Omar Sarjo’s lawyer, Babucarr A.M.O Badjie, has refuted claims made by the Minister of Defence, Sering Modou Njie, regarding discussions with the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) aimed at resolving the long-standing case of his client, presenting a stark contrast to statements made in Parliament.
On Wednesday, during a parliamentary session, Minister Njie informed lawmakers that they believed Sarjo’s lawyer was engaged in discussions with the CDS concerning the resolution of Sarjo’s case.
In an exclusive interview with Foroyaa, Badjie firmly denied this, asserting that the CDS is unwilling to discuss the issue with him.
Omar Sarjo, previously a corporal in The Gambia Armed Forces, was dismissed in 2017 following allegations that he had obtained his admission into the army through fraudulent methods. There were speculations regarding his identity as the son of MFDC leader, Salif Sadio. Both the former soldier and Salif Sadio strongly refuted this allegation during a press conference in February 2022. Nevertheless, the High Court subsequently determined that his dismissal was unconstitutional, stating that it contravened the 1997 Constitution. Even with this ruling, Sarjo remains without reinstatement or compensation, as the Ministry of Defence asserts that they are unable to act on the court’s judgement because it is declarative rather than executive.
Minister Njie elaborated to lawmakers that the legal counsel from the Ministry of Justice indicated they were unable to enforce the judgement, as it did not constitute an executive order. When questioned by Foni Kansala’s lawmaker, Almami Gibba, about the lack of justice despite the judgement being issued five years ago, the Minister maintained that the judgement did not specifically require reinstatement or compensation. Gibba, however, argued that the judgement explicitly stated both reinstatement and compensation, which the Ministry had not executed.
In response to the inquiry about the Ministry collaborating with Sarjo’s lawyer to address the issue, Minister Njie replied in the affirmative. In his statement to Foroyaa, Sarjo’s lawyer strongly refuted this, asserting that there had been no interaction with the Ministry or the CDS regarding his client’s case.
“They are refusing to engage with me,” Badjie stated, highlighting the ongoing impasse in the case.
