President Adama Barrow has appointed Major General Ousman Gomez as Acting Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) of The Gambia Armed Forces with immediate effect.

The appointment follows the resignation of Lieutenant General Mamat O. A. Cham, which was accepted by the President on Friday.

According to a statement from the Office of the President, Major General Gomez assumes the role after serving as Deputy Chief of Defence Staff at Army Headquarters in Banjul.

President Barrow made the appointment under the powers vested in him by Section 190 of the Constitution.

The change in military leadership comes after Lieutenant General Cham submitted his resignation, citing numerous allegations of misconduct and abuse of office that he said were inconsistent with the position of Chief of Defence Staff.

In his resignation letter, General Cham thanked President Barrow for the trust and confidence placed in him during his tenure as The Gambia’s ninth Chief of Defence Staff. He also expressed his willingness to cooperate with any investigations relating to the allegations against him.

Major General Gomez is expected to oversee the affairs of the armed forces pending further decisions regarding the substantive leadership of the military.