While testifying in court on Tuesday, Manjang said he was married with 8 children. During his time at the Gambia Armed Forces, Manjang told the court that he held various ranks up to the time of becoming a Lieutenant Colonel.
Sanna Manjang testified that he was posted to Kanilai as a Corporal and was later promoted through the ranks.
He told the High Court in Banjul that he underwent Commander Training alongside more than 30 soldiers at the Police Training School in Yundum. According to him, he performed outstandingly and was retained by instructors to train the next batch.
“The Commander training was very deadly, especially during the tail end of the training,” he said.
Manjang said he was briefly posted at State House before being transferred to Kanilai as a patrol officer. He told the court that the late Kalipha Bajinka was his immediate commander and that he reported directly to him.
Manjang said the late Bajinka assigned him vehicles for patrols along the Gambia-Senegal border.
“During that time the Casamance and Gambia border was under threat. Soldiers were fighting nearly every day. And my responsibility as Patrol Commander was to make sure Gambians around those areas go about their day-to-day activities without fear,” Manjang told the court.
He added: “There is no one in the Gambia National Army who knows that borderline more than me. Sometimes I even engage the rebels so that our citizens’ lives around those areas will not be jeopardized.”
Manjang recounted being tasked by Major Bora Colley to rescue seven Gambian soldiers who he said were arrested on Gambian soil by rebels in Casamance.
On arrival at where the Gambians were being held, Manjang said the rebels fled and he and his men gave chase.
While pursuing them, he said one of the rebels fired at him from behind.
“I don’t always respond to 1, 2, or 3 shots because they are usually aimed at making us scared,” he said.
Manjang told the court that he and his men continued the pursuit until the rebels began firing rapidly, at which point he returned fire.
“I did this until the seven men were rescued. The fight took about 45 minutes,” he said.
According to Manjang, only one of the seven rescued soldiers was injured, he sustained a wound to the mouth.
Manjang said the soldiers were taken to Kalaji with their belongings and later gave statements to police.
“I believe those statements will still be with the Kalaji Police,” he told the court.
He further testified that every month, 90 to 100 soldiers were moved from Banjul to Kanilai under the directive of the then Commander of State House, former CDS Ousman Badjie.
From that pool, he said, he would select personnel for patrols, sometimes requesting the Banjul commander to assign specific men to him.
Manjang said he served as Patrol Commander from after his training until 22nd January 2017.
Counsel S.K. Jobe, representing Manjang, then applied for an adjournment, which the court granted.
The case was adjourned to 16th October 2026 for continuation.
