By Omar Bah
Elder statesman and first republican minister, Alhaji Momodou Cadi Cham, believed to be in his eighties, was arrested with a pistol on Monday.
He was subsequently charged with being in possession of a firearm without a licence, and released on bail.
According to our sources, personnel of the police mobile traffic unit were conducting operations around the Denton Bridge on Monday morning when Mr Cham arrived in his car.
Upon searching the vehicle, the firearm which allegedly was unlicensed was discovered and Mr Cham was processed and charged accordingly.
Police spokesperson ASP Binta Njie confirmed the arrest, charge and bail of the former minister to The Standard yesterday.
MC Cham is one of only two surviving men who took part in the independence talks in England in the 1950s and early 1960s.
He contested many elections in his native Tumana Constituency in the then Upper River Division and served as minister of various portfolios in successive cabinets under President Jawara.
He has since retired from active politics but remains a key backer of one of the biggest political parties in The Gambia.
