By: Fatou Krubally
A parliamentary committee on Wednesday ordered the arrest of a military sergeant who was testifying before it and was found wanting of “contempt.”
The Special Select Committee investigating the disposal of assets linked to former President Yahya Jammeh yesterday ordered the arrest of Sergeant Adama Jagne for contempt of the National Assembly, marking a dramatic escalation in the ongoing probe.
The order came during Jagne’s fourth appearance before the committee, where lawmakers accused him of repeatedly withholding crucial information and tampering with witnesses scheduled to testify. The committee’s frustration was palpable as they cited his pattern of dishonesty across multiple sessions.
“Every single time you appear before this committee, you are not honest,” the committee told Jagne during heated exchanges. “You don’t want to tell the committee everything you know, and you’ve been trying to hide information from this committee.”
The committee discovered that Jagne had been selling tractors identified by the Janneh Commission as assets associated with the former president, information he failed to disclose despite having “ample time” to do so. More damaging was evidence that he had been coaching other witnesses, advising them on what to say during their testimonies.
During questioning, Jagne admitted to speaking with at least two other summoned witnesses, telling them to “just tell the truth” and not hide anything. However, the committee viewed this as witness tampering, particularly given his own track record of concealment.
The arrest order was issued pursuant to sections 109 and 110 of the 1997 Constitution, along with the National Assembly Powers and Privileges Act and standing orders 102 and 140. The Sergeant-at-Arms was directed to take Jagne into custody and deliver him to the Gambian Armed Forces military police.
The committee also notified the Ministers of Interior and Justice, directing them to take all necessary legal steps to prosecute Jagne for contempt. All law enforcement and public officers have been ordered to cooperate fully, with warnings that failure to comply would itself constitute contempt of the National Assembly.
This arrest represents the committee’s strongest action yet in its investigation into the disposal of assets recovered by the Janneh Commission. The probe continues to uncover the complex web of transactions involving properties and assets linked to Jammeh’s 22-year rule, with the committee clearly determined to get to the truth despite witness resistance.
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By: Fatou Krubally A parliamentary committee on Wednesday ordered the arrest of a military sergeant who was testifying before it…
The post Parliamentary Committee Orders Arrest of Military Sergeant For “Contempt” appeared first on .