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Momodou
Denmark
11744 Posts |
 Posted - 13 Jan 2007 : 15:56:58
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MORE TESTIMONIES AT THE COURT MARTIAL
By Bubacarr K. Sowe
The General Court Martial hearing on the treason trial of those accused of involvement in the March 21st coup plot on Saturday heard from three more witness.
Detective Boto Keita informed the court in a cross examination that the first accused, Captain Bunja Darboe, appeared before a panel on the 21st, 26th and 29th of March, 2006. Mr. Keita said he took a cautionary statement from the accused person in the presence of an independent witness. On how many cautionary and voluntary statements he took from him and when, he said he could not remember, but he could remember that he took two voluntary statements.
He said apart from Captain Darboe, he took voluntary statements from the fifth accused, Captain Abdoukarim Jah, the seventh accused Lieutenant M.A Bah, and the eight accused Corporal Samba Bah. On Captain Darboe’s request to speak to a lawyer, Keita said he did not deny refuse him that, but said that Darboe could have done it for himself while in custody. Responding to a question on a statement taken on the 22nd of March, Keita said the date of the independent witness is 25th of March.
Detective Keita further told the court that the statement taken from Captain Abdoukarim Jah was taken on the 19th of April, 2006 and it was not dated by an independent witness. The statement he said was written by the suspect himself (Jah). Mr. Keita narrated that he took two voluntary statements from Lieutenant M.A Bah, but could not recall where and when he took them. He also said he obtained two voluntary statements from Corporal Samba Bah. He added that Corporal Bah spoke to him in English in the presence of an independent witness at the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) headquarters.
When it was put to him by the defence that the statements obtained from Captain Darboe, Captain Jah and Corporal Bah were involuntary, Keita maintained they were voluntary. On when the accused persons accessed their families and lawyers, as they were in his custody, Keita said he did not remember. He also said he did not remember when they were arraigned in court and whether it was a court order which gave them the green light for them to access their families and lawyers.
Keita identified a video cassette discovered from Modou Sanyang at the NIA, and acknowledged his presence there. He said he was not present when a radio cassette was discovered by Detective Abdoulie Sowe. He also testified that he was present when a micro recorder was discovered but was not there when its tape was found.
Also testifying at the Court Martial, Lamin Colley, a technician at the Gamtel Earth Station in Abuko, said he was called by a guard commander, Corporal Ajuma Camara, on the 20th of March informing him that a soldier wanted to speak to Mr. Njie, the Earth Station’s Director of International Operations. Mr. Colley said one of the guards escorted the soldier, Captain Wassa Camara, to his (Colley’s) office and he called Mr. Njie for him. He added that they spoke briefly over the phone. He said on the following day, the 21st of March, Corporal Ajuma Camara told him that his boss (Captain Wassa Camara) had come to see Mr. Njie again. Mr. Colley testified that he called Mr. Njie and handed the phone to Captain Camara, but only heard Camara saying Njie is to bring something for him. Colley also identified Captain Camara in court, who he said during his visits wore civilian dress.
During cross examination by the defence, Colley said before the 20th of March, he never met or knew Captain Camara. He also said after that, he never saw him physically, apart from his appearance on the television. He added “I do not know the reason why Captain Camara wanted to talk to Mr. Njie.
“Testifying in court Ousman Njie, the Gamtel Earth Station Director of International Operations, said the station is the major gate way of voice, data and video. Mr. Njie said on March 20th, 2006, while on an official assignment to Senegal, he had a call from someone who introduced himself as Wassa Camara. Njie added that the man who was calling from the earth station said he wanted to see him; Njie said he told him to wait till he returned the following day. Njie informed the court that while on his way back he had a call from the same man, but told him to wait till the following day, again, since it was late. He narrated that he was told by the man that he is supposed to bring something for him from Ebrima Fatty’s sister in Bakau. Njie said he told his caller that he did not know Ebrima Fatty and he was therefore talking to a wrong person.
Source: Foroyaa Newspaper Burning Issue
Issue No. 004/2007, 3-4 January, 2007
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A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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