Gambiaj.com – (Banjul, The Gambia) – Former Jungler and one of Yahya Jammeh’s most feared operatives, Sanna Manjang, is expected to appear before Justice Sidi K. Jobarteh today for his first High Court hearing, marking the beginning of what many believe could be the most consequential human rights trial since the fall of the former regime.
Arrested last month after eight years on the run, Manjang is currently charged with three counts of murder linked to some of the most notorious killings of the Jammeh era.
Prosecutors now have 21 days to file a full bill of indictment. Until then, he remains at Mile 2 Central Prison without bail.
A Cross-Border Manhunt Ends in Casamance
Manjang’s arrest followed a coordinated Senegal–Gambia security operation that ended in a dawn raid on 29 November in the forest of Bassène, Bignona District, Casamance. Senegalese forces captured him after tracking his movements across the border for weeks.
After fleeing The Gambia in early 2017 with other Junglers, Manjang had taken refuge first in Guinea-Bissau under the protection of a relative serving as a captain in the Bissau-Guinean Army.
When Gambian intelligence signalled his presence, he and other operatives scattered between Guinea-Bissau and Casamance.
According to Senegalese intelligence, Manjang was last spotted in the village of Mahmouda Chérif, not far from Diouloulou, where he was being looked after by a marabout known for treating mentally ill patients.
He fled before authorities arrived, but his movements were trailed to Bassène, where he was finally arrested.
He was handed over to Gambian authorities on 2 December at the Seleti border and appeared the next day before the Kanifing Magistrates Court. Reserved and silent, he acknowledged the bench only with a nod.
Three Murder Counts at the Heart of the Case
Manjang faces three capital charges, all carrying allegations of malice aforethought under Section 187 of the Criminal Code.
They include the murder of journalist Deyda Hydara on 16 December 2004, a killing that sent shockwaves across the region. Testimony before the TRRC, including from driver Malick Jatta, directly implicated Manjang as the gunman.
He is also charged with the 2005 killing of Ndongo Mboob in Kanifing and the 2006 murder of Haruna Jammeh in Kanilai, the home village of the former president.
TRRC findings cited Manjang as a central figure within the Junglers, a paramilitary unit responsible for torture, extrajudicial killings, and enforced disappearances.
Lower Court Declines Jurisdiction
At his preliminary appearance in Kanifing, Commissioner Amie Sanneh led the police team, accompanied by ACP Manga, DPC Jarju, and ASP Y. Colley and F. Kujabi.
Sanneh reminded the court that capital offenses fall outside magistrate jurisdiction under Section 72 and Legal Notice 3 of 2009 governing the Special Criminal Division.
With no legal representation, Manjang entered no plea. Principal Magistrate Isatou Sallah Mbye ordered his transfer to the High Court and remand at Mile 2 under military escort.
Prosecutors Racing Against the Clock
Sources familiar with the investigation say state prosecutors are still finalizing witness lists, forensic attachments, and evidence linked to TRRC proceedings as today’s hearing approaches. Despite the 21-day deadline, insiders insist the state intends to proceed.
Civil society actors are watching closely. Human rights defender Madi Jobarteh urged authorities to move “without delay,” while Baba Hydara, son of the slain journalist, said the arrest offered “a crack in the wall after 21 years.” The Solo Sandeng Foundation called the development “a critical step” for victims of the Jammeh era.
Regional Ripples and Political Tensions
Manjang’s arrest has extended beyond The Gambia’s borders. In Senegal, journalist Pape Sané of Walfadjri was detained and handed a suspended three-month sentence after reporting alleged political links between the arrest and Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko, claims Senegalese authorities deny.
Meanwhile, online campaigns by supporters of former President Yahya Jammeh have intensified, calling for Manjang’s release. Investigations by fact-checkers link many of these narratives to longstanding rebel dynamics in Casamance and illicit timber networks.
ECOWAS has praised the Senegal–Gambia collaboration that led to the arrest, though questions remain about how Manjang managed to live among MFDC-linked communities for years.
A Trial With Implications Beyond One Man
Manjang’s prosecution inevitably turns attention back to Yahya Jammeh, still in exile in Equatorial Guinea and recommended by the TRRC for prosecution alongside 69 others.
How Manjang pleads, and whether a full trial proceeds in 2026, could influence broader transitional justice efforts, including the proposed hybrid court with international involvement.
For survivors, however, the moment is deeply personal. “His capture eases nightmares,” said Sheriff Kijera, himself a torture survivor and former chair of the Victims’ Centre.
A Defining Test for Gambia’s Justice System
Families of victims, including the Hydara family, are expected to gather early outside the Banjul High Court today. Security will be tight amid reported threats.
Justice Jobarteh, known for her extensive experience in criminal law and her role within the Special Criminal Division, now presides over a case that carries the weight of two decades of unanswered demands for truth.
For many who buried empty caskets, today’s hearing is not closure, but it is a long-awaited step toward accountability. A door, long sealed, finally begins to open.
