𝐀𝐭 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐭 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐥… 𝐖𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐌𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐋𝐚𝐰𝐲𝐞𝐫 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐭𝐞𝐬

A woman Military Lawyer, Captain Ballay Yainkain Kamara has led the 14th and 15th prosecution witnesses in the Court Martial trial of twenty seven serving Military Officers, alleged to have been attackers of 26th November, 2023 failed coup in Sierra Leone.

The 15th Prosecution Witness (PW15) Warrant Officer Class 2 (WO2) 18171816 Emmanuel Sesay said he is an investigator attached to the Joint Force Command at Cockeril Military Barracks at Wilkinson Road in Freetown.

The witness recalled in December of 2023. He was on duty when he was asked to proceed to the male reintegration centre at Jomo Kenyetta Road.

He was required to obtain statement from the 26th accused Lance Corporal 18181739 Hassan Sesay and the 23rd accused Corporal 18181863 Abukarr Turay.

According to PW15, during the investigations, both accused agreed to make their voluntary caution statement in the absence of their legal representation.

In the 23rd accused statement that was produced, tendered and read in Court, he (accused) said he left his Lungi deployment base on a request approval dated 21st November 2023 to see his daughter at Aberdeen who was reported sick.

He dropped off at Benguema where he passed the night. On the 22nd November he went to see his daughter at Aberdeen, and on the same day he returned to Waterloo.

He again had cause to see his daughter on the 25th November before he left for Ferry Junction to return back to his deployment at Lungi.

At Ferry Junction, he (accused) said he was unfortunate and there was no Ferry. He then decided to pass the night at his family house at Ashobi Corner. He reported to his Boss Major Turay that he could not return to Lungi.

On arrival at Lungi he went on performing his duty at deployment and on the 1st December went to see his Boss Gbow who sent for him. At Gbow’s office and on his instruction boarded a Military Police vehicle to Freetown. The three days welfare request was not made formally but orally.

PW14 Sargent Michael Sankoh, a Military Police and an investigator was also led in evidence. The witness said he obtained caution statement and voluntary interview from the 8th accused.

Both witnesses were cross examined by defense counsels including Lawyer Ibrahim Bangura from the Legal Aid Board.