June 4th 2020, Banjul—A group of eight Gambian soldiers convicted of mutiny through setting up a whatsapp group has heard its appeal case at the court of appeal in Banjul. The court commenced at 10:00am in the morning for about an hour behind closed doors.

No media, family members of the accused, or any other relatives were allowed into the court room. The only excuse given was that we are in covid-19 pandemic. The Gambian media was kept away from coverage.

The names of the appellants are Captain Yaya Jammeh, Lt Yaya Jammeh, Lt Abdoulie Jarju, Sgt. Babubacar Sanneh, Sgt. Malick Bojang, corpral Abba Badjie, Lance Corpral Mbemba Camara, Private Alieu Sanneh all convicted and sentenced for prior. The case was adopted and mention at the court of appeal.

The lead judge to this case is Awa Bah. The case is adjourned till the 16th of July 2020 at 10:00am. The soldiers, all said to be from Foni in The Gambia were nabbed and held for setting up a whatsapp group. The Barrow administration sees Foni as a David to its wellbeing.

Informers told forGambia, prior to this appeal hearing, that no single evidence of seditious utterance or action was ever produced by the prosecution against the eight men who have been lingering in jail shortly after Adama Barrow came to power in 2016.