By Ibrahim Kabba Turay
Sergeant Micheal Sankoh, the 14th witness attached at the Joint Force Command, Wilberforce Barracks, read the statement of the first accused person before the “Judge Advocate” Mark Ngegba in the on-going court martial trial of military personnel alleged to have involved in a failed coup.
Sergeant Micheal Sankoh told the court that in the process of obtaining statement from the first, eighth, sixteenth and twenty-first accused persons, the first accused, Staff Sergeant Alhaji Koroma said two months back, he had a call from Amadu Koita, asking him about his whereabouts and that he replied that he was in Kambia.
“Amadu Koita then sent me one million old Leones on my Orange Money number as a package money,” the statement said.
Sergeant Sankoh further testified that in the statement from the first accused, Amadu Koita revealed to him that him and “Leather Boot” had a plan to overthrow President Julius Maada Bio and if they succeed, the first accused person would be the head of state.
Prior to that, Sergeant Sankoh said Amadu Koita asked the first accused whether he knew Sergeant alias Ameriken and that he responded in the affirmative.
The witness also claimed that Amadu Koita also sent two million Old Leones to share among him ( the first accused) and Sergeant Ameriken.
Sergeant Sankoh added that the statement notified how the first accused person would transport the eight (8) AK47 and fifteen magazines to be conceded in charcoal bags and transported to Kambia NP filling station.
Sergeant Sankoh said after the agreement to transport the arms and ammunition, the accused stated that Amadu Koita informed him that someone would come from 15 Battalion in Lungi to aid the first accused person.
In addition, Sergeant Sankoh read that on 23rd November 2023, at around 7:30, the first accused had a call from Captain Jalloh, instructing him that should he succeeds to transport the arms and ammunition, he would be given three million old Leones as a reward.
After reading the statement from the first accused person, the Judge Advocate, Mark Ngegba, adjourned the matter to Wednesday 14th February 2024 in order for the defense counsels to cross-examine the witness, who served as an investigator attached at the military police department.
The state prosecutors were Captain Y.B Kamara, A.B Koroma, Captain S.M Sesay and others. The defense counsels were Ibrahim Bangura from Legal Aid Board, Ady Macaulay, I.A Kamara, and J. Cole, among others.
