By Henry Kargbo

Sergeant Micheal Sankoh, the fourteenth (14) witness attached at the Joint Force Command at Wilberforce Barracks while reading the statement made by the first accused person before the “Judge Advocate” Mark Ngegba at High Court No2, Freetown has testified in court.

Sergeant Micheal Sankoh told the court that in the process of obtaining statement from the first, eighth, sixteenth and twenty-first accused persons, the first accused said two month back, he had a call from Amodu Koita asking him is whereabouts which he reply that he happened to stay in Kambia. “Amodu Koita then sent me one million old Leones on my Orange Money number as a package money,” the statement said.

Sergeant Sankoh furthered that in the statement from the first accused person, Amodu Koita revealed to him that late Ladder Boot and he (Koita) had a plan to overthrow President Julius Maada Bio and if they success, the first accused person would be the head of state.

Prior to that Sergeant, Sankoh said Amodu Koita asked the first accused person if he knew Sergeant Ameriken, which he responded by saying yes. The witness went on and stated that Amodu Koita also sent two million Old Leones to share among him (the first accused) and Sergeant Ameriken.

Sergeant Sankoh added that the statement notified how the first accused person would transport the eight (8) AK47 and fifteen magazines to be conceded in charcoal bags for it to be travelled to Kambia NP filling station. Going forward, Sergeant Sankoh said after the agreement to transport the arms and ammunition. The accused stated that Amodu Koita informed him that someone would come from 15 Battalion in Lungi to aid the first accused person.

In addition, Sergeant Sankoh read that on 23rd November 2023, at around 7:30 the first accused had a call from Captain Jalloh instructing him that if he succeeded to transport the arms and ammunition, he would give him three million old Leones as a reward.

After reading the statement from the first accused person, the Judge Advocate Mark Ngegba adjourned the matter to Wednesday 14th February 2024 in order for the defence counsels to cross-examine the witness who served as an investigator attached at the military police department.