Gambia's Barrow 'allows coup plotters back into army'

Banjul (Gambia) (AFP) - Gambian President Adama Barrow has allowed six soldiers convicted of plotting a coup against former leader Yahya Jammeh back into the armed forces, a military source told AFP Saturday.

Jammeh survived several coup attempts in his 22-year rule, with one of the most serious arising in 2014 when mutinous soldiers attempted to take control of the presidential palace while he was out of the country.

"The military high command has in consultation with President Adama Barrow reinstated Lt Buba Sanneh, Private Modou Njie, Lt Sarjo Jarju, Captain Abdoulie Jobe, Lt Amadou Sowe and Buba Bojang in the army," the high-level source who requested anonymity told AFP.

All six men were convicted and sentenced by a military court in April 2015, with three given death sentences. Their appeals were still pending with the country's Supreme Court when Barrow granted them amnesty last month.

The six men have already begun work, the source added.

The December 30, 2014 coup attempt saw a group of heavily armed men storm the presidential palace in Banjul before being repelled by forces loyal to Jammeh.

Jammeh is now living in exile in Equatorial Guinea after losing a December election to Barrow.

He refused to recognise the result of the historic polls until the threat of west African military intervention to remove him forced the mercurial leader from power.