Sanna Fadera’s sister denies he plotted coup attempt

• The sister of Lance Corporal Sanna Fadera has petitioned for his release.
• She claims he was not involved in any plot to overthrow the government.
• No weapon was found in the lance-elder corporal’s home or farm.

The suspected mastermind Sanna Fadera of a botched coup attempt in The Gambia has been petitioned for release by his sister, who claims he was not a part of any plot to overthrow President Adama Barrow’s administration.

After the authorities accused Lance Corporal Sanna Fadera of orchestrating an attempted takeover, he was detained a week ago.

Over the weekend, the administration reported that two additional officers were detained.

The total number of arrests related to the alleged conspiracy now stands at seven.

No one has been charged with a crime in court as of yet.

The lance-elder corporal’s sister, Alia Fadera, claimed in a interview that the man could not have planned a coup because he was merely a physician in the navy and had no access to weapons or power within the military.

“Since my brother’s arrest, we have not heard from him and we are worried,” she added.

Mrs. Fadera said the military had detained her brother at his workplace in the capital, Banjul, before bringing him to their village in Kiang Nema, 155km (96 miles) away.

“His house and farm were searched by the military but no weapon was found,” she added.

Mrs. Fadera said her brother had lived in the village with his wife and four children, who were devastated by the allegation against him.

He travelled to and from work daily and ran a reptile farm in his spare time.

“The entire village is surprised and when the military truck came, most of the villagers came out to see what was happening. I’m calling on the authorities to release my brother,” Mrs. Fadera said.

Capt. Ebrima Baldeh from the military intelligence division and Lt. Omar Colley from the First Infantry Battalion were identified by the government as the most recent officers to be detained.

A panel would be constituted to conduct a thorough inquiry into the purported coup plot, according to the government statement.

Due to its beaches and wildlife, The Gambia is a mostly stable nation in West Africa that attracts tourists.

Since the administration said last Tuesday that a coup attempt had been thwarted, life has gone on as usual.

After a shocking win over longtime ruler Yahya Jammeh in elections in 2016, President Barrow initially assumed office.

Human rights violations and official repression characterize Mr. Jammeh’s 22-year reign.

After his defeat, he fled to Equatorial Guinea where he is still a powerful force in The Gambia.

President Barrow has a history of mistrusting the military, therefore Senegalese soldiers are in charge of his personal safety while Nigerian and Ghanaian soldiers are in charge of guarding the country’s principal international airport and seaport, respectively.

He has become unpopular with many Gambians as a result, who believe that by relying on foreign forces, he has compromised the nation’s sovereignty

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