By Mohamed Jaward Nyallay
The Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF) has vowed to push on with the trial of Captain Patrick Edwin Kamara, in absentia.
Kamara, who is facing a court martial over missing arms and ammunition, was under detention at the military Custodial Center at Wilberforce Barracks in Freetown, from where he reportedly escaped.
Kamara, a former presidential bodyguard, was accused alongside two others and were slammed with five counts charges, including conspiracy to steal service property, the prejudice order of good order and military discipline.
Ministry of Defence and RSLAF officials said on Wednesday that the court martial will continue with its proceedings, despite the escape of one of the accused.
“The MoD/RSLAF would further like the public to know that while all efforts are being made to re-arrest Captain Kamara, the two other accused persons in the Court Martial trial, namely, Warrant Officer Class 1 Samuel Conteh and Warrant Officer Class 2 Abu Bakar Jalloh are still remanded at the Custodial Center,” a joint statement from MoD and RSLAF issued to journalists reads.
Wednesday’s presser came at the backdrop of wild speculations about what may have happened to Captain Kamara. Critics of the government, especially supporters of the main opposition All Peoples Congress (APC) believe he is a victim of persecution.
Some went as far as suggesting he might have been killed.
The military denied this, with officials stressing the neutrality of the force.
Captain Kamara and his to co-accused are all former body guards of erstwhile President Ernest Bai Koroma for ten years.
“We are not political. We are public property. We serve the state,” said Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Lieutenant General Brima Sesay, adding: “as long as there is a state there will be military.”
Officials also said seven RSLAF personnel are under investigation over the issue.
The military said this is the first time someone has escaped from the Custodial Center, yet they have failed to explain how it happened.
“The Custodial Center was built to replicate the correctional center in Freetown. It has all the necessary security features. The structures in that placed are well placed so you don’t have things like these happening,” said CDS Sesay.
The Court Martial proceeding was almost coming to an end when Captain Kamara escaped.
The CDS said the court martial can go on even in worse circumstances.
“In the military even when you are dead, you can be tried,” he said.
One of the legal representatives of the military, Lieutenant Colonel Mohamed Kamara justified the decision of the military to try the official in absentia.
“Our rules allow us to try someone in absentia, more so when the person has a legal representation. In this case the case is almost close,” he said.
Lawyer Kamara added that the military is under obligation to provide legal representation for officers on trial and that in this case the military honoured the obligation. But he noted that all the accused decided on getting their own lawyers.
The two other accused are expected to continue their appearance in the case against them. The military assured that the action of Captain Kamara will not affect them.
“Everyone will carry his own cross. No one will be punished for anyone,” said CDS Sesay.
The escape of Captain Kamara has also exposed some flaws in the security of the Custodial Center. And the military, in spite of the assurances, admitted to these. CDS Sesay said they were looking at the possibility of reviewing a number of operational processes in the coming weeks or months.
“We are going to make sure we revisit security advisories and we will also look at the deployment and contingency plan,” he said.
© 2019 Politico Online
