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Colonel Sam Sarr placed Journalist Suwaibou Conateh under gun point in 1994 to write a coup speech! Lamarana Jallow unveils!
By Lamarana Jallow, a son of the Gambia.

Dear Mr. Editor,

I'm back with more revealing stuff about the shameless Colonel Sam Sarr who is trying to buy time at this hour. Sam will get what he wanted since he is concealing his past criminal activities from Gambians. As a matter of fact, I used to be very close to Colonel Sam Sarr. I mean very close to him!!! Sam Sarr should respond to my allegations if his hands are clean. His reaction never came as a surprise to me. Sam was a dictator, while at the Gambian National Army. I have been privy to Sam's past secret military activities, against our defenseless countrymen, which I will reveal online since he is not willing to confess to Gambians about his past sinister activities against our people. Sam reserves the right not to respond to my allegations, but nothing can stop me from unveiling what I know about this monster trying project himself as a decent man when he is not. Sam has executed all kinds of dirty errands for Jammeh one can think of. It was Sam Sarr who "gun point veteran Gambian Journalist and former Radio Gambia Director Suwaibou Conateh to write a speech for the 1994 July coupists led by Jammeh." Sarr was accompanied by the former Army Spokesman Captain Alhagie Kanteh and Mamat Cham. Sarr was detailed at the material time by Jammeh to force Suwaibou Conateh to write a speech for them without his free will. Conateh was left with no option but to meet Sarr's demands or risked having his head blown off. Sarr told Conateh that he has two options-one to write a coup take over statement for them or risked losing his life. Sarr told him that the orders to force him to write such a statement emanates from their leader Yahya Jamemeh. July 22ND was Conateh's worse nightmare, as gun totting coupists led by Sam Sarr had already threatened to take his life. Suwaibou could not understand the rationale behind Sarr's "forced" statement policy since he Sarr was qualified enough to write the said statement. After a second thought the old man wrote what they wanted him to author. After holding Suwaibou Conateh under duress and hostage for about an hour, Sarr and his team left with the statement which they hand delivered to Yahya Jammeh. Where is decency Colonel Sarr is calling for? Sarr has not only persecuted our people, but had violated their rights as citizens. On top of that, Sarr shamelessly aided and abetted the dictatorship in oppressive tactics against our people. Sam is not a clean man. He must be lying if he ever parades himself as one. Journalist Suwaibou Conateh is alive to corroborate my claims. If Captain Kanteh and Mamat Cham are honest to themselves they will confirm my assertions. I back up my allegations with facts, nothing but facts. So God help me in my crusade to tell the Gambian people about the through colors of Sam Sarr.

While the 1994 coup was in progress, information reaches the then junta leader Yahya Jammeh that some senior top brass of the armed forces led by Colonel Sam Sarr were on the verge of staging a counter coup. True or false, Sam was accused of telling guards at the Radio Gambia that there was a reinforcement force team coming from a neighboring country and that the coup was bound to be foiled. There was no reason advanced for his action, but Jammeh and his hence men believe at the time that Sarr was trying show seeds of fear and discord amongst the loyal forces in a bid to execute his plans.

Sam was hired as a Minister, but only to be fired upon revelations that he was seen at the Radio Gambia trying to brainwash the guards there. If Sam is honest to himself he cannot deny that his jailing had to do with the alleged counter coup story he was accused of by the junta.

While in jail at Mile Two, Sam started exhibiting strange behaviors. He cried at night saying that he was being pursued by a wild snake in his cell. He also claimed to have been confronted by devils. Each time Sabally or Edward Singhatey walked into the jail house he started panicking. Chongan and others can confirm this. Many of his fellow inmates at some point thought that the officer was mad. He behaves strangely. True, he was abused while in jail, but Sarr too has his own story yet to be told.

Sarr played a crucial role in the 1994 coup. He was not happy with Jammeh leading the Council, that I know. Sam believes that the Council Members were not experienced enough to preside over the affairs of the country. He laments privately about Jammeh's half education and lack of leadership qualities. With all that, he continued to pose as loyal to the system.

After he was release from jail, following a Presidential pardon extended to him, thanks to Baboucarr Jatta, Sam was reinstated into the army. He was paid with all his benefits during the period of his detention. Sam cannot deny this. Jammeh tested him again by offering him leadership role in the army.

During his second comeback into the army, Sarr's main preoccupation was to achieve his army commander dream. He tries on numerous occasions to impress Jammeh. He said bad stuff against Jatta, Ann, Jarra, Badjie and others.

When the Farefenni Army Camp was attacked, he was assigned to fetch for the attackers some of whom were said to be residing in Senegal. Sarr openly quarreled with the coup suspects he exposed trial by media to. I remember one of the detainees with the last name Mr.Sarr a former rebel in Liberia, who was linked to the attack telling him that it was wrong for Sam to treat them like common criminals. "Look I'm a Colonel, you know." rebel Sarr told Sam Sarr.

Rebel Sulayman Sarr who used to be a former fire fighter was brave enough to address Sam Sarr despite his terror and vilification campaign he exposed to them. All Sulayman Sarr wanted was for Sam Sarr to allow the rule of law to take its cause before making unsubstantiated allegations against them. He also wanted Sam and his men to stop the torture and verbal threats against them.

Sam at the time wanted to impress Jammeh. If he continues to make noise, I bet I will release the tape to the Freedom Newspaper Editors for all to watch it online. These coup suspects were not only tortured by Sam's arresting team, but electrocuted while at the NIA. Sam was right there laughing while these boys were being subjected to torture. Yaya Drammeh couldn't survive the torture exposed to him. He died in prison.

Colonel Sarr shall never volunteer information about the Farafenni attack. He was directly involved in the torture sessions. Sam must have regretted for allowing himself to be used by Jammeh for such dirty errands.

While at the GAF Head Quarters Sam spearheaded a conspiracy theory to frame officers like Pa Modou Ann, Laurence Jarra and others. Sam has hands into the sacking of these officers. For some reasons, he couldn't get along with Ann and Jarra. Ann was a highly trained infantry soldier, unlike Sarr who could easily surrender himself if confronted with challenging situation. He spent most his life on army administrative matters and not field work. Sam cannot deny that he had strained working relationship with Ann and Jarra. Many officers of the GNA lost their jobs, thanks to Sarr.

Sarr was very lucky to leave the country at the material time. That I know. He was going to find life very miserable in the Gambia. For the interest of your readers, let Sam explain what led to his absconding? Local papers in the Gambia reported about his unceremonious departure. He was supposed to face court martial. He knows what I'm talking about. Some of the officers, who were assigned to handle his case file are alive.

As a resident of Serre-Kunda, I witnessed Sam threatening to harm people of our locality who opposed the junta. Sam openly call on people to rally behind Jammeh in those day or would live to regret it. Sam and OJ Jallow were both raised in Serre-Kunda, but Sam was never moved by OJ'S arrest. As the Englishman said, what goes around, comes around. When his turn comes for him to taste the Mile Two, he too had to join OJ and others.

Sarr has been economical with the truth. He never talks about Jammeh's past dirty errands assigned to him. I want him to talk about his role on the Farafenni armed attack, Yaya Drammeh's death, his gun point against Suwaibou Conateh, the counter coup allegations against him, his fight with Baboucarr Jatta, his unfinished persecution against the people of Serre-Kunda. Sam needs to redeem himself before it's too late. If you leave in a "Glass House" please don't throw stones. Some of us can write a book about your past military and civilian life. Watch out!!! There is more coming. Arjarama Bandirabeh. Heckawellaye!!!

Posted on Wednesday, May 16, 2007 (Archive on Tuesday, June 26, 2007)
Posted by PNMBAI Contributed by PNMBAI

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