Gambiaj.com – (BANJUL, the Gambia) – Three Senegalese siblings, who were detained in the Casamance region following their arrest alongside fugitive former Gambian soldier Lt. Col. Sanna Manjang, have been released from custody. Their subsequent freedom aligns with the Gambian government’s official assessment that the trio poses no security threat.
The Badjie siblings, identified as Modou Badji (alias Gassama), Famara Badji, and Ansoumana Badji, were involved in the charcoal business in Bassène, a village in Senegal near the border with The Gambia, when they were detained by the Senegalese military.
Purely a Business Partnership, Says Family
Relatives of the trio spoke to The Gambia Journal, clarifying the nature of their relationship with Manjang. The family strongly asserted that the connection was purely commercial, linked to the trade in logs and charcoal.
“Sanna was just a partner in the charcoal business,” a relative explained, dismissing any suggestion of political or armed collaboration. The family member added that the brothers were unaware of Manjang’s dark past as an alleged hitman and member of former President Yahya Jammeh’s notorious “Junglers” unit.
The family initially suspected the detention was linked to their charcoal operations, which involve cutting timber—an activity sometimes subject to regulation in Senegal.
Gambian Authorities Downplay Threat
Following the arrest, the family reported being informed by Senegalese security forces that the three siblings and Manjang had all been handed over to Gambian authorities, a claim reportedly echoed by an APRC diaspora activist.
However, The Gambia’s National Security Adviser, Abubacarr Sulayman Jeng, provided clarity, telling The Standard that the Badjie siblings arrested with Manjang are “not of interest to The Gambia.” This official position corroborates the family’s account of the siblings’ limited involvement.
The release of the Badjie trio clearly indicates that the Senegalese authorities concur with The Gambia’s assessment. While the Badjie siblings are now free, Manjang, wanted for crimes including murder and torture under the Jammeh administration, remains the focus of an international manhunt, and his current status is undisclosed.
