By Kebba AF Touray
Sergeant Adama Jagne of The Gambia Armed Forces on Tuesday, 20th October 2025, admitted before the National Assembly’s Special Select Committee that he cannibalized government vehicles parked at the Mechanical Services Agency (MSA) in Kotu.
Cannibalization of vehicles refers to the practice of removing parts from one vehicle to repair or maintain another, often leaving the stripped vehicle unusable.
He cited that the vehicles involved included one from the National Disaster Management Agency, one from the National Sports Council, a pickup, and a van.
Jagne made the admission during his reappearance before the Special Select Committee probing the disposal and sale of assets identified by the Janneh Commission as properties belonging to former President Yahya A.J.J. Jammeh.
He told the committee that the vehicles were parked at the MSA and were earmarked for auction.
Counsel Lamin M. Dibba asked him to explain how he knew the categories of vehicles on his first day at MSA when “you did not meet Nfamara Saidybah that first day.” Dibba also told him that Saidybah’s letter denied ever briefing him about the vehicles, stating that he only met Jagne one day in November and found out that he had already removed parts from most of the vehicles.
In response, Sgt. Jagne said, “I cannibalize, and I will never deny it. And even if I cannibalize, if you ask me, I will tell you why I cannibalized,” but denied Saidybah’s statement that he was not briefed about the vehicles at the MSA.
At the start of his testimony, Counsel Dibba asked Jagne about his relationship or any interactions with former President Yahya Jammeh and whether he had ever conducted errands for him. Jagne replied in the negative, stating that he had no relationship with the former President and had never conducted any errand for him.
Counsel Dibba then told him that according to records, one officer named Adama Jagne was a close confidant of the former President and was allegedly assigned to deposit money for him. Reacting to this, Sgt. Jagne said, “No, I am not that person.”
He explained that the Adama Jagne referred to was a senior officer at the time—“I think by then she was a captain, but actually, I don’t know what rank she carried. She was working directly with the army, called Adama Jagne 4670.”
When asked about his relationship with the MSA before the incident, Jagne said he had never worked there until some people he referred to as “Coalition people” attempted to access vehicles from the agency.
Dibba asked him what motivated him to act, given that he was not in charge of MSA at the time.
Jagne explained that he intervened because the people he confronted were civilians who were not working for the government but were attempting to take vehicles from the MSA. “As far as I know, I am a security personnel. That warranted me to go and stop them. It was a personal decision,” he said.
He added that he took up the responsibility after seeing one of the people, identified as Sanna, driving a vehicle allegedly taken from General Basseng. According to him, Sanna later brought the vehicle to the MSA for repairs, and when questioned about its ownership, Sana “just smiled.” Jagne said he then called one Saidybah, who instructed him to impound the vehicle.
He said the vehicle was later taken by former State Guard Commander Turo Jawneh, who “gave it to his wife, and she still uses the vehicle.”
