PRESS RELEASE: CLARIFICATION ON THE CASE OF DISMISSED EX-CORPORAL OMAR SARJO OF THE GAMBIA ARMED FORCES

1. It may be recalled that in 2017, the Gambia Armed Forces (GAF) received an intelligence tip off that ex – Corporal Omar Sarjo, with Regimental Number 84GNA/13529 was alleged to be the son of Mr. Salif Sarjo, the leader of the MFDC separatistsin Cassamance, Senegal. Given the sensitive nature of the allegations, the GAF deemed it fitting and appropriate to conduct an investigation into the matter to establish the veracity of the allegation.

2. Accordingly, a Joint Investigation was conducted at different intervals by the GAF Intelligence Directorate and the State Intelligence Services (SIS). Although there was no evidence to prove that ex – 84GNA/13529 Corporal Omar Sarjo is the son of Salif Sarjo, the outcome of the investigations, however revealed that the ex – Corporal gained admission into the GAF on 1 July 2005 as a member of Intake 27A under false pretense.

3. The findings of the investigations were as follows:

a. It was revealed that Ex Corporal Sarjo’s real name is Saikou Sarjo which was later changed to Saikou Sanneh to conceal his identity.

b. He enrolled in schools in Kabekel, Marakissa and Darsilami Upper Basic School where he obtained a Grade Nine—West African Examinations Certificate using the name Saikou Sanneh.

c. In 2005, he fraudulently used the Junior Secondary School Leaving Certificate of one Omar Sarjo, who is believed to be his cousin from Kabekel and enlisted into the GAF as a member of recruit Intake 27A.

d. It was further revealed that Corporal Sarjo changed his identity to gain enlistment into The Gambia Armed Forces thereby making a false declaration and entry into The Gambia Armed Forces. Therefore, his enlistment into The Gambia Armed Forces constituted a flagrant breach of the Terms and Conditions of Service (TACOS) for Soldiers.

e. The investigations substantiated that former Corporal Sarjo engaged in falsifying documents, consciously presented fraudulent academic credentials, impersonated third parties by using their biographical identities/information as well as used multiple names or aliases to conceal his real identity which are all offenses punishable in the Armed Forces.

f. There was no evidence to prove that 84GNA/13529 Corporal Omar Sarjo is the son of Salif Sarjo.

4. Pursuant to The Gambia Armed Forces Regulations for Discipline 1994, he was subsequently charged under Section 75 (a) for willfully making a false entry in an official document and Section 78 of The Armed Forces Act for Conduct prejudicial to good order and discipline.

5. Based on the forgoing, The Gambia Armed Forces (GAF) wishes to state that ex – Corporal Sarjo Omar with Regimental Number 84GNA/13529 was dismissed from the GAF in 2017 after investigations by GAF and the SIS established that he gained admission into the GAF through irregular and fraudulentmeans.

6. It may be equally instructive to note that this disciplinary measure is not an exception but the rule and is in line with established administrative military procedures. Additionally, similar cases, once discovered, have been treated in a similar manner in the past.