Justice Basirou Mahoney of the Gambia High Court handed down a 12-year prison sentence to Private Sanna Fadera, a soldier found guilty of orchestrating a foiled coup attempt against President Adama Barrow’s administration Tuesday.

The coup attempt was executed late last year. Fadera was charged with leading the failed coup along with eight other soldiers who were charged with treason and conspiracy in January. Justice Mahoney revealed that the initial prosecution witness, Barra Touray, presented evidence indicating that Fadera had visited him at the 1st Infantry Battalion in Yundum approximately six months before the coup. During this visit, Fadera communicated his intent to overthrow the government. The judge further noted that Touray testified in court, stating that he had received a phone call from Fadera in October 2022. During this call, Fadera urged Touray to persuade certain soldiers from the 1st Infantry Battalion to partake in the attempted coup.

Fadera has denied involvement in the coup. Three other defendants, Gibril Darboe, Ebrima Sannoh and Fa Bakary Jawara, were acquitted by Judge Mahoney. The State appealed the acquittals, with the Judge allowing the three to be released on bond pending the government’s appeal.

Gambia was previously under an authoritarian regime that spanned over two decades, marked by allegations of systemic abuses under the leadership of former President Yahya Jammeh. Before President Barrow came to power, former President Jammeh foiled several attempts to overthrow him before he lost the presidential election in 2016.