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Gen Lang Tombong, 9 top security officers charged with treason
Yankuba Jambang, Editor & Publisher, Senegambianews.com
Published 03/18/2010
- 8:16 p.m. GMT
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Credit - Daily Observer
Gen. Lang Tombong Tamba, Ex-Chief of Staff, Gambia Armed Forces charged with treason.
The government of president Yahya Jammeh has officially charged the country's former Chief of Defense Staff, Lt. Gen. Lang Tombong Tamba and nine others with treasonable offenses of plotting to overthrow the APRC government.
Gen Tamba and four other senior military officers now in custody following their arrest in October last year, are expected to appear in court on Friday, government sources say.
The Gambia government has a death penalty in force, and an attempt to overthrow the government is a treasonable offense, which could carry a death sentence or life imprisonment if convicted.
The Constitution says:
"(1) Any person who –
(a) by himself or herself or in concert with others, by any violent or other unlawful means, suspends or overthrows or abrogates this Constitution or any part of it, or attempts to do any such act, or
(b) aids and abets in any manner any person referred to in paragraph (a) commits the offense of treason and shall, on conviction, be liable to the penalty prescribed by an Act of the National Assembly for that offense".
According to the government owned newspaper, the Daily Observer, Brigadier General Ndure Cham, Brigadier General Omar Bun Mbye, Colonel Lamin Bo Badjie, Lieutenant Colonel Kawsu Camara (alias Bombardier), Modou Gaye, the former deputy Inspector General of Police, Gibrile Ngorr Secka, Abdoulie Joof (alias Lie Joof), Yousef Ezziden (alias Rambo) and Omar Camara conspired to overthrow the government of president Yahya Jammeh.
They are charged with the following offenses:
Count one: conspiracy to commit treason - which is contrary to Section 35 (l) (G) of the Criminal Code, Cap 10, Volume lll, Laws of The Gambia - 1990. The particulars of offense states that the former Chief of Defense Staff, Lt General Lang Tombong Tamba, Brigadier General Ndure Cham, Brigadier General Omar Bun Mbye, Colonel Lamin BO Badjie, Lt Colonel Kawsu Camara, ex-deputy Inspector General of Police Modou Gaye, Gibril Ngorr Secka, Abdoulie Joof, Yousef Ezziden (alias Rambo) Omar Camara and others, now at large, on diverse dates between 1st January and 19th December 2009 at Bijilo and other places, conspired to stage a coup d?'etat and overthrow the president, Sheikh Professor Alhaji Dr Yahya AJJ Jammeh and the democratically elected government of the Republic of The Gambia by force of arms.
Count two: Treason - contrary to Section 35 (l) (a) of the Criminal Code, Cap 10, Volume lll, Laws of The Gambia - 1990. The particulars of offense states that the group of ten and others, now at large, on diverse dates between 1st January and 19th December 2009, procured arms and ammunition, equipment and mercenaries from Guinea Conakry and other places, to stage a Coup d?'etat and overthrow the president and the democratically elected government of the Republic of The Gambia.
count three: Treason - contrary to Section 35 (l) (d) of the Criminal Code, Cap 10, Volume lll, Laws of The Gambia. The particulars of offense states that Lt General Lang Tombong Tamba, Brigadier General Ndure Cham, Brigadier General Omar Bun Mbye, Colonel Lamin BO Badjie, Lt Colonel Kawsu Camara, ex-deputy Inspector General of Police Modou Gaye, Gibril Ngorr Secka, Abdoulie Joof, Yousef Ezziden (alias Rambo) Omar Camara and others now at large on diverse dates between 1st January and 19th December 2009 procured arms and ammunition, equipment and mercenaries from Guinea Conakry and other places to stage a Coup d?'etat and overthrow the president, Sheikh Professor Dr Yahya AJJ Jammeh and the democratically elected government of the Republic of The Gambia.
The ten accused persons and others now at large on various dates between 1st January 2009 held meetings at the houses of Lang Tombong Tamba in The Gambia, where discussions were made and an agreement reached and detailed plans were laid for the overthrow of President Sheikh Professor Dr Yahya AJJ Jammeh and the government of The Gambia by force of arms. Abdoulie Joof (alias Lie Joof) and Yousef Ezziden (alias Rambo) were assigned the role of financing the coup plot.
Former chief of Defense Staff, Lang Tombong Tamba and Bo Badjie were among other things, assigned the role of purchasing the equipment such as vehicles, arms, ammunition, hire personnel and effect assault on The Gambia from Guinea Bissau so as to actualize the coup plot.
To actualized the coup plot, all the accused persons attended the meetings for that purpose at Lang Tombong Tamba's houses on various dates between 1st of January and 19th December 2009.
Lang Tombong Tamba and Bo Badjie invited one Rui Jabbi Gassama to The Gambia from Guinea Bissau and paid him staggering amounts of money to purchase for them arms and ammunition, as well as a ship to convey the arms to The Gambia for the purpose of the assault.
Rui Jabbi Gassama was also assigned to train dissident persons in Guinea Bissau for the accused persons to launch an assault on The Gambia. The Ship was priced by Rui Jabbi Gassama on the instruction of Lang Tombong Tamba and Bo Badjie and all the accused persons.
Lt Colonel Kawsu Camara was assigned the role of intriguing at the Kanilai Farms for the purpose of knowing when and if the president would be there so that he could be assaulted by the coup plotters. All the accused persons were engaged in a network of spying, gathering information, buying and reselling prohibited drugs for the purpose of actualizing the coup plot.
The accused persons also hired one Ebrima Marreh to spy out weak spots in the defenses of The Gambia especially in the military barracks for the purpose of actualizing the coup plot.
Amnesty International has called on Gambia government last week to charge or release the country's chiefs of police and navy who were also recently dismissed but continue to languish in jail without charges.
Gen Tamba and four other senior military officers now in custody following their arrest in October last year, are expected to appear in court on Friday, government sources say.
The Gambia government has a death penalty in force, and an attempt to overthrow the government is a treasonable offense, which could carry a death sentence or life imprisonment if convicted.
The Constitution says:
"(1) Any person who –
(a) by himself or herself or in concert with others, by any violent or other unlawful means, suspends or overthrows or abrogates this Constitution or any part of it, or attempts to do any such act, or
(b) aids and abets in any manner any person referred to in paragraph (a) commits the offense of treason and shall, on conviction, be liable to the penalty prescribed by an Act of the National Assembly for that offense".
According to the government owned newspaper, the Daily Observer, Brigadier General Ndure Cham, Brigadier General Omar Bun Mbye, Colonel Lamin Bo Badjie, Lieutenant Colonel Kawsu Camara (alias Bombardier), Modou Gaye, the former deputy Inspector General of Police, Gibrile Ngorr Secka, Abdoulie Joof (alias Lie Joof), Yousef Ezziden (alias Rambo) and Omar Camara conspired to overthrow the government of president Yahya Jammeh.
They are charged with the following offenses:
Count one: conspiracy to commit treason - which is contrary to Section 35 (l) (G) of the Criminal Code, Cap 10, Volume lll, Laws of The Gambia - 1990. The particulars of offense states that the former Chief of Defense Staff, Lt General Lang Tombong Tamba, Brigadier General Ndure Cham, Brigadier General Omar Bun Mbye, Colonel Lamin BO Badjie, Lt Colonel Kawsu Camara, ex-deputy Inspector General of Police Modou Gaye, Gibril Ngorr Secka, Abdoulie Joof, Yousef Ezziden (alias Rambo) Omar Camara and others, now at large, on diverse dates between 1st January and 19th December 2009 at Bijilo and other places, conspired to stage a coup d?'etat and overthrow the president, Sheikh Professor Alhaji Dr Yahya AJJ Jammeh and the democratically elected government of the Republic of The Gambia by force of arms.
Count two: Treason - contrary to Section 35 (l) (a) of the Criminal Code, Cap 10, Volume lll, Laws of The Gambia - 1990. The particulars of offense states that the group of ten and others, now at large, on diverse dates between 1st January and 19th December 2009, procured arms and ammunition, equipment and mercenaries from Guinea Conakry and other places, to stage a Coup d?'etat and overthrow the president and the democratically elected government of the Republic of The Gambia.
count three: Treason - contrary to Section 35 (l) (d) of the Criminal Code, Cap 10, Volume lll, Laws of The Gambia. The particulars of offense states that Lt General Lang Tombong Tamba, Brigadier General Ndure Cham, Brigadier General Omar Bun Mbye, Colonel Lamin BO Badjie, Lt Colonel Kawsu Camara, ex-deputy Inspector General of Police Modou Gaye, Gibril Ngorr Secka, Abdoulie Joof, Yousef Ezziden (alias Rambo) Omar Camara and others now at large on diverse dates between 1st January and 19th December 2009 procured arms and ammunition, equipment and mercenaries from Guinea Conakry and other places to stage a Coup d?'etat and overthrow the president, Sheikh Professor Dr Yahya AJJ Jammeh and the democratically elected government of the Republic of The Gambia.
The ten accused persons and others now at large on various dates between 1st January 2009 held meetings at the houses of Lang Tombong Tamba in The Gambia, where discussions were made and an agreement reached and detailed plans were laid for the overthrow of President Sheikh Professor Dr Yahya AJJ Jammeh and the government of The Gambia by force of arms. Abdoulie Joof (alias Lie Joof) and Yousef Ezziden (alias Rambo) were assigned the role of financing the coup plot.
Former chief of Defense Staff, Lang Tombong Tamba and Bo Badjie were among other things, assigned the role of purchasing the equipment such as vehicles, arms, ammunition, hire personnel and effect assault on The Gambia from Guinea Bissau so as to actualize the coup plot.
To actualized the coup plot, all the accused persons attended the meetings for that purpose at Lang Tombong Tamba's houses on various dates between 1st of January and 19th December 2009.
Lang Tombong Tamba and Bo Badjie invited one Rui Jabbi Gassama to The Gambia from Guinea Bissau and paid him staggering amounts of money to purchase for them arms and ammunition, as well as a ship to convey the arms to The Gambia for the purpose of the assault.
Rui Jabbi Gassama was also assigned to train dissident persons in Guinea Bissau for the accused persons to launch an assault on The Gambia. The Ship was priced by Rui Jabbi Gassama on the instruction of Lang Tombong Tamba and Bo Badjie and all the accused persons.
Lt Colonel Kawsu Camara was assigned the role of intriguing at the Kanilai Farms for the purpose of knowing when and if the president would be there so that he could be assaulted by the coup plotters. All the accused persons were engaged in a network of spying, gathering information, buying and reselling prohibited drugs for the purpose of actualizing the coup plot.
The accused persons also hired one Ebrima Marreh to spy out weak spots in the defenses of The Gambia especially in the military barracks for the purpose of actualizing the coup plot.
Amnesty International has called on Gambia government last week to charge or release the country's chiefs of police and navy who were also recently dismissed but continue to languish in jail without charges.
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