Testifying yesterday before the Judge Advocate and Board Members at the ongoing Court Martial trial, Major John Kainessie did confirm that various arms and ammunition were looted based on the returned documents they received from various battalions.

Led in evidence by Colonel Mohamed B.S. Kamara, the Acting Chief of Operations at the Headquarters of the Joint Force Command of Cockeril Major John Kainessie said on the 1st and 26th November 2023, the Commanding Officer at 5th Battalion was Lieutenant Colonel Charles Yamba who is before the Court Martial as the 17th accused.

The witness confirmed that there were arms and ammunition at the 5th Battalion by then.

He said on the 25th November 2023, at about 23:00 hours he received a phone call from Major Gassama at the Joint Force Command that all staff should report.

On arrival Colonel Samai said they should go on patrol. Major General Alpha instructed him (witness) to pick up police officers at the Police Headquarters in Freetown and go on the patrol.

According to him, Lieutenant Colonel Samai who is now late divided the patrol team into two, one for East end and the other for the West end and ordered him (Kainessie) to stay at the Police Headquarters with other officers and act as a liaison.

He maintained that at 3:35 am on 26th November 2023, he received another phone call from Lieutenant Colonel Sandy who informed him that he had been told by Police Military that unknown gunmen had broken into the 5th Battalion store.

On receipt of that information, the witness said he crossed to State House and informed the guards on duty to remain alert and returned to Police Headquarters.

He recalled that the patrol team from East later arrived at Police Headquarters, and he had to call the late Col. Samai but his phone was off.

He said Mr. Alpha later instructed them to return to Cockeril Barracks, and on their way around Youyi Building they heard a gunshot from the direction of Wilberforce.

Whilst at Cockeril, the witness said the gunshot from Wilberforce intensified and with RPG blast.

He later went to the quick reaction force in search of a riffle, where he saw the fourth accused, Abu Dauda demanding for RPG to be issued to him.

“I cautioned the officer at the store not to issue support weapon to Dauda knowing fully that he Dauda was not deployed at the quick reaction force at Cockeril but 15th Battalion at Lungi,” Major John Kainessie said.

The witness also identified Sitta Dumbuya, who is the 19th accused entered Cockeril and was challenged by another soldier named Marah, who ordered him (Sitta) to be searched but nothing of security interest was found.

The witness confirmed several arms and ammunition looted based on the returns document from various battalions.

Lieutenant Colonel Momoh Emmanuel Luseni also led the fourth Prosecution Witness (PW4), Lieutenant Jewel Augustine Koroma.

PW4 is a Commanding Officer who recalled a date between the 25th and 26th November 2023, when he was instructed to assemble his officers under his command.

On the 25th of November, 2023, Lieutenant Koroma said he received instructions from Lieutenant Tommy to go out on a night patrol together with other personnel who were selected randomly.

The stop point was at Mile 13 Checkpoint where they returned and headed to Lumley and proceeded to a route leading to Aberdeen.

Not too far, the witness said the Commanding Officer of the patrol instructed them to stop and informed them that the 5th Battalion at Wilberforce was under attack and that they should go there immediately.

The witness identified the 8th accused, who he said was part of the team on the night patrol embarked.

He said Lieutenant Tommy led the patrol from Lumley to the Vice President Lodge, where they disembarked from the vehicle and took a walk.

Major Gassama took over the patrol, and moved from Vice President Lodge to the 5th Battalion entrance gate, together with 16 personnel including the 8th accused.

He maintained that they were deployed at the 5th Battalion Gate, and whilst at the gate he saw a black Jeep at the entrance gate, drove to the ammunition dump and some certain soldiers came and closed the gate behind the vehicle.

Lieutenant Jewel said he later heard an RPG blast, where Major Samba sustained injuries and he collected him and drove back to Vice President Lodge.

The matter was adjourned to 19th January 2024 for PW4 Lieutenant Jewel Augustine Koroma to continue with his evidence by Judge Advocate Mark Ngeba.

It could be recalled that 27 military officers are charged with 88 counts of mutiny and related offences as a result of the aftermath of the November 26th attempted coup.