Alhagie Kanteh, the former spokesman of the AFPRC junta, launched a blistering attack on the leaders of the July 22nd coup during his testimony before the TRRC in Banjul on Monday.

Kanteh described former junta leader, Yahya Jammeh, as “fake, unpredictable and a man of bravado. He’s a liar. He lies a lot and he’s false. Jammeh wants people to like him.”

He said Jammeh had “disciplinary issues and a rebellious personality. He came from the gendermarie which was not on the same level as the army. His discipline was not up to the required standards and he had to undergo orientation and familiarisation. And yet still he was not taking orders from his commanders.”

He disclosed that Jammeh was not a part of the early coup plotters and only joined after the then 2nd Lt Edward Singhateh co-opted him.

Kanteh described Edward Singhateh as “soft-spoken, cunning and a sadist.”
“Edward just like to inflict pain on people. He enjoys it. He’s a sadist.”

He said Yankuba Touray was “a clown, a bootlicker and unsure of himself and would do everything to fit in.”

On his impression of Sana Sabally, the former spokesman said he was “immature and childish and very economical with the truth.”

Kanteh said the personality of Sadibou Hydara, the fifth leader of the coup, was vague. “He didn’t mingle much. He was a misfit and a loner. He seemed nice though.”

He gave a bleak account of the Jawara era and painted a picture of widespread corruption, nepotism and cronyism that affected the moral of the serving soldiers.

“The army was politicised. Nepotism and cronyism were widespread. Soldiers were promoted even when they were not deserving of such promotions. People passing through the backdoor.”

He said the ministry of Defence was staffed by officials without any military background or training.

“They have no idea how to run an army and soldiers working conditions were appalling. The food was terrible. We used to call it ‘water, water cheww (‘cheww’ is sauce in Wolof). Even the chef conceded that the food was terrible. Incentives were not good and soldiers were standing on roadsides hitching rides to and from work.”

Kanteh said there was breakdown in command and control in the army and frequent infighting in the ranks of the senior officers.

He said the turning point was when the Jawara government brought in a contingent of Nigerian forces to take control of the command of the Gambian army.

“They were treated better and paid well. They took over the army command structure. We felt humiliated and we wanted our army back. We were not happy. How could we be happy when you’ve foreigners telling us what to do?”

Kanteh said the seed of the July 22nd coup was sown during a military exercise in Kudang around April 1994. He said the Nigerian instructors at that exercise were “inept and mediocre. They did not deliver.” Kanteh, who was a graduate of the elite British Army Training College at Sandhurts, said he believed he was more qualified than his instructors.

He said he met with some junior soldiers under a tree in Kudang and the plot to overthrow the Jawara government was discussed.

“We agreed that we can’t get rid of the Nigerian soldiers without getting rid of the Jawara government itself. The idea of a coup started to float around.”

Kanteh told the commission that the first clandestine meeting was held at Yundum Barracks shortly after the Kudang impromptu meeting. He said the first meeting of the coup plotters was attended by 2nd Lt Edward Singhateh, 2nd Lt Basirou Barrow, 2nd Lt Alpha Kinteh, 2nd Lt Sadibou Hydara and himself (2nd Lt Alhagie Kanteh).

He said they all agreed on a coup but hit an obstacle on the type of coup they would be executing.

“There was my camp which advocated for a bloodless coup and that no one should be harmed or executed. The other was the Edward Singhateh camp that wanted a brutal Ghana-style coup. He wanted all ministers and senior officers to be executed by firing squad. There was a split. Basirou Barrow and Alpha Kinteh supportered my bloodless coup. Sana Sabally and Sadibou Hydara supported Edward Singhateh’s Ghana-style coup.”

Kanteh disclosed that Jammeh joined the coup plotters late after being briefed by his friend, Edward Singhateh. He said the coup information was leaked and the authorities knew but didn’t take any actions adding that there was no coup leader at the time.

” I can’t understand to this day why they didn’t take action to stop the coup.”

On the day of the coup

He said he was returning from his brother’s funeral in Jabba Kunda, Baddibu when he heard about the coup. He said when he got to Banjul he went to the Marine Headquarters where he found Edward Singhateh pleading with Major Antouman Saho and offering him a cabinet post to join the coup. He said Edward confirmed to him that the coup was bloodless

Kanteh said he proceeded to the Police Headquarters where he found other junta leaders (Sana Sabally and Sadibou Hydara) frantically trying to get a group of distressed police officers to execute their orders.

He then proceeded to the State House where he met a bare-chested Jammeh and was greeted by a lot of commotion. He said Jammeh was showing a lot of bravado to hide his insecurity. Kanteh said Jammeh objected to the two-year transition to civilian rule as he preferred a four-year transition. He disclosed that Kinteh and Barrow were not part of the coup.

Kanteh said he joined the coup to be “a voice of moderation and common sense.” He was made the spokesman for the junta, a post he occupied for just ten days before being sacked and detained at Mile Two Central prison.

“I was placed in a maximum security wing which is for detainees who are about to be executed and the only thing I could do was to keep hope alive. The conditions in the prison were horrific and inhumane. It was filthy and dirty with lots of rats. There was no bed only wood plank. The food was terrible. ”

He described the testimony of Sheriff Gomez, the third witness to appear before the commission, as ‘malicious’ as he never participated in any form of torture as claimed by Gomez. Kanteh said his cell was opposite to that of Sheriff Gomez.

He said those who perpetrated torture were the junta leaders including Edward Singhatey and his brother, Peter Singhatey. He said Edward Singhateh led a brutal torture campaign at the Mile Two prison where he beat up detainees and conducted mock execution.

“At 1am on the 5th of September 1994, soldiers entered our block and started shouting names. They shouted “amphibious” a name they gave to Major Mamour Cham (after he told them that Americans will make an amphibious landing to quell the coup). They went to Cham’s cell and beat him up. They dragged him away and we heard gunshots.

“Edward Singhatey who had blood stains on his hands told us that Captain Cham is dead. I thought I was going to die. I resigned my fate to the inevitable. Chongan was the next detainee to be dragged from his cell. He was very courageous. Unlike Cham he didn’t say anything when he was being beaten up. Even RSM Jeng who wore neck brace after an accident was not spared torture. We didn’t see them again so assumed they were all dead.”

Kanteh who was later released and went into exile apologised for his role in the coup.

“In hindsight coups are wrongs. Overthrowing constitutional order is wrong. We were immature and had youthful exuberance.”