The Banjul High Court presided over by Justice Abi yesterday struck out the appeal filed by four members of the Gambia armed forces, convicted by the court martial for their involvement in the 30th December attack on State House.
The four appellants are Lieutenant Colonel Sarjo Jarju, Captain Amadou Sowe, Buba Sanneh and Private Modou Njie, who appealed against their conviction and sentence by the court martial.
The appellants were taken to court accompanied by a strong force of security personnel.
When the case was called, it was struck out for lack of jurisdiction by the high court to hear the appeal based on section 130 subsection 2 of the constitution and section 128 (1) (a) of the Gambia Armed Forces Act.
The accused persons were not represented by lawyers.
It would be recalled that the four appellants together with two other convicts faced up to 14 charges, ranging from treason to security offences.
The five-member court martial comprising a president and four other members, who were senior officers from GAF, sat from 5 February to 30 March 2015 at the Officers` Training Centre, Fajara Barracks.
Justice Emmanuel A. Amadi, a High Court judge, was appointed as judge advocate, while the prosecution was led by the Director of Public Prosecutions S.H. Barkun assisted by two state counsel.
All the accused were represented by defence lawyers sent by the National Agency for Legal Aid, who were assisted by three senior officers from GAF.
Lieutenant Colonel Sarjo Jarju was discharged on one count but sentenced to 10-year imprisonment on one count, 20-year imprisonment on one count, life imprisonment on 3 counts and to death on one count.
Captain Amadou Sowe was sentenced to life imprisonment on two counts.
Lieutenant Buba Sanneh was sentenced to 10-year imprisonment on one count, 20-year imprisonment on one count, life imprisonment on 4 counts and to death on one count.
Private Njie Modou received a life imprisonment on one count and death on two counts.
The sentences run concurrently.
