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In the ongoing court martial at the Cockerill Military Headquarters, Freetown, Major Patrick Abu Ordende Sesay, the first accused among six military personnel, testified about his account being hacked and the subsequent blackmail attempts he endured.
His voluntary caution statement was read out in court by Sergeant Papa Sillah Kargbo, the fifth prosecution witness, during proceedings overseen by Judge Advocate Mark Ngegba on October 30, 2024.
Led in evidence by Lawyer Captain Yainkain Ballay Kamara, Sergeant Kargbo explained that the investigation team obtained the accused’s statement in accordance with legal protocols on August 3, 2023.
In his statement, Major Sesay denied any involvement in a conspiracy to overthrow the government of Sierra Leone, stressing that he would never partake in such activities given his commitment as a member of the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF) and his pending call to the bar after sitting his final law exams.
Major Sesay detailed a series of events that began when he accepted a Facebook friend request from a user named “Joyce Sesay.” The individual, who later started making romantic advances, eventually persuaded Sesay to share his WhatsApp number.
Their interactions escalated when “Joyce” made an unusual request during a WhatsApp call, asking Major Sesay to join her in a bath.
Complying with the request, Major Sesay soon found himself in a compromising position when a video call captured him in the nude. A short 19-second video clip of him naked was then sent to him.
Major Sesay testified that the individual later revealed their true identity as a man and demanded $1,000 in exchange for keeping the compromising video private.
The blackmailer threatened to expose the footage to Sesay’s wife and members of RSLAF WhatsApp groups if the payment was not made.
Disturbed by the blackmail, Sesay sought advice from fellow military personnel, who urged him to report the incident to the Sierra Leone Police’s cyber unit.
He contacted Inspector Jusu, who promised to investigate the matter and track the blackmailer.
Despite changing his WhatsApp number, Major Sesay continued to receive threats from the same individual, who not only demanded money but also threatened to kill Sesay’s wife and son.
The accused said his WhatsApp number was repeatedly added to different groups without his consent. Although he attempted to remove himself from these groups, the blackmailer persisted in re-adding him and warned him not to leave, under threat of harm to his family.
As a result, Major Sesay remained in some of the groups and followed instructions, including making comments within the groups as directed by the blackmailer.
To protect his family, Sesay added an unnamed woman’s number to one of the groups so she could monitor the situation and inform his family if something went wrong.
The trial continues as the court reviews the evidence in the case against Major Sesay and the other accused military personnel
Hmmmm ,Some human begins are liked devils in the hills….