By Alpha Jalloh, Freetown
The trial of Omrie Golley continues at the High Court No.1 presided over by justice Ademosu and one witness has claimed that Golley warned them not to loot after the success of the coup.
Golley was a spokesman of the Revolutionary United Front(RUF). At one point during the war he was accused by the Kabbah government of purchasing arms and ammunition for the rebel movement.He later actively took part in the peace talks that eventually led to the Lome Peace Accord and the disarmament and demoblization of RUF combatants.
On February 13 a prosecution witness,Hassan
Bangura,who claimed to be a retired sergeant of the Sierra Leone Army, and now working as an engineer at the Government Training Center Kissy, told the court that he recalled receiving a call on his mobile phone. He said the number was strange and he enquired who was calling. He said the caller identified himself as Omrie Golley. He alleged that Omrie Golley then connected him via phone with Mohamed Alpha Bah. According to him, Mohamed Alpha Bah requested that they meet somewhere in Freetown. Hassan claimed that he told Mohamed Alpha Bah to meet him at NP Filling Station at King Harman Road west of Freetown.
Mohamed Alpha Bah, driven by a chauffeur turned up at NP filling station in a jeep and they were driven to Bintumani Hotel where Omrie lodged.
He claimed that Golley hugged him when they arrived and that on the following day Golley called and asked him to join in overthrowing Kabbah’s government. Hassan alleged that Golley gave him some money out of which he gave Le 1Milion to David Kai Tongay and Mohamed Alpha Bah, the 1st and 2nd accused persons. He alleged that part of the money was to be used to buy arms. He said later Golley gave him $100 as “transport fare” plus a mobile phone for communication.
Hassan said he later revealed the plans to captain Kposowa. He said they acquired the arms and they decided that the arms should be kept in Hassan’s house but it was suggested that they were kept at Aberdeen, west of Freetown. He claimed that Golley responded it would “not be safe” to keep them there.
They finally agreed that the first mission was to overthrow the SLPP government, second, “kill” VP Solomon Berewa and identify the strength of IMATT. He alleged that Golley said if IMATT resisted they would manipulate some neighboring countries to sympathize with the coup or they use force on IMATT, but warned them not to loot after the success of the coup. He gave then gave them mobile phones.
The trial continues
Photo: Omrie Golley
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