A soldier who led an unsuccessful coup attempt against President Adama Barrow’s government last year has been sentenced to 12 years in jail by the Gambia’s supreme court.
Tuesday saw the passing of the judgement. In January, eight soldiers were accused of treason and conspiracy for their part in the Dec. 21, 2022 coup attempt in this 2.5 million-person West African nation that is nearly completely encircled by Senegal.
In addition, charges of conspiracy to commit a felony and concealment of treason were brought against two civilians and one police officer.
Seven people were freed mid-trial after being found not guilty, including the two civilians and the cop.
The court decided on Tuesday that Sanna Fadera, the soldier who was suspected of being the ringleader, had committed treason. All allegations against three additional soldiers who were charged were dropped.
In the Gambia, which is still in shock from more than 20 years under former president Yahya Jammeh, coup attempts are not unusual.
Before Jammeh himself lost an election to Barrow in late 2016, he had taken control of the country in 1994 and thwarted multiple attempts to remove him. Fadera has refuted every accusation. He can challenge the decision within 30 days.
Since 2020, coups have increased in West Africa, with the military taking control of Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Guinea.
