In a shocking development, Ambassador Sheikh Tijan Hydara, a political ally of President Adama Barrow and head of the Gambia Alliance for National Unity (GANU) party, has claimed to have suffered grievous bodily harm after an alleged assault by his deputy, Vincent Mendy, during a meeting in Havana.

The incident, which reportedly occurred on January 25th, 2024, at the Gambian embassy in Havana, was detailed in a letter from Ambassador Hydara to the Gambian Ministry of Foreign Affairs dated January 28th, 2024. In the letter, Ambassador Hydara alleged that Mendy unprovokedly assaulted him, landing multiple blows that caused serious injuries to his face and lower body.

According to Ambassador Hydara’s account, the assault took place during a meeting to address office matters and improve their mode of operations. The meeting was attended by other Gambian and non-Gambian workers, including Lamin Jammeh, Modou Nying, Pa Bajinka, and Vincent Mendy.

In response, Mendy claimed that Ambassador Hydara had attempted to physically assault him, and he had acted in self-defense. Mendy also alleged a series of misconduct by the ambassador, including treating him with contempt because of his Christian faith and acting without decorum against embassy staff.

Mendy has called on the ministry to launch an inquiry into his allegations against Ambassador Hydara. The ambassador, on the other hand, has promised to provide more details about the incident and other misconduct in a separate letter to the ministry.

The alleged assault has sparked concerns about the working environment at the Gambian embassy in Havana and the relationship between Ambassador Hydara and his deputy, Vincent Mendy. The Gambian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has yet to publicly comment on the matter or announce any actions regarding the allegations.