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Gambia court-martial charges 6 for coup attempt

Xinhua, February 11, 2015 Adjust font size:

The Gambia government on Tuesday charged five senior military officers and a private soldier of the Gambia Armed Forces with treason for allegedly involved in a foiled military coup attempt in Gambia on Dec. 20.

Five of the officers were charged for treason to overthrow an elected government, while the other one was charged for cowardice act after leaving his guard post during the attack at the state house.

The six charged, Lt Colonel Saikou Jarju, captain Bojang, Captain Abdoulie Jobe, Lieutenant Sanneh, Lieutenant Sowe and Private soldier Momodou Njie appear on Wednesday with their lawyers for the proceeding.

The trial set for last week could not proceed for lack of representatives of the accused.

They were fully escorted with heavily armed military personnel to Fajara Barracks at Bakau.

The plotters were led by the former head of the presidential guard Lamin Sanneh, including two former U.S. soldiers, in a failed attempt to oust President Yahya Jammeh in December.

Two of the attackers are retired U.S. Army Captain Njaga Jagne and Papa Faal, a former U.S. Army sergeant, both are U.S. citizens. Endi