By: Ousman Saidykhan
The third prosecution witness in the trial of the alleged December 20th, 2022, thwarted coup plotters has told the court that the first accused person, who is also the alleged ringleader, Sanna Fadera, had asked for his participation in the alleged coup, aimed at toppling Adama Barrow’s democratically elected government.
In his testimony on Tuesday at the Banjul High Court, Captain Mamat Jobe said the alleged ringleader visited him on the 26th of November 2022 at his residence in Farato at night when his family were sleeping.
“He told me, Oga, my purpose of coming here is to salvage this country. I told him what do you mean. He told me I want us to overthrow the government. I told him you can’t say that – that idea is unpopular. I advised him to desist from such an act. This is unbecoming of a soldier,” the witness said.
Lance Corporal Sana Fadera (alleged ringleader), Petty Officer Gibril Darboe, Corporal Ebrima Sanno, Corporal Omar Njie and Police Sub-Inspector, Fa Bakary Jawara are charged with four counts of Treason; Concealment of Treason; Conspiracy and Inciting mutiny.
The witness said the accused told him all their plans were intact and even showed him a document called their Operation Plan.
“As I was looking at the Operation Plan, I was trembling. I told him you can’t do this – this is a serious offence,” the witness told the court.
Captain Jobe said when the accused asked for his take on the Operation Plan, he replied that he was going to school and would not be a party to anything that would affect that.
He said he also question the accused’s feelings about going against the democratically elected government.
“I told him in a coup, a lot of things do occur: lost of innocent lives; collateral damage.”
The Farato native said the first accused then told him he was going to meet one Sergent Dawda Komma in Farafenni and would be back.
He said he later called one Major Lamin Njie, alias Angola, to tell him what Sanna had told him and then the Major advised him to ascertain Sanna’s visit to Farafenni pending his return.
“I called him on the 7th of December 2022 about his meeting with Komma. He told me he didn’t meet with Komma but was able to communicate with him,” witness Captain Jobe told the court.
He said he called Dawda Komma who also told him they have communicated but Komma asked him what the matter was. He said he told Dawda about Sanna’s coup plan.
He narrated that Komma was angry and even said he was going to stab Sanna because he felt the alleged ringleader wanted to cause a mess in his service.
The witness said he later called Major Lamin Njie to tell him he had spoken to both Sanna Fadera, the first accused and Dawda Komma.
He said Major Njie summoned a meeting on the 12th of December 2022 in his compound that was attended by one Captain Modou Wally, a military intelligence officer, one Alagie Njie, first provost marshal and the witness himself.
The meeting, according to the witness was meant to inform the first provost marshal about Sanna’s alleged plan. The witness said he was instructed to call the accused and put on a loudspeaker.
“I told him since you gave me this information, I don’t sleep; I don’t go to school. It is like I’m overloaded,” the witness said.
Captain Jobe said the witness told him that things were okay and that he was in Bugina giving out charity and would later go to Mali regarding the coup.
“He said the weapons were intact, we should not worry about that.”
The witness said that the accused did not tell him all those involved but told him one Captain Ebrima Baldeh was the one sealing their information.
From that meeting, Major Lamin Njie said Sanna should be arrested, the witness told the court.
He said Major Lamin Njie asked him to report to the defence headquarters where he was with first provost marshal, Alagie Njie and military Intelligence Modou Wally and was later asked to get the report of Sanna Fadera.
The witness said he was supposed to do that on a Sunday because the accused promised to visit him at a time they would have been done with all their meetings.
Captain Jobe said the accused did not come to his house on Sunday and the following day he was at the University but all his mind was on the matter.
“I called one of my friends at the State Intelligence Service (SIS), Saidou Bah. I told him I have the information you can even put in record because is a threat to national security. I told him everything. He assured me that action would be taken,” the witness said.
Captain Jobe said on the 20th of December, Captain Wally called him to tell him Sanna was arrested.
The matter has been adjourned to the 28th of for cross-examined.
