Alleged Plan to Ambush CDS Masanneh Kinteh Linked to the Detention of 6 Soldiers

The six soldiers who have been in detention at the Fajara Barracks since last month are linked to alleged plans to ambush Lt. General Masanneh Kinteh, the Chief of Defence Staff.

The unidentified soldiers were arrested in the second half of June at different locations. A reliable source close to the investigation told The Chronicle that at least one of the detained soldiers admitted to investigators that there was a plan to ambush CDS Kinteh, arguing that the plan was not to harm him but to ‘arrest him and take him to the Fajara Barracks for talks with disgruntled soldiers’.

Our sources say soldiers at Fajara Barracks were disgruntled over alleged poor working conditions and feelings of neglect.

The army spokesman Major Lamin Sanyang confirmed the continuous detention of the six soldiers at Fajara Barracks.

“They were arrested for conduct and discipline issues, and several other things. Investigations are ongoing and when they are concluded we will let you know,” he told The Chronicle.

He did not give any further details.

Major Sanyang also confirmed that three other soldiers were on the run.

In May, seven soldiers were sentenced to nine years in jail by a Court Martial at Yundum Barracks for various crimes including treason and mutiny. They were initially arrested with four other soldiers in 2017 for alleged Whatsapp-recorded meetings about overthrowing the government of Adama Barrow.

According to their initial particulars of offence, the officers have conspired to unlawfully overthrow the government of The Gambia by arresting all ministers, battalion commanders and senior members of The Gambia Armed Forces, as well as forcefully take armoury from guards.