ONE SOLDIER KILLED AT A MANDINABA ACCIDENT!!

About 12 Others Critically Injured

Police Blamed Accident To “ Reckless” Driving

By Staff Reporter Bakary Gibba & Pa Nderry M’Bai

Email: panderrymbai@gmail.com

Tel: 0011-919-749-6319

Tragedy hits The Gambia Armed Forces Wednesday, when a military vehicle travelling along the Trans-Gambia Highway was involved in a crash, killing one of its members, leaving a good number of the soldiers critically injured, the Freedom Newspaper can authoritatively report.  The accident occurred at Mandinaba, in the Kombo East District, where a military truck carrying twelve soldiers somersaulted. Soldier Bakary Sanyang, a native of Ndemban Village in the Finoi Berefet District, was pronounced death at the RVTH after been medically examined by doctors. Mr. Sanyang was among of the recently passed out army recruits. The late Mr. Sanyang was described by his colleagues as “a disciplined and professional” soldier, who was loyal to state. His demise is being greeted with shock by his colleagues and loved ones, sources said.

Eyewitness account to the incident revealed that the army driver was driving at a high speed—beyond the stipulated posted speed limit at the time of the crash, which left one of the vehicle’s tires to burst. The driver lost control of the vehicle, and eventually the vehicle somersaulted, the witnesses said.

The remaining injured soldiers were evacuated to the Brikama Hospital, before being referred to the Royal Victoria Teaching Hospital (RVTH) for further medical attention. The victims sustained various degrees of injures, witnesses recounted. They are all responding to treatment at the time of filing this report, said a staffer of the RVTH.

According to eyewitness account, the accident was blamed to reckless driving, as soldiers in this country have been known for over speeding, and total disrespect for safety driving. This to some extent causes the road accidents, police said.

The driver is currently helping police with their investigations. No charges were proffered against the GNA driver at the time of going to press. Police say investigations into the crash are still ongoing.

Road accidents involving soldiers are very common nowadays in The Gambia.   Musa Sarr, a state guard soldier, recently wrecked an army truck after the vehicle they were travelling with somersaulted.  The incident left two people death. Police say the soldiers were busted with drugs (cannabis sativa) following an investigations into the cause of the accident. Drugs were found in the army truck. One of the suspects Musa Sarr, is currently on the run, police said. He fled the jurisdiction of The Gambia, shortly after the crash.