By Henry Kargbo
Major Musa Adazo Leslie Dassama, the 23rd witness of the ongoing court martial matter at the High Court of Sierra Leone has testified before Judge Advocate Mark Ngegba and Board Members on Wednesday 13th March 2024 informed the court that he was shot with a grenade propel weapon by Corporal Kemoh during the 26th November 2023 armoury break at Wilberforce Barracks in Freetown.
He narrated that, Major Dassama who stood in the witness box struggling with pain as a result of the gun wounds he sustained, revealed that on Saturday 25th November 2023, he had a call from the commander of the Joint Force Major General Dauda informing that all RSLAF officers at the Joint Force Unit should report at military headquarters. As a Joint Force Communication Officer attached at the RSLAF headquarters at Cockrill Barracks, he immediately held a military order to all the personnel.
Major Dassama told the court that during the course of the military order, Major General Dauda Alpha abreast him and his men about the intelligent they had received concerning some unknown persons’ position to attack the nation’s capital. “Upon informing us, Major General Alpha requested the late Lieutenant Colonel Wilfred Samai to call the commanding officer at 5th Infantry Battalion Lieutenant Colonel Charles Yabba.
He told the court that several calls were in order to reach Colonel Charles Yabba but to no avail. However, Major General Dauda Alpha commander the late Lieutenant Colonel Wilfred to call Lieutenant Colonel Charles Yabba’s wife to know the reason for his failure to pick the calls.
Major Dassama added that after lots of unsuccessful calls were made to the 17th accused, he was later showed up. It was at that moment Major General Dauda Alpha informed him about the intelligent he had received citing the plans of unknown persons had taken to attack the nation’s capital Freetown.
Similarly, Lieutenant Colonel Charles Yabba who stood in the accused dock was custodian of the arms and ammunition otherwise the armoury at Wilberforce.
In addition, after the intelligent was passed to Lieutenant Colonel Charles Yabba, Major General Dauda Alpha instructed him to mount security and default the arms and ammunition pot in the 5th Infantry Battalion at Wilberforce.
Major Dassama further explained that on 23:00 hours on Saturday 25th November 2023, Major General Dauda Alpha ordered the Chief of Staff’s headquarters Joint Force to organize a patrol at night. Air Commodore Charles Bundu was instructed to equally organize a joint force with Sierra Leone Police for an effective patrol.
He told the court that at 03:00 hours on Sunday 26th November 2023, after he had had a meeting with Major General Dauda Alpha, he decided to have rest in his office at Cockrill Barracks. It was that moment when Major Joseph Yillah Marrah knocked at his office informing him unknown persons have stormed the armoury at Wilberforce.
Major Dassama stated that immediately after the update, he organized his men outside for quick reaction force exercise. It was at that period when Major General Dauda Alpha gave him a verbal order to move his men to Wilberforce Barracks, adding that I should liaise with the 17th accused to disembark on the task.
The two troops made the dismemberment one was headed by Major Dassama and Lieutenant Koroma championed the other team. Their meeting point was at “Bottom Mango” Wilberforce.
Whiles at “Bottom Mango” Wilberforce, Major Dassama’s soldiers plied towards the Vice President’s lodge and Lieutenant Koroma’s team walked at the main gate of the 5th Infantry Battalion at Wilberforce towards Regent.
Subsequently, Major Dassama said he made a move towards the main entrance of the 5th Infantry Battalion to observe the situation. “I was lying at the gate there I saw a black car parked. After some minutes the security guard opened the gate and the black car drove into the armoury area,” he added.
Major Dassama furthered that he made a number of calls in order to ascertain the way about of the personnel in charge of the armoury who was Lieutenant Colonel Charles Yabba before he could launch his attack.
He said after spending time observing, he saw a tricycle with two male and one female moving to the road leading to the 5th Infantry Battalion. In a nick of time, he again saw a motorbike with two men dressed in black T-shirts. They entered the main gate of the 5th Infantry Battalion.
On Sunday 26th November 2023, Major Dassama told the court that upon his practical observations, he again saw a soldier fully dressed in British camouflage carrying a rocket propel grenade weapon. He tried to confront the soldier and noticed that it was Corporal Kemoh. He ordered him to crossover but Corporal Kemoh denied.
As a brave military officer, Major Dassama forced to meet Corporal Kemoh. For insubordination and continuous flaunting of military rules, Major Dassama decided to reveal himself as the Officer of the Joint Communications Unit.
Eventually, he did not complete his introduction then Corporal Kemoh shot him with a propel grenade gun and sustained injuries all over his body. That moment blood started oozing from his body. He was later taken to the Emergency Hospital at Cockrill for treatment.
After taking the first aid treatment he re-joined to fight with the assailants.
He was asked to verified three personnel after acknowledging request from the Purpose Unit on Tuesday 3rd January 2024. The three personnel were using RSLAF joint free call Sims courtesy of Africell Mobile Company. They were 18179330 Sergeant Kemoh who is on the run, Warrant Officer class two Turay and Staff Sergeant Bangura of 4th Infantry Brigade. Their numbers were verified by the Purpose Unit.
Major Tapia Pawah Bangura was one of the state counsels during the cross examination period. Ibrahim Bangura also served as one of the defence counsels. After the cross examination from both the state counsels and the defence.
