Gambia News : Former Gambian military chiefs charged with treason

Jun 19,2010 00:00 by lamin

The Director of Public Prosecutions at the State Law Office in Banjul, on Friday morning proffered four counts of treason against the former Chief of Defence Staff and former Navy Commander of the Gambia Armed Forces.

Prosecutor Richard Chenge told the High Court in Banjul that the former Army Chief of Staff, Lieutenant General Lang Tombong Tamba and Rear Admiral Sarjo Fofana on diverse dates between January 2006 to 21st March 2006 at Banjul and other places in The Gambia conspired with a former Chief of Defence Staff, Colonel Ndure Cham and others at large to overthrow the democratically elected government of President Yahya Jammeh.

According to the indictment that was read out to the accused persons in court on Friday, the duo and others at large intended to overthrow the government of President Jammeh in 2006 and concealed the information by failing to report their intentions to a magistrate or a police officer.

Sarjo Fofana and Lang Tombong Tamba, who is also currently standing trial alongside other security personnel and civilians on treason charges for his role in an alleged coup plot in 2009, on Friday pleaded not guilty to the allegations levelled against them by the state.

Lang Tombong Tamba was represented in court on Friday by Lawyer Sherrif Marie Tambedou, while his co-accused is yet to get a counsel.

Tamba and other members of the Gambia Armed Forces under his command in 2006 quelled a coup attempt masterminded by a former Chief of Defence Staff Colonel Ndure Cham who is currently at large.

Tamba was relieved of his duty as the Chief of Defence Staff of the Gambia Armed Forces in October 2009 and subsequently arrested and charged with treason alongside others.

The court is yet to deliver judgment on that matter which is also before the High Court in Banjul.