Gambia Charges Eight Soldiers Over Foiled Coup

The Gambia government has charged eight soldiers over a foiled coup last month.

“The Gambia government this afternoon charged eight soldiers of the Gambia Armed Forces with two counts of Treason and Felony Conspiracy to Commit Treason,” the statement said.

One of the soldiers was still at large, while the rest were remanded in custody, it added.

Report says they pleaded not guilty to the first charge and did not enter a plea on the second charge, a government spokesman told Reuters.

Two civilians and a police officer were also charged earlier this week with concealment of treason and conspiracy to commit a felony.

Meanwhile, the latest coup attempt was condemned by leaders of the West and Central Africa region amid wider concerns about the region’s stability.

However, there has been no information on who was behind it or whether it was linked to the previous regime.

West Africa has witnessed six successful military coups since 2020, marking a backslide of democracy in a region that had been seen to be making progress in shedding its ‘coup belt moniker.

Chad’s government on Thursday said its security forces had foiled an attempt by a group of army officers to destabilise the country, which is already under transitional rule.

REUTERS/Christopher Ojilere