By Audrey Raymonda John
The Attorney General and Minister of Justice Mohamed Lamin has on Monday 21st October, 2024, gave an opening address at the Court martial hearing at Cockrill Headquarters on the commencement of the trial involving six Military Officers who were arraigned before the court, allegedly involvement in various activities in June, July leading to the November 26th failed coup.
He made his address before the Judge Advocate Mark Ngegba and six members of the board including the president.
The accused persons include: SL/1345 Major Patrick Abu Ordence Sesay of 14 battalion,
SL/1307 Major Juana Kabba Ministry of defense, SL/1277 Major Foday Sumana Kamara Joint Communication Unit, SL/1334 Major Ibrahim Abu Bakarr Bangura of FRU, SL/1691 Leuiteinant Zainab Amara Suwu of Forces Intelligence and Security Unit and RSLAF 18177737 Coporal Mohamed Koroma of TPT.
In his opening address, the learned Attorney General Mohamed Lamin said the State filed an Opening address to give an indication as to the nature of the allegations against all Six (6) dismissed personnel of the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF) who were members of the force before their involvements in various activities in June and July, 2023 and leading up to the incidents of 26th November, 2023.
He said the prosecution are of the view that these activities and the acts complained of amounted to offences and violations of provisions in the Armed Forces of the Republic of Sierra Leone Act, 1961 (Act No. 34 of 1961, as Amended), which will be addressed under various headings.
Giving the background of the matter, the learned Attorney General said all Six (6) dismissed Military Personnel were charged to court on the 11th October, 2024, adding that they are charged with three counts offences of Mutiny contrary to Sections 37(1)(a), Mutiny contrary to Sections 37(1)(b), Failure to suppress Mutiny, contrary to Sections 38(a) and Desertion contrary to section 43(1)(a) of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Sierra Leone Act, 1961 Act No. 34 of 1961, as Amended.
He further address the court that after the incident on 26 November, commanding officers investigation were conducted by the accused individual Commanders, and all Six dismissed Military Personnels were referred to the appropriate superior authority, who decided that they should be tried by Court Martial.
Giving a brief facts about the matter, the learned Attorney General state that between 1st May and 29th July, 2023, a civilian Sheka Idriss Dumbuya, a teacher and Proprietor of the Memorial Academy Secondary School Calaba town , conceived the plot to overthrow the legitimate government of Julius Maada Bio, adding that Sheka Idriss Dumbuya established an organization named the “KALAMERA”, a Temne word meaning “Reflection” of which he was the Chairman.
He addressed the judge advocate and members of the board that the organization had several whatsapp groups of which Idriss was the administrator of the organisation and he added some military personnel including Major Pao Sesay, Major Juana Kabba, Major Foday Sumana Kamara, Major Ibrahim Abu Bakarr Bangura, Corporal Mohamed Koroma and other personnels me
He added that this organization led to the creation of a sub whatsapp group called the “Security Network Core”.
He furthered in his address that this group served as the military wing and had membership of mostly serving and retired military including police personnel and other politicians.
He furthered that it is alleged that it was in this Security Network Core whatsapp group that the plot to mount a coup to overthrow the government was planned and discussed.
He said all the above named military personnels are said to have been either members of the whatsapp group or knew about its existence and purpose.
He continue that Major Pao Sesay is said to have been the lead military figure in this group, adding that in several group discussions and meetings held by members of this forum at different locations in the country, plans were made to procure arms and ammunitions and to recruit disgruntled and willing military personnels across the country to join the plot to overthrow the sitting government.
He further added that Major Pao Sesay and Major JT Bangura received money from Major F.S Kamara and Major Juana Kabba to travel to Guinea through Sanya to negotiate with an arms dealer.
The Attorney General further that the first accused Major Patrick Abu Ordende met with Captain S.I Kargbo who is on the run as he was the Officer Commanding (OC) of the RSLAF Forward Patrol Base at the Sierra Leone-Guinea border Town of Sanya and they all together with two Sierra Leone Police personnel, crossed over to Guinea, where they met the arms dealer and held talks to buy arms and ammunition from him.
He further that at an earlier meeting in Makeni, Captain S.I Kargbo had pledged to make available the arms ammunition holding including three General Purpose Machine Gun he had at Sanya FPB.
He further address the Judge Advocate and members of the board in
Case Theory and Early Submission by stating that the case against all Six accused persons is that they acted jointly to engage in unlawful acts which conduct amounting to Mutiny that aimed at unlawfully removing the Government of the Republic of Sierra Leone.
He furthered that the first accused Ordende was very active in the various whatsapp groups where subversive discussions were held, adding that he attended the meetings held in Freetown and Makeni where they discussed plans and how to execute their plans in an unlawful manner.
He continue that accused Ordende endeavoured to procure arms and ammunition by travelling to Sanya in furtherance of their plan to stage the coup, adding that he also made efforts to add the Fifth accused Lieutenant Zainab Amara Suwu his girlfriend, to the SECURITY NETWORK CORE whatsapp group in his effort to introduce her to top official of a political party.
He continue that accused Ordende further deserted and failed to turn after the attacks of 26th November 2023 but went with Major S. Bangura to a native doctor in Waterloo to get themselves prepared.
The Attorney General continue that the Second accused Major Juana Kabba was a member of the whatsapp group called “MATURE STUDENT” and also the first accused Ordende and third accused Major Foday Sumana Kamara were also members of the said Whatsapp group.
The Attorney General further that another group was created by the second accused Juana Kabba called “NET”, where the first accused Ordende and the third accused Foday persons where.
He said the second accused Juana Kabba forwarded a message on the NET group and the message was titled Logistic Breakdown For Freedom Day, adding that others members of the group attended a meetings at the World Wide Night Club, at Dwazack in Freetown and also in Makeni where they discussed the plan to overthrow the government of Sierra Leone.
He further that during the 26th November 2023 attacks, the accused persons escaped from lawful custody and deserted their deployment and failed to turn themselves to the authorities, thereby showing disloyalty to the state.
He further that the third accused Major Foday Sumana Kamara was also a member of the Kalamera WhatsApp group, after he was added to the group by the sixth accused Coporal Mohamed Koroma.
He further addressed the court that accused Koroma deserted and went to Guinea where he was arrested together with the other accused persons.
The Fourth accused Major Ibrahim Abubakarr Bangura deserted and went to Guinea where he was been arrested.
The fifth accused Lieutenant General Zainab Amara Suwu is the girlfriend of the first accused Ordende was added to the whatsapp group called Security Network Core, and other groups of top political officials.
He said in the group Suwu promised the coup planners that she was going to be a spy in the Intelligence Unit of the RSLAF where she was working, and failed to report their subversive discussions.
He further that Suwu also deserted together with the first accused Ordende and went to Guinea where they were rearrested.
The sixth accused he said Coporal Mohamed Koroma was the chairman of the Kalamera whatsapp group, where they discussed plans to overthrow the government of Sierra Leone in an unlawful manner and he helped to recruit most of the military personnel to join them in the coup plan. He further that Koroma also attended the meetings at Freetown and Makeni together with other accused persons and he also went to Kabala to recruit more members.
He said Koroma deserted when the investigations of their subversive activities started.
He therefore said the charges levied against the accused persons include Mutiny, Contrary to Section 37(1)(a) of the Armed Forces of the republic of Sierra Leone Act, 1961 (Act No.34 of 1961), (as Amended).
Failure to suppress Mutiny, Contrary to Section 38(a) of The Armed Forces of The Republic of Sierra Leone Act, 1961 (Act No.34 of 1961), (as Amended).
Desertion, contrary to Section 43(1)(a) of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Sierra Leone Act, 1961 (Act No.34 of 1961) (as Amended).
In conclusion the learned Attorney General said some of these accused person in whose hands Arms and Ammunition were entrusted for the security of the State and the people of Sierra Leone abdicated their sacred and responsibility by agreeing in whatsapp groups to overthrow the government of Sierra Leone in an unlawful means.
He therefore urge the judge advocate and Members of the Board to carry out their sacred duty to determine the fate of the accused persons who were enlisted to serve man and country but deliberately or negligently abandoned their duties calls as soldiers and instead turned away from the principles of good order and discipline.
He urged the judge advocate and members of the board to be impartial and not be influenced by sympathy, affection and any other sentiment, adding that it is in the interest of justice, that their verdicts be confined to the evidence before this court martial.
Defences submission lawyer Ibrahim Bangura on behalf of the 2nd Kabba and 6th Koroma accused persons said it is true that the accused persons was operating a whatsapp group known as Mature Group, but it was a social group and not a political group.
He further that the second accused Kabba left the jurisdiction because he felt his life was threatened, not to desert his duty.
Bangura further submitted that his clients does not support any overthrow of a legitimate government.
Lawyer Ibrahim Macfoy on behalf of the 1st accused Ordende said the judge advocate and members of the board should look at the case with an open mind and rely on the fact, adding that there must be proof beyond reasonable doubt and it has to be within the time alleged that the offences were committed.
On behalf of the third accused Major Foday Sumana Kamara lawyer Kamara States that his client had no knowledge of the said whatsapp group, pleading with the judge advocate and members of the board to look at the case based on merit, using evidence presented before them.
On behalf of the fourth accused lawyer Kobber states that decisions needs to be taken rightly, adding that If done so fine, but if done otherwise, it would be a terrible mistake that will affect the future.
He said justice has to be done and so the judge advocate and members of the board should use their good conscience to arrive at justice.
Lawyer Kobber on behalf of the fifth accused Zainab Amara Suwu submitted that his client is charged with four count of Mutiny, Failure to Suppress Mutiny and Desertion.
He said his client is
Girlfriend of the first accused Ordende and she’ was added to whatsapp group unbeknownst her.
After their submission the matter was adjourned to today for the prosecution to lead their first witness.
