By Saio Marrah
The 8th accused in the on-going treason trial has denied being part of the November 26, 2023 attempt to overthrow the government of President Bio. Bai Mahmoud Bangura said this in his statement to the police read in the High Court on Wednesday 6thMarch, 2024 by the ninth prosecution witness, Abubakarr Kargbo.
Commenting on how he knew the second accused, Mohamed Jalloh who was found in his house, the 8thaccused told a team of investigators that he knew him (Jalloh) back in 2014 when he commenced the construction of his house at a place called Obama Junction in rural Freetown. Bangura said he hired the service of the second accused when he was recommended as a good plumber by his building contractor.
He said when the second accused asked him to provide shelter for him, he offered an apartment to him in the compound in 2019 and that he always saw the second accused in full military uniform going to work.
Asked why he didn’t find out whether the second accused was indeed a serving military personnel, Bangura said seeing Jalloh in a full military uniform on a daily basis leaving the house and the confirmation of his building contractor that he was a soldier was enough for him to accept that.
According to the statement Bangura was at home on Saturday 25th November doing some paperwork for an online post-graduate degree when he saw the second accused in the compound in a military uniform. He said he saw him again in the compound at about 9.a.m. on the following day, 26th November 2023, but he was in civilian clothes.
He said on the 29th November, a group of security personnel went to his house saying they wanted to conduct a search on the property and he allowed them to do so and at the end of the process, they did not find anything of police interest. The 8th accused noted that military uniforms were found at the apartment of the second accused upon which he was arrested along with the second accused and taken to Lumley police station.
During cross-examination by Lawyer Africanus Sorie Sesay, representing the 8th accused, the witness told the court that their investigation showed that the second accused was a serving military personnel, but had been absent without leave.
The witness further read the statement of the 10thaccused, Tamba Yamba, who described himself as an Inspector in the Sierra Leone Police, attached to the Operational Support Division (OSD).
He said he was on duty at Congo Cross police station when the assailants attacked them, arrested and forcefully asked him to join them after one of the assailants pointed a Rocket Propel Grenade (RPG) at him. He said they took him to the Pademba Road Correctional centre and then headed to Orogu Bridge in the east end of Freetown where the assailant asked him to go to Jui Police Barracks and find out whether armed police officers were there in large numbers.
The accused said he went into the barracks and informed his colleagues that assailants were about to attack them. The 10th accused said they (OSD personnel at Jui barracks) succeeded in repelling the assailants and that on the following day, he reported for duty at Congo Cross police station, where he was told to report at OSD headquarters.
According to him, while at the OSD headquarters, he was told to hand himself to the Criminal Investigation Department saying that he was a wanted man.
The witness however told the court that during the investigation, the commander at Jui Barracks at the time said he did not see the 10th accused on the day in question as he claimed.
Bai Mahmoud Bangura, Amadu Koita Makalo and 10 others are accused of treason, misprision of treason, murder, harbouring and unlawful wearing of military uniforms.
The trial resumes 11th March 2024.
Copyright © 2024 Politico (11/03/24)
