A soldier arrested on drug charges has been sacked, Gambiana can reveal.

Army spokesman Major Lamin K Sanyang confirmed the sacking. He said the soldier, who is awaiting trial, was dismissed from the army. 

Nuha Conteh, a soldier serving with the State Guard, was arrested last month after he opened fire on police at Kalagi Police Station following a drug bust.

Drug Law Enforcement Agency Gambia (DLEAG) spokesman Ousman Saidybah said during a routine stop and search at the Kalagi Check Point they discovered the illegal drugs hidden in a paint bucket.

Mr Saidybah said the bucket was seized and the passenger, who identified himself as a soldier, was arrested. 

He added that as he was being escorted to the officer in command the suspect took out a pistol “fired a shot into the air to pave a way for his escape.”

He was reportedly arrested a few days after the incident.