31st October, 2024
I. One of the wanted figutives of the bloody November 26 Coup is Sergeant Henry Janneh.
II. In today’s episode, we are looking at his involvement in the said coup.
III. In the recently concluded court martial trial involving the state versus Staff Sergeant Alhaji Koroma and 26 others, the prosecution tendered a plethora of audio evidence against the jailed Corporal Edward Koroma alias Smallie (the 6th accused in the said trial).
IV. One of such evidences is the audio message that the figutive Sergeant Janneh communicated to the jailed Corporal Koroma.
V. The said evidence revealed the ESPIONAGE ACTIVITIES conducted by Sergeant Janneh prior to the coup.
VI. In the audio, the figutive Sergeant Janneh informed the jailed Corporal Koroma about the capabilities of the loyal troops deployed at both Cockerill Barracks and President’s Lodge.
VII. With regards to the troops deployed at Cockerill Barracks, Sergeant Janneh was heard warning the jailed Corporal Koroma about the number of fighting platoons deployed at the Military Headquarters.
VIII. “Let me tell you this. I don’t want you to compromise any issue at Cockerill Barracks. Two formidable platoons have been deployed there. I went to the location, and nobody detected me, Sergeant Janneh stressed.
IX. In respect of the troops deployed at President’s Lodge, Sergeant Janneh was also heard giving details about the said troops as well as the conduct of his espionage activities on the Lodge.
X. “At Presidential Lodge, there are two fighting platoons of the Quick Reaction Force (QRF). Moreover, I have sketched and printed out the map of the lodge. I will hand it over to them [the Coup planners] on their arrival today. There should be no child’s play at this point [Presidential Lodge]. Even though the troops deployed in those locations are young soldiers, they are well trained in Special Force skills,” Sergeant Janneh said.
XI. Moreover, in his voluntary caution statement (which was also tendered by the prosecution), the jailed Staff Sergeant Alhaji Koroma (the 1st accused in the said trial) confessed that it was the Sergeant Janneh who sneaked with them into the Joint Logistics Unit (JLU) at Murray Town Barracks on the night before the coup with the intent to attack the armory facilities, obtain dangerous weapons, and match to the President’s Lodge for a firefight with the troops of the Joint Presidential Guard Force (JPGF).
XII. The jailed Staff Sergeant Koroma revealed that he was locked in a room together with the deceased Idrissa Ahmid Kamara alias Leather Boot and the jailed Corporal Alie Kamara alias Charma Raw (the 12th Accused in the said trial).
XIII. The jailed Staff Sergeant Koroma said that they were locked in the room (which key was in possession of the Sergeant Janneh) when loyal soldiers came and tried to break into the room.
XIV. “It was immediately at this point that the deceased Idrissa Ahmid Kamara, alias Leather Boot, hastily took a rifle and started sporadic shooting with intent to escape. Amidst the shooting, I came out to also escape, but I met him [Leather Boot] lying on the ground with blood oozing from his legs. I then took his rifle, jumped over the fence, and hid in the neighborhood in Murray Town. I remained there until I was arrested on November 28, 2023,” the jailed Staff Sergeant Koroma confessed.
XV. According to the 22nd Prosecution Witness (PW 22), it was Leather Boot who shot and killed Corporal Sam Kabba and Sergeant Thomas Rogers when the deceased soldiers attempted to apprehend him.
Furthermore, during the said trial, the prosecution further tendered several photos to show the accused persons who visited the Mapaki Village herbalist, Pa Sesay, in order to fortify their bodies against GUNSHOTS in preparation to overthrow President Bio. One of those seen and identified in the said evidence was the figutitive Sergeant Janneh.
NOTE:
Our episodes will look at not only the accused persons (who have been convicted and jailed) but also the deceased persons and the fugitives connected with the bloody coup as long as evidence was tendered by the prosecution to show the involvements of those deceased persons and fugitives. Nevertheless, in our subsequent episodes, we will DEEPLY focus on the audio and video evidence against the jailed Corporal Edward Koroma, alias Smallie (who was encouraging his colleagues to identify and kill any military personnel loyal to President Bio).
Major Yayah Brima,
Media Operations Officer,
Headquarters, Joint Force Command, Cockerill Barracks,
Freetown.
Phone/WhatsApp: 078 452 876
