The 21st March Abortive Coup Court Martial Hearing Continues

The general Court Martial continued hearing into the foiled 21st March coup involving 10 military officers at the Yundum military Barracks.

At its sitting last Saturday, the General Court Martial rejected one of Private Alhagie Nying’s statements, dated 4th April 2006, on the grounds that it was not endorsed by an independent witness.

Similarly, the denial statements of Capt. Yahya Darboe, Capt. Wassa Camara and Private Alhagie Nying, were admitted by the general court martial and tendered in court as exhibits through the witness, Detective 1580 Abdoulie Sowe.

The Court Martial however ordered a trial within trial on the confessional statements of those accused persons to determine the voluntariness of those statements, starting with that of Capt. Yahya Darboe.

Testifying in the trial within a trial, the state witness, Detective 1580 Abdoulie Sowe, maintained that the accused, Capt. Yahya Darboe, made his statement at his own free will without force or torture and in the presence of an independent witness. He stated that all the panelists that interrogated the accused are all security officers. He also maintained that all what he said before the court is the truth.

Hearing continues on 17th October 2006.