By: Audrey Raymonda John
In the ongoing court martial in Freetown, Corporal Alfred Methodist Kargbo made a significant revelation on Thursday, January 25, 2024. Before Judge Advocate Mark Ngegba and the panel of judges presiding over the case involving 27 military personnel charged with mutiny, Corporal Kargbo disclosed that his superior in the military had threatened to kill him if he refused to participate in a plan to remove the president from power.
In his testimony, led by State Counsel Joseph Sesay, Corporal Alfred Methodist Kargbo identified himself as Military personnel deployed at the Five Battalion Wilberforce barracks. He acknowledged the second accused, RSLAF 18171922 Sergeant Ibrahim Bundu Kamara, as his superior in the military, emphasizing their collaboration at the Five Battalion Wilberforce barracks.
Furthermore, Corporal Kargbo affirmed his recognition of the seventeenth accused, Lieutenant Colonel Charles James Mishkey Yamba, stating that Lieutenant Colonel Yamba served as their commanding officer from November 1st to November 26th,
On November 25, 2023, the witness recalled his duty in the morning as the guarding officer alongside Private Soldier Jalloh. During their duty, the witness instructed Soldier Jalloh to rest for two hours as they would be working at the gate the following day. While stationed at the gate, the witness observed a grey and black vehicle approaching, and Sergeant Major Turay, the RQMS officer at five battalions, went towards the gate.
The witness noted that Sergeant Major Turay opened the gate for the approaching vehicle. As the vehicle entered, the witness noticed Captain Senessie, the field officer, inside the first vehicle. After entering, Captain Senessie gave the witness a thumbs-up signal. Subsequently, the witness allowed the other vehicle to enter the barracks, and Sergeant Major Turay instructed him to guard the gate.
Later on, the witness saw the second accused, Sergeant Ibrahim, coming from the quarters and heading to the ammunition area where the vehicles were parked. Sergeant Ibrahim eventually returned to the gate. The witness then questioned Sergeant Ibrahim about the people in black, and Sergeant Ibrahim went outside the gate, turned his face down at the bottom of the street, and re-entered the barracks.
Curious about the situation, the witness approached Sergeant Major Turay again for information about the strangers. Sergeant Major Turay reassured him, stating that the strangers were his friends with whom he usually socialized. The witness then woke up Soldier Jalloh, asking him to watch, and continued observing various activities around the barracks.
Feeling a sense of curiosity, the witness moved closer to where the vehicles were parked to inquire further. Captain Senessie approached him, tapping him on the shoulder, and expressed a desire for the witness to join them on their operation. When asked about the nature of the operation, Captain Senessie inquired about the witness’s phone, still keeping his right hand hidden behind his back. The witness responded that his phone was in his pocket.
He then took two steps behind and cock the weapon threatening me that, “If you did not join us to remove the president from his seat, we will kill you” witness Kargbo revealed, the witness continued that “captain Senessie then abuse me that I should pass my ass and follow them to break the ammunition store” he narrated.
He said at that time, two men with face marks also join captain Senessie and they were pointing guns at him and so he had no option but to follow them at the ammunition dump.
He said when they reach at the first guard post leading to the ammunition store, they did not see any soldiers and when they reach at the ammunition store, they met private soldier Abigail and Corporal Kamara lying down sleeping and was ordered to disarm soldier Abigail because she was a female soldier while the other soldier was disarm by the people wearing black.
He recounted that the female soldier was urgently shouting for help. At that moment, he found himself a short distance away from them, prompting him to swiftly retreat. As he fled, he passed by the children’s hospital, where an unidentified person discharged a weapon in close proximity to him. In a bid to ensure his safety, he managed to escape and sought refuge at the nearby primary school.
He continued running and eventually reached the residence of Sergeant Taylor. Upon his arrival, he urgently knocked at the door. Private Gevao, a female soldier, promptly emerged in response to the commotion. Inquisitive about the situation, she inquired about what had transpired. In response, he requested her to listen to the surrounding sounds and proceeded to explain the events that had unfolded.
He mentioned that Captain Senessie informed him about their plan to overthrow the government from now until morning. Subsequently, he instructed Soldier Gevao to contact the President’s lodge and apprise them of the unfolding situation, a task she promptly carried out. Later that day, he returned home, and in the morning hours, he visited their clerk, Mr. Lahai, to provide a detailed account of the events.
Following this, he proceeded to the military police and issued a formal statement regarding the incident.
The witness mentions that Captain Senessie, deployed at five battalion Wilberforce before the incident, hasn’t shown up for work since. Sergeant Major Turay, the RQMS for the five battalion, also did not report for duty after the incident.
The witness states that he was on duty as a guard on the day of the incident but wasn’t issued arms and ammunition. After escaping, he didn’t return to the guard post due to a lack of weapons. The second accused, Kamara, was mentioned as the person responsible for issuing weapons when needed.
During the cross-examination, Ibrahim Kamara represented the second accused, while Sergeant Ibrahim Kamara and Julian Cole cross-examined on behalf of the seventeen accused Coniel Charles James Mishkey Yamba. The judges advocate adjourned the matter to January 31, 2024, for the continuation of cross-examination.