State Files Four New Charges in Former Jungler Sanna Manjang’s Alleged Murder Trial

Written by: Mama A. Touray

State prosecutors today filed four additional charges in the ongoing alleged murder trial of former Jungler Sanna Manjang at the Banjul High Court in The Gambia.

Manjang, a former member of the paramilitary group known as the Junglers, a unit widely accused of carrying out killings and other abuses during the rule of former president Yahya Jammeh, is already standing trial on two counts of murder linked to alleged crimes from that period. He was arrested in 2025 after years on the run following the fall of Jammeh’s government.

According to the original charges, prosecutors allege that Sanna Manjang caused the death of Kajali Jammeh, also known as “Le Cock”, in 2006 in Kanilai, West Coast Region. The State alleges that the accused, with malice aforethought, unlawfully killed Kajali Jammeh by cutting his neck with a knife.

He is also accused of unlawfully causing the death of Samba Wurry by stabbing him in the chest with a knife.

Manjang denied both charges when he first appeared before Justice Sidiki K. Jobarteh of the Banjul High Court.

Following his plea of not guilty, the State called two police investigative officers who testified about their investigation into the alleged killings. The officers told the court they travelled to Kanilai with a man identified as Essa Keita, whom investigators believe witnessed the alleged murders of Kajali Jammeh and Samba Wurry.

The officers also testified about the taking of Manjang’s cautionary and voluntary statement at Mile Two Central Prison.

While the State was expected to call its third witness today, prosecutors instead filed four new charges against the accused.

Under the new indictment, Manjang is charged with two counts of conspiracy to commit a misdemeanour and two counts of assault causing actual bodily harm.

According to the particulars of offence, the accused allegedly conspired with others in March 2006 at the premises of the National Intelligence Agency, NIA, and other locations in Banjul to cause bodily harm to Tamsir Jasseh and Yaya M.S. Darboe.

The prosecution further alleges that Manjang unlawfully assaulted Tamsir Jasseh at the NIA premises by beating and kicking him, causing serious injuries.

In a separate count, the accused is also alleged to have assaulted Yaya M.S. Darboe in Banjul in 2006. Court documents state that he allegedly beat the victim with sticks, poured molten plastic on his body, tied him in a sack, and winched him up, causing serious injuries and bleeding to his face, body and legs.

The alleged incidents form part of a wider set of accusations relating to abuses that occurred during the Jammeh era, when members of the Junglers were accused by victims and witnesses of carrying out arrests, torture and killings.

Sheriff K. Jobe, counsel for the accused, applied for an adjournment to allow the defence time to study the newly filed charges.

Justice Sidiki K. Jobarteh granted the application and adjourned the matter to Friday March 13th for plea taking on the new charges.