By Janet A. Sesay
Sergeant Mani Atonkoa Saffea attached at the Murray Town Barracks as a driver on Monday, 8th April, 2024, before Justice Komba Kamanda and the 12 jurors testified before the court that the assailants during their firing at Cockerill Headquarters said they had not come to kill anyone but to remove the rotten system in the country.
In his evidence in chief, Sergeant Saffea said he has served in the military from 1999 to present. He said he recognised the first accused, Koita, and sixth accused Hassan Leigh as his squad mates, including the ninth accused, Ibrahim, and the twelfth accused.
Witness Saffea recalled that on 26th November, 2023, he was at home sleeping when he heard gunshots coming from the Wilberforce area.
He said at that moment he and his friend Sergeant Koroma exited and stood outside their houses. He furthered that his friend Koroma made a call during which he was told that Wilberforce Barracks was being attacked.
He said around 5:00 am, he boarded a kekeh for work and when he reached the Lumley roundabout he felt someone tapping him on his shoulder telling him that somebody is calling him inside a black jeep.
The witness said he then looked inside the vehicle and saw Sergeant Marka seated in the front of the vehicle.
Inside the vehicle he said the driver was Lieutenant Col. Johnson working at the Cockerill Headquarters who asked him where he was going. He responded that he was going to Murray Town where he is attached.
He furthered that Johnson told him that he was going to Cockerill and would give him a lift and after they reached Cockerill he would continue his journey to Murray Town.
Witness Saffea said he then boarded the vehicle sitting at the back, adding that they left from Lumley and nobody in the vehicle spoke to the other.
He said on their way they were still hearing heavy firing and when they got to Cockerill, upon reaching the entrance trying to get inside, they saw a dead body in front of the gate.
He said they alighted the vehicle and while in a state of dilemma they saw different people wearing military pants with different polo t-shirts concealing their faces with masks.
He said he and the others together with Johnson entered the vehicle to reverse it but he hit a speed bump and the vehicle stopped.
He said Sergeant Marka sitting in front of the vehicle was holding a weapon and the unknown men rushed at him trying to take the weapon from him, which he refused and put up a struggle for the weapon.
The witness furthered that while at that Johnson was able to move the car again, this time driving inside the Cockerill Headquarters, but that the unknown men went after them.
He said while driving Johnson hit another stone and the car stopped causing Johnson to open the car’s door and running away. He said they ran after him but few of the assailants were with him and Sergeant Marka.
He said he did not know where Colonel Johnson ran to and afterwards he and Sergeant Marka left the vehicle and ran down by the bush but the assailants started firing on top of them.
At this point witness Saffea started weeping profusely but was encouraged by the judge and prosecution counsel to be strong and testify.
In continuation, witness Saffea said while the assailants were raining gunfire at them, they both dashed to the floor but they were nonetheless captured by the assailants.
Witness Saffea said the assailants asked them to identify themselves and he told them that he was a pastor and the military officer attached at Murray Town Barracks as a driver.
He said one of the assailants after hearing that stated that they have a good driver to help them drive. He said the assailants then asked him to join them in their operations which he agreed and they told him that they had not come to kill anyone but to pull the rotten system in the country down.
He said the assailants then took them up to the street and there they met two military vehicles parked at the gate to the Cockerill Headquarters and the assailants commanded him to drive the vehicle that was in the front.
He continued that the assailants commanded him to examine the first vehicle during which exercise he saw that the front tyre of the vehicle was deflated, which he told them, but that the assailants told him that they would not give him the vehicle again to drive.
He went on that inside the vehicle he saw Col. Sandi talking to one of the assailants that he did not have the keys to the ammunitions store hence he could not give out ammunitions to anyone because he was not in charge.
He said he did not identify the assailant talking to Col. Sandi because he was wearing a mask.
He said he later heard Col Sandi talking again and this time around he mentioned the name Koita, adding that he again told him that he did not have keys to the ammunitions dump as he was not in charge of ammunitions. It was there he came to know that it was Koita who was standing at the door of the vehicle.
Witness Saffea continued that later one of the assailants went to the vehicle and informed them that the place was now clear and they should go to ordinance at Murray Town to get weapons and at squadron to get vehicles.
He said at that point one of the assailants got closer to him holding a weapon that aimed to shoot him on his feet but he quickly removed his feet and the bullet hit the ground.
He said immediately Koita asked who had fired the gun and he strictly warned them not to fire again. He said up to now the ground is still deep where the bullet entered. The witness furthered that the assailants entered the vehicle and tried leaving Cockerill Headquarters but before leaving they instructed him to take care of the dead bodies that had been shot dead, but he did not go near them.
He said the deceased were wearing military uniforms. He said after the assailants had left he met his colleagues Sergeant Marka and other soldiers who were in hiding. He said at that point Staff Sergeant Clay at Murray Town called him asking where he was and told him that he was being held by the assailants but had escaped.
He said he told his colleagues that the assailants were on their way to attack ordinance at Murray Town. He said he related this message because ordinance is what keeps the country as it is where all the nation’s weapons are kept.
He said he believes that God used him to hear the plans of the assailants and so he quickly related the message to his colleagues.
Defence counsel Pious Sesay sought for a date to cross examine the witness.
He said they were having difficulties accessing Koita at the reintegration centre, adding that they have written the Director General of Prison about it but are still being denied access.
He said as defence they need to be properly informed about what the witness had stated before they cross examine the witness. Prosecution did not oppose to the adjournment. The matter comes up on Thursday, 11th April, 2024, for cross examination.