The High Court in Banjul has acquitted and discharged former soldier Abdoulie Sanyang of all charges related to arson and interference with judicial proceedings, ruling that the prosecution failed to prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt.

Sanyang was first arrested on 17 August 2025 at Banjul International Airport shortly after appearing on the “Coffee Time” programme on West Coast Radio, where he made a series of controversial statements during a 14 August 2025 interview that authorities said had “national security implications.”

Following his arrest, Sanyang was detained at the airport police station and later handed over to investigators from the Special Investigation Unit (SIU).

He was subsequently arraigned on 22 August 2025 at the Kanifing Magistrates’ Court on multiple counts including arson, seditious intention, incitement to violence, and offences relating to judicial proceedings, all tied in part to his alleged comments on the radio broadcast and an incident dating back to 2016 involving the burning of the APRC Bureau.

Sanyang entered a plea of not guilty on 7 October 2025 before Justice Ebrima Jaiteh, denying accusations that he had financed or been involved in the 2016 arson attack and disputing claims he had disrespected the judiciary.

Throughout the trial, the prosecution relied heavily on recordings and statements from the interview as evidence, but defence counsel argued that the state had not met the legal burden of proof required for criminal conviction.

On Tuesday, the High Court agreed, holding that statements made during the broadcast did not constitute criminal conduct under Gambian law.

By Adama Makasuba