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Momodou
Denmark
11751 Posts |
 Posted - 18 Jan 2007 : 15:21:46
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MORE TESTIMONIES AT THE COURT MARTIAL
By Bubacarr K. Sowe
The General Court Martial trying the suspects of the March 21st alleged coup plot on Saturday heard the continuation of Captain Saikou Seckan's cross examination and began hearing the testimony of a police detective officer.
Under cross-examination by the defence, Captain Seckan denied knowing' that his home was raided by soldiers since he was not there, adding that he was told by National Intelligence Agency (NIA) officers that some security personnels went to his home. He denied being kept at the Mile Two Central Prisons on the 30th of April, 15th May and the 3rd of June, 2006. He admitted being demoted in his service and that he was a member of the Tactical Support Group (TSG) and was recruited as a gendarmerie. He outlined the sequence of his ranks starting from cadet, to second Lieutenant and then to Captain. He said that after being a Captain for three years he was demoted to a Lieutenant, claiming that he was never told the reason and did not ask for it, since, according to him, promotion is a privilege.
Captain Seckan told the court that he had a financial transaction with Captain Bunja Darboe (1st accused) and denied that he owed him a sum of 170,000 dalasis. Seckan said a BMW car he is driving was a loan from the first accused person which he had finished paying.
He rejected the defence's claim that his statement was calculated to implicate Captains Wassa Camara and Yaya Darboe (3rd and 2nd accused persons) in the plot. He also said that he went to Captain Bunja Darboe's office because he called him and not for a discussion on a guaranteed loan from the bank. Put to him by Lawyer Lamin Jobarteh that all he said in court apart from his name were not true, Seckan said: "Whatever I say in this court is the truth and nothing else but the truth."
CROSS-EXAMINATION BY L.S. CAMARA
Seckan said he knows Major Serigne Modou Njie, Battalion Commander at the State Guards.
As at March 21st 2006, he said he knew Major Njie as a Captain at the same office. He added that Colonel Lang Tombong Tamba's Office is at the Gambia Armed Forces Offices. He also said that he know where the office of the Inspector General of Police was as at 21st of March.
Asked by the defence about his 1997 arrest, he said he could not tell whether that was 1997 or in 1996. He told the court that he was informed by the Military Police that he was on a one man plot to over throw the Government.
Seckan narrated that Lance Corporal Omar Ndure, and WO2 Alpha Bah were also arrested at the same time but denied being arrested with Lieutenant Ann. He admitted that he was told to take care of the Fajara Barracks in the March 21st plot and Captain Badjie and Colonel Tamba were part of the list of people he was directed to arrest. Seckan said he was guaranteed a loan from the bank by Bunja Darboe on two occasions. He said he last spoke to Darboe around 7 pm on the 21st of March before Darboe's arrest. Put to him by the defence that he was arrested before Darboe, Seckan said: "I was never arrested."
CROSS- EXAMINATION BY L.K. MBOGE
Captain Seckan told the court he was aware of the coup plot before the president departed to Mauritania. He said he noticed it first when he was called by Captain Bunja Darboe on the 20th of March. He added that he reported it immediately to the NIA office, as he finished making the call he said the president's convoy passed him.
DETECTIVE CHAM'S EXAMINATION
Lamin Cham, a police detective attached to the Major Crimes Unit said he knew all the accused persons in court. He said on March 21st he received a phone call from his Officer-in-Command (O/C) that he should report immediately. Cham added that he was then assigned to meet his colleagues at the NIA, where a panel was instituted to investigate the alleged coup plot. The panel members were thirteen, he said.
According to him, Captain Bunja Darboe was brought before the panel around midnight and was asked about his involvement. Sergeant Boto Keita, he said took a statement from Captain Darboe.
Detective Cham testified that on the 22nd of March, the fourth accused person, 2nd Lieutenant Pharing Sanyang also appeared before the panel and was asked to give his account. Cham said he was asked to take a statement from 2nd Lieutenant Sanyang which happened in the presence of an independent witness, Tijan Bojang. He said that Sanyang was given a cautionary statement indicating that he is not forced to say anything out of his wishes and that it can be used as evidence. Sanyang understood, he said, and signed it and also the independent witness. Cham also said Sanyang went through his statement after writing and signed at the end. As the officer taking it, he said he signed it, likewise the independent witness.
On the 23rd of March, Captain Pierre John Mendy, the sixth accused also appeared before the said panel. He was asked to explain his involvement in the foiled coup, after which he gave a statement to Detective Cham. Before giving it, Cham said, he gave a cautionary statement to him, and asked him if he is willing to give a statement which he agreed to do. Cham testified that he then introduced an independent witness to Captain Mendy and cautioned him that he was not to say anything he did not wish. He said Mendy filled in his name, and signed it with the witness. After writing the statement Cham said captain Mendy went through it, signed it and so did the witness and Cham, as the officer.
Testifying further, Cham said Lance Corporal Babou Janha, the ninth accused person appeared before the investigative panel on the 4th of April and asked to explain his involvement in the foiled coup. Cham told the court that he took a statement from Lance Corporal Janha before which he had asked him if he was willing to give a statement and that he had agreed. He said, Janha told him that he wanted to speak in English while he (Cham) wrote down the statement. Cham added that he cautioned accused by telling him that it was at his own will to say whatever he wanted and which could also be used as evidence. He said that Janha understood the cautionary statement and signed it. He also said that after writing the statement, he read it to Janha about two or three times.
The Police Detective also said on the 19th of April they were to take voluntary statements from all the accused persons. He said that in the presence of an independent witness, Babou Loum, he took a voluntary statement from 2nd Lieutenant Pharing Sanyang, which the three of them signed. He said he also took another voluntary statement from Captain Pierre John Mendy and charged him. He said the statement was signed by him, Mendy and the witness. According to him he also took a voluntary statement from Lance Corporal Babou Janha which was signed by him, Janha and the independent witness.
He finally said he could recognise all the statements he took from the accused persons. Hearing continues tomorrow, Thursday, the 18th of January at the Yundum Military Barracks.
Foroyaa Newspaper Burning Issue
Issue No.007/2007, 17-18 January, 2007
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A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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