By Mustapha Jallow
Former commander of the State Guards Battalion, Brigadier General Ansumana Tamba, has clocked 19 days in detention without seeing a judge, family sources told this medium.
Speaking to Sarjo Tamba, elder brother to Gen. Tamba in his native village of Kasa-Kunda on Tuesday, he said Tamba is still held without any reason established to his family members.
“It pains us to see our loved one put in one place without court appearance. He is our bread winner and the authorities should consider that Tamba has a wife and family to look after,” he told this medium
After his arrest upon arrival, Sarjo Tamba indicated that Gen. Tamba was escorted to his home by armed military police the following day Monday, 22nd January 2018, where a thorough search of the house was conducted.
“I don’t know what were they searching for and immediately the search was done, I shook hands with him then he was led into a military vehicle and taken to his place of detention in Yundum Barracks,” he said. He said the authorities have granted them access to their loved one but he is calling on them to release or take him to court if he has committed an offence. Asked what motivated his brother’s return, Sarjo indicated that he does not know anything about his brother’s home coming.
It could be recalled that Gens. Mendy and Tamba fled with former President Jammeh to Equatorial Guinea after the impasse, and were arrested at their respective homes on Sunday 21st January 2018, at 12 noon. Mendy, Tamba and a former waiter to the ex-President, landed at the Banjul International Airport and passed undetected by the Intelligence and Immigration officers.
