Senegal: Sanna Manjang Recounts Rescuing 7 Soldiers From Casamance Rebels

What the report says

AllAfrica, carrying a report by The Point of Banjul dated 30 July 2026, reported that former Gambian lieutenant colonel Sanna Manjang has begun his defence at the High Court in Banjul after prosecutors withdrew four murder counts and replaced them with a charge of assault causing actual bodily harm. Manjang is described in the report as an alleged key member of the “Junglers,” a unit linked to abuses during the rule of former President Yahya Jammeh.

In testimony on Tuesday, Manjang outlined his military career, saying he rose through the Gambia Armed Forces to the rank of lieutenant colonel and was posted at different times to Kanilai and State House. He told the court he had taken commander training at the Police Training School in Yundum and later served as a patrol commander along the Gambia-Senegal border, an area he said was affected by insecurity connected to the Casamance conflict.

Manjang recounted an episode in which, he said, Major Bora Colley directed him to rescue seven Gambian soldiers who had been detained by Casamance rebels on Gambian territory. According to his testimony, he and his men pursued the rebels, exchanged fire after coming under heavy shooting, and recovered the soldiers after a confrontation lasting about 45 minutes. He said one rescued soldier had a mouth injury and that statements were later given to police in Kalaji.

The Point reported that Manjang also testified about monthly deployments of 90 to 100 soldiers from Banjul to Kanilai under the directive of then State House commander and former chief of defence staff Ousman Badjie. The court granted an adjournment requested by defence counsel S.K. Jobe, with proceedings scheduled to continue on 16 October 2026.