The soldier who sold out the former Chief of Staff Colonel Ndure Cham is in police custody. Staff Sergeant Musa Johnson was on Monday arrested by Ecomig and Gambia National Army officers at Farafenni barracks.
The former army chief, accused of masterminding the March 21st 2006 abortive coup, had on several occasions evaded arrest. He had reportedly entered the Gambia several times before Sergeant Johnson sold him out in September 2013.
Cham was a godfather to Staff Sergeant Johnson whose three attempts to enlist in the Gambia National Army were unsuccessful. Without a certificate or skills, Johnson’s chances were very limited. His dreams to enlist in the army became successful through Colonel Cham’s influence. Cham fused him into the army as an engineer apprentice before undergoing six weeks basic military training. Johnson was posted at the Engineering Squad.
Colonel Cham had throughout treated Johnson as his biological son. He was sympathic to uneducated, hopeless and abandoned Johnson who had no means of survival. Cham helped and showered money on him. The duo remained in close contact even after the March coup. Ndure Cham did not therefore hesitate to contact Johnson when the need arose in September 2013. The fugitive colonel desperately needed money. He assigned Johnson to sell one of his (Ndure’s) homes in the Kombos and wire him the proceeds. Johnson sold the home and pocketed the money. He did not stop there but went extra mile to sell Cham to the defunct National Intelligence Agency (NIA) officials.
Johnson was motivated by the huge reward ousted President Yahya Jammeh had placed on Cham’s head. He armed the secret agents on the whereabouts of Ndure Cham who was waiting to receive money at Casamance town of Kafountine. Johnson led the secret mission involving soldiers and spy agents to Kafountine.
An ambush was laid for Cham. And no sooner had he welcomed Johnson at his Kafountine house than Gambian security men descended on him. Cham was beaten to coma, tied and thrown into the trunk of a waiting van. He was driven to Banjul and then to Tanji NIA office and celled for five days. Cham was transported to Kanilai for execution after he had regained consciousness.
Musa Johnson was compensated with a promotion to Staff Sergeant rank. It was not clear whether he was given the monetary reward.
Ends
This is treacherous and betrayal of highest order . Sometimes in life , people you help can be your worst enemy. It is ungratefulness and ungodly . The truth must finally come out no matter how long it takes . This is the sad part of the effects of dictatorship. No one trust anyone. Lies , deception, hypocrisy, treachery and lack of moral values becomes the integral part of people’s lives. In The Gambian community, we have thousands of people like Mr Johnson who live among our midst but falsely pretend that they are decent human being. Some of them are people of highest responsibility, supposedly religious people or people with impeccable character . Gambian society needs total rehabilitation. I hope and pray that all those evil people be exposed for their evil deeds .
Allahu Akbar! The truth that Jammeh and his criminals denied us is finally being unearthed. I agree we have a lot of Judas within our midst. Expose and shame them all.
My eyes were filled with tears upon hearing Ndure Cham’s daughter explaining how the absence of their father setback their everything. Well done Kairo News for exposing and telling a story that is of public interest.
Col. Ndure Cham rest in peace. You can have eternal peace but Cruel Jammeh will never. He is the most cruel in our history ranking behind only to Pharoah, Adolf Hitler and Stallin.
There are a lot of this kind of heartless beings like this monster of a staff Sergeant in the Gambia’s societies of all walks. These are the type contempt towards good efforts of others even if themselves are benefactors of those efforts. There are very very sick hearts in our societies and this should be a matter of great concern. Show some people the bridge to cross before yourself and they will burn it down to leave you in shock and pain. One needs a lot of faith not to be cynical in thoughts in the Gambia. Who wouldn’t believe there is daylight cannibalism in the Gambia…No wonder cannibals were witch-hunting!
May the soldier, Ndure Cham’s soul rest in perfect peace. Amiin.