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Baboucarr Jatta
Introduction
About
BABOUCARR JATTA
Baboucarr Jatta, born on December 26, 1960, in Tujereng, is a former Gambian officer and politician. He hails from the Diola ethnic group and follows the Islamic faith. Jatta's educational journey began at Gunjur Secondary Technical School from 1976 to 1980, followed by St. Augustine's High School in Banjul from 1980 to 1983.
In August 1983, Jatta embarked on his military career, enlisting in the Gambia National Army. Over the years, he climbed the ranks, achieving milestones such as promotion to Second Lieutenant in March 1985, followed by promotions to Lieutenant in April 1988, Captain in September 1988, and Major in August 1993. Noteworthy among his military engagements was his service with the Gambian contingent in the ECOWAS monitoring group in Liberia in 1991.
The turning point in Jatta's career came after Yahya Jammeh's coup on August 1, 1994, when he was promoted to lieutenant colonel and appointed as the new army commander. He demonstrated his leadership skills by swiftly quelling Basiru Barrow's attempted coup in November 1994. Subsequent promotions to Colonel in August 1997 and appointment as Commander-in-Chief (CDS) of the Gambia Armed Forces (GAF) in August 1999 highlighted his continued ascendancy within the military hierarchy.
However, Jatta faced a setback in November 2004 when he was dismissed from the GAF following allegations of misappropriating public funds for personal use, as determined by the Paul Commission. Despite this setback, he managed to regain favor with Jammeh, leading to his appointment as Ambassador-designate to Cuba in March 2005. He later assumed the roles of Minister of the Interior and Minister of Religion (Secretary of State for Interior & Religious Affairs) until his dismissal in November 2006, being succeeded by Ousman Sonko.
Transitioning from the political sphere, Jatta ventured into the private sector, serving as the managing director of a construction company. His involvement in Gambian affairs continued as he testified before the Truth, Reconciliation, and Reparations Commission on March 3 and April 18, 2019.
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