Gambiaj.com – (BANJUL, The Gambia) – The Court of Appeal has scheduled February 17, 2026, to hear an appeal filed by Yankuba Badjie, the erstwhile director general of the most feared National Intelligence Agency (NIA) under the regime of Yahya Jammeh, who was convicted of murder and other related offenses by the Banjul High Court and sentenced to death.
When the matter was called, Counsel Christopher Mane and Counsel Pauline appeared on behalf of the appellant. The State was absent from the proceedings, prompting the court to note that the Ministry of Justice had been duly served with the hearing notice on January 20, 2026.
Addressing the court, Counsel Mane informed the panel that Badjie, who is currently incarcerated at Mile II Central Prison, had already filed his notice of appeal and was served with the hearing notice at the prison. He added that the appellant is now formally represented by counsel and intends to file additional or amended grounds of appeal.
Mane requested a short adjournment, less than one week, to allow the defense to file the amended grounds. The court granted the request and ordered that the State be served again with the hearing notice, warning that any further failure to appear would attract serious consequences.
Court records indicate that Badjie was tried and convicted by the Banjul High Court in a case titled Yankuba Badjie v The State.
He was found guilty of murder and other sundry offences on July 13, 2022. Badjie and five others, Sheik Omar Jeng, Baboucarr Sallah, Tamba MMasireh,and Lamin Darboe, were found guilty of the murder of Ebrima Solo Sandeng at the NIA premises in Banjul seven years ago.
Badjie headed the spy agency from December 2013 to 2016 under the dictatorship of former President Yahya Jammeh. The trial was presided over by Justice Kumba Sillah Camara, who imposed the death penalty.
In his filed grounds of appeal, Badjie maintains that he is not guilty of the offences for which he was convicted.
He argues that the judgment of the High Court is not supported by the evidence and states that he is appealing against both the conviction and the sentence.
The notice of appeal was filed with the Registrar of the Court of Appeal and bears the signature of the appellant, with the Commissioner of Prisons noted on the record.
The appellate court is expected to hear substantive arguments in the matter when it sits on February 17, 2026.
