By Fatima Kpaka
Coporal Abubakar Turay, the 23rd accused person at the ongoing hearings at the Court Martial, has on Monday, July 29, 2024 admitted before Judge Advocate Mark Ngegba and members of the court’s board that he took snapshots of Koita and others at Lungi prior to the November 26, 2023 failed coup d’état.
Led in evidence by lawyer Ibrahim Kamara pictures were displayed on the screen showing the accused together with Koita, Leatherboot, Captain Jalloh, Staff Sergeant, Alhaji Koroma and others.
Another picture was shown to him where he further identified himself, Sergeant Janneh and Captain Jalloh of 15 battalion, adding that they were colleagues of that same unit.
He said he took snapshots with the other accused two weeks before leaving Lungi on the 22nd of November, 2023, and added that upon his return at Lungi on Monday the 27th of November, 2023, he resumed normal duty until Friday December 1st, 2023.
Turay further revealed that after prayers on Friday the 1st, when he returned to his duty post one Sergeant Amadu told him that Major Bawoh the Commanding Officer at Forces Reconnaissance Unit wanted to see him. He added that he left for Major Bawoh’s office immediately and while there, he received information that he had been summoned to Freetown.
Coporal Turay further explained that he was put in the custody of three gun men, one military police and other soldiers in a police escort vehicle which went to the Ferry Terminal boarded the ferry and cross over to Freetown.
He added that he was taken to Wilberforce barrack at the custodial center where the military commander, Major Koroma handed him to officer in charge of the cells (lock up) Sergeant Tucker, who then enquired from Major Koroma what offense was being held for, but “Major Koroma called at the Lungi barrack where he was told that he was arrested for the same offense which he did not know about.”
The defense witness said at that point he felt bad because he did not understand what was happening to him, adding that at that juncture he knew he was under arrest.
He said he was locked up from Friday to Monday without food or water, and added that in the afternoon on Monday, he received food at the lock up, but the lock up officers were urging them to eat quickly and so he was unable to eat. He furthered that after that he was placed in a vehicles which he was conveyed to the Criminal Investigation Department Headquarters on Pademba Road in Freetown where later in the evening he was given uncooked macaroni to eat.
Explaining further, Coporal Turay said he was never informed by anyone about the allegations against him, but was told that he was in custody for the same offense for which he knew nothing about.
The accused furthered that on the 7th of January, 2024, statements were obtained from him, but added that during that process the investigators never informed him about who the attackers were.
He furthered that before the investigators interviewed him, they put the allegations to him.
At this point, Exhibit PP1-6 was shown to the accused person, and he identified it as the first of the statements he made to the police, adding that he had been charged with the offense of Mutiny, Treason and other related offenses.
Turay further explained that after the allegations had been read to him, he denied them.
He said that Sergeant Solomon the interviewer, while taking statement from him, only read to him that he had the right to legal representation whiles taking statement from him, but did not clarify what he had read to him.
He furthered that if the investigators had told him that he needed legal representation he would have sought one that moment.
He further told the court that from the 1st to the 7th of January he was unable to contact his family, not until the 8th of January, 2024 when he appeared in court for the first time was able to see his family members.
Corporal Turay in his defense further told the court that he has two wives and three children.
At that juncture, Lawyer Kamara said he would have loved to tender the call logs from the accused’s phone in court and a request to that effect he said had been written to Q-cell mobile company but they are finding it difficult to get reply from them.
During cross examination by state Counsel Joseph Sesay,
Coporal Turay said he was deployed at 15th battalion Lungi.
Answering to further questions put to him by State Counsel Sesay he said his Commander at Lungi barrack was Major Bawoh.
He further revealed that a welfare pass given by the military should be a standard pass from the RSLAF, adding that the pass ought to have a beginning and an end date including the destination of the person.
Coporal Turay furthered that at Lungi barrack, he was the Regimental Medical Officer, adding that he made an oral request for a pass he received a written one.
He said the written pass which was given to him commenced on the 22nd of November, 2023, and mandated him to return on Friday or Saturday for work, adding that he never wore a military fatigue between those days.
He was asked if he knew one Sergeant Mustapha Turay alias (Animal murder) in 2009-2010.
Another picture containing eight persons, including Koita, was again displayed none the screen and he identified Staff Sergeant Alhaji Koroma, now a convict and previously the first accused in the matter.
He was shown a photograph of Leatherboot’s putting on a white vest, but he denied knowing him.
In the picture he also identified Captain Jalloh, adding that, he was the one who took the picture as selfie … “but could not tell his role at 15 battalion he only knew him when taking the picture.”
He said he knew Sergeant Kemoh, the 20th accused in the matter, but when his picture was display on the screen he denied knowing him.
He said Koita was in Lungi when they took the photos.
He further identified Sergeant Janneh, who wore a white vest, and said he was deployed at JLU at Murray town barrack as a driver.
He added that on the 26th of November, 2023, in the morning hours he was woken up by a call which he received from his sister in America, and on that same day briefed his boss that there was no ferry crossing over to Lungi, and his boss advised him that he should stay calm where he was.
At this point he was shown exhibit QQ1-6, and he identified it as the statement which he had made to the police, and he was asked to read it by State Counsel. The Statements revealed that he had the right to legal representation by the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF).
After cross-examination by State Counsel, C. I. Williams also re-examined Corporal Turay who clarified that he knew the 12th accused in the matter.
The matter comes up today for continuation.