By Allieu Sahid Tunkara
The 4th accused at the court martial trying 13 soldiers for alleged mutiny has denied meeting his fellow accused persons to plan the mutiny.
In his testimony on Wednesday at the court martial presided over by Judge Advocate Otto During, Lance Corporal 18164033 Massaquoi M said before the trial, he knew all but two of the other accused persons. However, he stated, between the 6th and 10th of August, 2013, he never took part in a secret meeting to commit mutiny against the leadership of the Army and to overthrow government.
Corporal Massaquoi added that he had had no knowledge of a secret meeting at Teko Barracks where it is alleged that a secret meeting of soldiers was convened to commit mutiny in August, 2013.
The accused further defended that while on deployment at the 4th military battalion in Makeni, north of the country, he never was absent from duty without official leave and he never requested a welfare pass to enable him go on personal affair.
Serving under the direct supervision of Sergeant Major Sesay, the accused furthered, his main task was to construct canteens at the barracks.
“Apart from the duty of canteen construction, I also performed guard duty at the quartermaster’s [logistics officer’s] office between 5pm and 6am daily,” he noted.
The accused, while being cross examined by lead state prosecuting counsel Gerard Soyei, maintained that he never had a break from his duty as he went to the quartermaster’s office immediately he finished his duty of canteen construction. He also stated that whenever he was on duty at that time, he was never posted together with any of the other accused persons, and that he had no opportunity to communicate with them.
Asked by the prosecutor whether he could tell the exact number of years he had spent at Teko barracks, Corporal Massaquoi replied that he could not remember the number of years he had been posted for.
Arrested in August, 2013, 13 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.
The accused persons have been in remand since they were arrested in August, 2013 although they deny all charges.
The matter comes up on again Friday 30th August, 2015.
© Politico 29/01/15
