable bed as well and to not worry about being rushed to the airport in the early hours of the morning.”
But he warned: “We are not euphoric yet because we don’t know what happens next – but this is a very good start.”
Mr Tamba also had a word of thanks to the Liverpool ECHO and its readers for publicising his sister’s case and galvanising support. He added: “Without the ECHO newspaper and its readers, I think my sister would be in The Gambia now and our family would have been ripped apart.
“The ECHO and its readers were the first to publicise her case and to garner the level of support that made the Home Office take this seriously. You and your readers helped to give her a fighting chance.”