One of the soldiers who survived an attack on State House on December 30, 2014, has explained how their commander Lamin Sanneh was killed.
Sanneh led a dangerous operation on the night of December 30, 2014 to seized State House but the attack failed.
Modou Njie a former State Guard soldier who was with him told the TRRC on Wednesday: “Sanneh shouted for me to take the vehicle. I ran to get to vehicle and I rushed towards the gate with the vehicle. I rammed into the front gate. But I knew there was another machine gun and knew he too was going to shoot. I flattened the car seat and that saved me. I passed and then rammed into the second black gate. I then alighted from the vehicle and went to take cover.
“I saw Lamin Sanneh entering with Njaga but as then went past HMG (Heavy Machine Gun), they could see him (Lamin) because the lights were on but he can’t see them. So the guy started to shoot around that end. Lamin Sanneh was wearing a live vest but his lower body had no bullet proof. So he shot at him and he fell down. I could see but I could not shoot towards that end. Njaga was trying to rescue him but that’s where they shot Njaga Jang too. Njaga was shot at the back of his head. I called Njaga and he picked. I asked him if he was okay and he said yes but that Sanneh was down.
“I hung up and called Bai Lowe and asked him where he was. He was up, at the tower where the gun was. I told him to leave there because the two men were down. So as Bai Lowe moved, they started shooting at him. Bai Lowe left. I then called Njaga, he picked but he could not continue talking. By then he was dead but I didn’t know. There were many shots but I guessed the one that hit him in the head killed him.
“I called Bai Lowe again to call Alagie Barrow and the crew that these people have died and we should try to escape. Our satellites phones were no longer working. Bai Lowe asked me what I was going to do and I told him I will blow up the fuel dump and go out. Bai Lowe left.”
