Gambia: High court sentences soldier to 12 years in prison after failed coup
A high court pronouncement in the Gambia has sentenced a soldier to 12 years in prison on Tuesday for orchestrating a failed coup against President Adama Barrow’s administration last year.
In January, eight soldiers were accused of treason and conspiracy for their roles in a Dec. 21, 2022 coup attempt in the West African country of 2.5 million people.
Seven of the accused were acquitted and freed mid-trial, including two civilians and an officer.
Sanna Fadera, the soldier accused of being the ringleader, was found guilty of treason by the court on Tuesday. Three other accused troops were found not guilty on all counts.
Fadera has denied all charges. He has 30 days to appeal the ruling.
The Gambia is one of the most stable countries in West Africa which is popular with holidaymakers because of its beaches and wildlife.
It has not recorded repeated military takeovers unlike other neighbours.
President Adama Barrow came to power after he defeated long-serving President Yahya Jammeh in a shocking election victory in December 2016.
Jammeh was forced into exile in Equatorial Guinea, though he remains an influential figure in The Gambia.
