By Allieu Sahid Tunkara
There is apparent delay in the matter at the Sierra Leone court martial which is trying 13 soldiers for alleged mutiny, as the lead state prosecutor fails to appear for the second consecutive time on grounds of ill health.
Gerard Soyei was on the court premises in the morning hours of Monday, February 2, 2015, but his co-prosecutor Major Vincent Sowa announced that the lead prosecutor had fallen “very ill” minutes before the start of the proceeding. A court orderly James Metzger, who said he had spoken to Soyei shortly after he fell ill, said the lead prosecutor promised to return to work on Friday, February 6, 2015, the date to which the prosecution applied for the matter to be adjourned.
Nevertheless, on Friday Vincent Sowa told the Judge Advocate Otto During that Soyei “is still ill.”
The lead defence counsel Julius Nye Cuffie noted that his client, the 5th accused, and his supporting witness were in court ready for their testimonies. He made same pronouncement on Monday the day on which Soyei was announced to have first fallen ill, but he however did not make any objection to both adjournments as he had said on Monday “the adjournment borders on health, though there is no medical evidence to support” the claim.
Major Sowa applied for an adjournment of the matter to yesterday, the 9th of February, but Otto During adjourned it to Wednesday, February 11, 2015.
Efforts to speak to Soyei have proved fruitless.
Major Vincent Sowa who has been together prosecuting the matter with Soyei declined to give contact numbers for the ‘sick’ prosecutor.
The court martial tribunal started in April last year with 14 soldiers, but on 8 December, Judge Advocate Otto During freed the 9th accused RSLAF 18164718 Corporal Alex Gibao Koroma stating that he had “no case to answer before the court.” Alex Koroma had raised an alibi on his claim that he was on leave on 10 August, 2013 on which it is alleged that a mutiny took place.
Arrested in August, 2013, the thirteen soldiers of the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces are standing trial at the court martial for alleged conspiracy, mutiny and failure to suppress mutiny. They have been in remand since their arrest although they deny all charges brought against them.
© Politico 10/02/15
