Lang Tombong Tamba, former Chief of Defence Staff of the Gambia Armed Forces and nine others are expected to appear today at the High Court in Banjul, charged with three counts of treason.
The nine other accused persons are Brigadier General Ndure Cham, Brigadier General Omar Bun Mbye, Colonel Lamin B.O. Badgie, Lt. Colonel Kawsu Camara (alias Bombardier), Modou Gaye former Deputy Inspector General of Police, Gibril Ngorr Secka, Abdoulie Joof (alias Lie Joof), Yousef Ezaziden (alias Rambo) and Omar Camara.
The particulars of the offence on count one state that:
Lt. General Lang Tombong Tamba, Brigadier General Ndure Cham, Brigadier General Omar Bun Mbye, Colonel Lamin Bo Badjie, Lt Colonel Kawsu Camara, 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 within the jurisdiction of this honourable court conspired to stage a coup d? etat and overthrow the President and democratically-elected government of the Republic of The Gambia by force of arms.
Count two, in the particulars of the offence reads:
Lt General Lang Tombong Tamba, Brigadier General Ndure Cham, Brigadier General Omar Bun Mbye, Colonel Lamin Bo Badjie, LT Colonel Kawsu Camara, Modou Gaye, 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 and democratically-elected government of the Republic of The Gambia.
Count three of the particulars of the offence further states that: Lt. General Lang Tombong Tamba, Brigadier General Ndure Cham, Brigadier General Omar Bun Mbye, Colonel Lamin Bo Badjie, Lt. Colonel Kawsu Camara , Modou Gaye, 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 and democratically-elected government of the Republic of The Gambia.
The accused persons also face two counts of overt acts.
Count one of the overt acts states that: Lt. General Lang Tombong Tamba, Brigadier General Ndure Cham, Brigadier General Omar Bun Mbye, Colonel Lamin Bo Badjie, Lt. Colonel Kawsu Camara, Modou Gaye, Gibril Ngorr Secka, Abdoulie Joof, Yousef Ezziden (alias Rambo) Omar Camara and others on various dates between 1st January and December 2009 held meetings at the house of Lang Tombong Tamba in The Gambia where discussions were made and agreement reached and detailed plans laid for the overthrow of the President and the government of The Gambia by force of arms. Abdoulie Joof and Yousef Ezziden (alais Rambo) were assigned the role of financing the coup plot. Lang Tombong Tamba and Bo Badjie were, amongst other things, assigned the role of purchasing the equipment such as vehicles, arms, ammunition, hire personal and effect an assault on The Gambia from Guinea Bissau so as to actualise the coup plot.
Count two of the overt acts states that: "To actualise the coup plot all the accused persons attended the meetings for that purpose at Lang Tombong Tamba's house on various dates between 1st January and 19th December 2009.
"Lang Tombong Tamba and Bo Badjie invited Rui Jabbi Gassama to The Gambia from Guinea Bissau and paid him staggering amounts of money to purchase for them arms and ammunition.
"Also to purchase a ship to convey the arms to The Gambia for the purpose of the assault. He was also 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 actualising the coup plot.
The accused persons also hired one Ebrima Marreh to spy out weak spots in the defences of The Gambia, especially in military barracks for the purpose of actualising the coup plot."