It has been exactly 309 days since Dr Abubacarr Jeng, the National Security Adviser of the Gambia informed the Gambians that the December 2022 alleged foiled coup was sponsored.
Since making this ‘Big’ claim, he has not provided any information regarding the allegation he made. Even the state prosecution or the court could not provide answers to the public as to who sponsored the coup during the trial.
The Gambia Government announced on 20th December 2022 that they had foiled an attempted coup. On 29 December 2022, the Government held a press conference presided over by the National Security Adviser.
The trial concluded on Tuesday, 31 October 2023 and the State only succeeded in convicting one person. All the persons allegedly involved in the alleged plot were freed. At the end of the trial, no evidence of any sponsorship of the purported coup has been provided.
Dr Jeng on Thursday, 29 December 2022 said the Gambia Government is investigating the alleged civilian involvement in the alleged foiled coup. Dr Jeng stated that it had been established that the alleged coup plotters made contacts and had clandestine meetings in some places identified within the country, as they were planning the unearthed coup plot.
Jeng said reports are pointing to the suspected involvement of sponsors for the coup plot from civilian collaborators both within and outside the country.
“The investigations are seriously looking into this angle,” he said.
After the press conference, Dr Jeng promised to provide the Gambians with feedback on the investigation. However, the matter was taken to Court a few days later without updating the Gambians as a means of fulfilling the promise made.
During the entire proceedings of the case at the high court in Banjul, there has never been mention of any sponsorship of the coup.
The State (prosecution) had called all the witnesses they intended to call in the case. Additionally, some of the alleged accomplices were used as State witnesses. All these were made in their attempt to secure the conviction of the accused persons.
Interestingly, one of the accused persons (Corporal Omar Njie) was acquitted and discharged by the court during the trial. Corporal Njie made a ‘no case to answer’ submission and succeeded because the prosecution did not establish a case against him. The rest of the accused persons were Lance Corporal Sanna Fadera, Sergeant Gibril Darboe, Corporal Ebrima Sannoh, Corporal Omar Njie, and Sub-Inspector Fabakary Jawara – the only policeman in this trial. They remained in the trial and they all opened their defence.
At the end of the case, Justice Mahoney freed all of them except Sanna Fadera.
The question remains unanswered. Who sponsored the December 2022 alleged foiled coup?
Is it a case of misinformation or disinformation? Was there an intention to misinform the populace by the National Security Adviser? Could it be they do not have evidence to support this ‘Big’ claim? Could it be he was misinformed?
The trial has concluded, but Dr Jeng is not able to answer this question. Efforts to reach him all proved unsuccessful.
