By Fatima Kpaka
On Monday, January 13, 2025, Major Juana Kabba, the second accused in the ongoing court-martial trial, denied his involvement in the failed coup of November 26, 2023, and the alleged subversion for which he was arrested in July 2023.
Led in evidence by his lawyer, Ibrahim Bangura, Major Kabba stated that he is now a dismissed military personnel, having served the military for 18 years in various deployments. He was commissioned into the military in 2006. “I was posted to the 5th Battalion in 2015, and at JFC in 2016 as Staff Officer Grade 3, and in 2020 to the Ministry of Defense as SO2,” he said.
When asked whether he had any reason to betray the army between June and July 2023, Major Kabba said no, adding that the allegations against him were untrue. He denied holding meetings with colleagues to overthrow the government of Sierra Leone, stating that his colleagues visited him only to plan their leisure activities.
Major Kabba admitted to having a social media group called Mature Students and the New Entertainment Group (Net) but denied any association with the Kalamera WhatsApp group. He stated that the discussions in his groups were related to sports and other topics, and he never received any money for these activities.
Regarding his recognition of the other accused, Major Kabba said he met the first accused in 2022 at the Ministry of Defense when applying for study leave. He worked with the third accused at the Ebola center in 2014, met the fourth accused in 2016 at JFC, and met the fifth accused in August 2023 at the Custodian Center, along with the sixth accused. He denied having personal relationships with them.
Major Kabba explained that the Mature Students WhatsApp group comprises over 180 members, with only a few being military personnel. The group was apolitical, discussing sports and women’s issues. The Net group was a subgroup of Mature Students.
“I had interactions with the first accused on several occasions between June and July 2023, discussing study leave. He told me he was going on a research trip to Sanya in Guinea, and when his contact did not show up, I advised him to return,” Major Kabba explained.
He recounted that on August 5-6, 2023, he was invited to report to the offices and was arrested on allegations of subversion. He was detained at the Custodian Center, where statements were obtained from him by CID personnel. His house was searched, but nothing of police interest was found. He was confronted with the other accused while in detention.
Major Kabba stated that he never attempted to escape from the Custodian Center, describing the atmosphere as peaceful. However, between August 15-23, 2023, armed men, including WO1 Gbobeh, entered the center, pointed guns at them, and threatened to kill them. Captain Amza intervened, stopping the armed men and highlighting the human rights violation. Major Kabba described feeling traumatized and afraid for his life.
On November 26, 2023, Major Kabba was at the Special Court when he heard gunshots. Later that morning, unknown gunmen broke into their cell, pointed a gun at him, and ordered him to go with them, threatening to kill him if he refused. The guards on duty disappeared when the cells were broken into.
“I was forced out of my cell, sustained gunshot wounds, and placed into a white vehicle. The vehicle proceeded to the eastern part of Freetown. Some of the assailants were marked and dressed in military and police uniforms, while I was in civilian attire,” Major Kabba stated.
At Shell Company in the eastern part of Freetown, they encountered OSD personnel, whom the assailants ordered to join them. The OSD personnel ran, and the assailants chased after them. During this period, Major Kabba escaped but was unable to return to his unit due to threats from WO1 Gbobeh. He could not identify loyal forces and had no phone to communicate.
Major Kabba cited the United Nations Human Rights Article 15, stating that he felt his life was threatened, and based on that convention, he fled to Guinea on foot until he arrived in Mamor, Guinea, where he became ill. “I spent some days in Mamor and later went to the UNHCR camp for refuge. While there, I submitted my passport photos, explained what had happened, showed them the wanted list, and was interviewed by lawyers. They advised me to stay calm, as they would inform reporters in Senegal.”
According to Major Kabba, on June 25, 2024, while waiting for the UNHCR, Guinean armed men and Sierra Leonean forces entered their compound where he was residing with the third accused, Major Foday Sumana Kamara, and the fourth accused, Major I. Bangura. They informed them that they were under arrest but did not present any warrants, only showing a wanted list on a phone.
Major Kabba said the house was searched, but no weapons were found, and they were not allowed to talk to their lawyers or the UNHCR. They were later repatriated to Sierra Leone and kept in solitary confinement in Benghazi, being fed only once a day.
Major Kabba argued that an AWOL (Absent Without Leave) report could not have been sent for him because he was in lawful detention. He stated that the military police should have sent an absent report, and after three days, an AWOL signal report to the Ministry of Defense, but this was not presented in court, indicating it was not sent. He claimed his dismissal in January 2024 was unlawful.
In further evidence, Major Kabba said that in July 2023, between the 25th and 27th, Major E. Bangura informed him that friends at Njala University had decided to contribute money to organize a social event. They created the New Entertainment Group for this purpose. A day later, Major JT Bangura posted a document in the group and asked that after adding participants, the details be forwarded to him. On the same day, Major S. Bangura posted that friends had agreed to contribute the money and suggested a venue in West End, but Major Kabba told them it was too expensive.
He said the documents sent to him were forwarded to the first accused without knowing the content. Major Kabba responded to Bangura’s earlier post by saying that the work would be done, not the documents that he did not read. In early November 2023, while in detention, Major Kabba asked Major JT Bangura why he posted the document in the Net group. Bangura replied that it was a mistake and meant for a project in Liberia.
Major Kabba stated he made statements to the joint investigation team, not directly to the military team. He denied allegations of negotiating for the purchase of weapons with the first accused and others.
During his examination-in-chief by defense counsel I. Bangura, Major Kabba denied having meetings with the first accused at his residence and denied going to Makeni with him.
In cross-examination by state counsel Joseph AK Sesay, Major Kabba confirmed he was enlisted into the RSLAF in 2006. He revealed he first met the first accused in 2022 when he went to the Ministry of Defense to apply for study leave but did not inquire whether he had graduated in 2022. When asked if it was necessary to check graduation status before applying for study leave, Major Kabba said it was not his job and he was following instructions from the ACDS.
In further cross-examination, Major Kabba said he arrived in Mamor in mid-January 2024 and learned about his dismissal through social media. He claimed he was unaware of the curfew on November 26, 2023. When asked if he saw the assailants on his way to Guinea, Major Kabba said they were all dressed in military uniform, so he could not distinguish between loyal forces and assailants. He said that between November 2023 and mid-January 2024, he still could not tell who the loyal forces were.
When questioned if he thought of any authority at that time, Major Kabba replied in the negative, stating he was traumatized. When asked what a Major should do when the state is in such situations, Major Kabba said he sought refuge, believing it was the right thing to do and intended to seek asylum and later return to Sierra Leone.
He admitted knowledge of the AWOL procedure, adding that in normal situations, after being absent for three days, you would call your unit and inform them of the situation. When lawyer Sesay asked if it was easier to approach the UNHCR than to call his unit, Major Kabba replied yes. When asked if he trusted the military installation in Guinea more than in Sierra Leone, he said he could not tell.
Major Kabba revealed in cross-examination that he found the third and fourth accused through Major Bangura, who directed him to them in Conakry, Guinea. He denied being with them at the Special Court on November 26, 2023.
When further asked if he recalled sending a message to the first accused about a meeting on July 25, 2023, Major Kabba said he could not recall and could not tell when the first accused was arrested. He admitted being in communication with the first accused, Major Patrick Abu Ordende Sesay, before his arrest on July 29, 2023. He also revealed that Major JT Bangura was a member of the Mature Students group but said he could not identify his number.
The matter was adjourned to Wednesday, January 15, 2025, for further hearing.