By Alagie Manneh
Former APRC stalwart turned fierce critic has condemned the July 22 coup “revolution” as “a shame.”
Basiru Gassama, a resident of Bakau New Town, was a former state intelligence agent and he claimed he provided documents to former president, Sir Dawda Jawara’s government that a coup was in the offing.
Talking to The Standard on Sunday which marked the anniversary of the coup d’etat that brought Yahya Jammeh to power, Gassama, who was taken to hajj by the former president, said: “I condemn the revolution. It was a state of dishonor. I hear some people are trying to celebrate this unfortunate event. Should a coup be celebrated? A constitutional overthrow of power? It is such a shame.”
Recalling his stint as an intel officer at Jawara’s State House, Mr Gassama said he handed over confidential coup documents to the confidential secretary of the first president, a certain Mrs Johnson.
He said the documents were not given the urgent attention they deserved.
“I also handed over the coup document to the then director general of the NSS, Kebba Ceesay. I handed over the coup document to the then inspector general of police. I stayed with Yahya at the Fajara Barracks here. I was in intelligence services, and intelligence gathering was what I did.”
When asked why Jawara’s government failed to act on his report, Gassama wryly answered: “It is the will of God. That’s why I moved to support Yahya, but when Yahya also failed The Gambia, I stopped supporting him.”
He warned those “dreamers” shouting for Jammeh’s return to The Gambia.
“I think they are dreaming. Yahya is not crazy to come back here to face the Janneh Commission. Also, he will be going to the ‘five star’ hotel, where he put Baba Jobe and many others. What is good for Mary, is good for John. Jammeh is not crazy to come back. It is cheap popularity to call for his return.”
