Edward Singhatey ends his testimony on Monday. He accepted involvement in the execution of 11 soldiers on November 11 but denied killing Ousman Koro Ceesay, former finance minister. Edward denied direct involvement in several alleged crimes which were tortures of civilians and security officers. The allegations of torture against Edward were corroborated by a total of 50 witnesses in different incidents but the former military man claimed the witnesses, some of whom are alleged direct victims, were not being truthful.
A former junta member and onetime vice chairman of the Armed Forces Provisional Ruling Council, Edward Singhatey, has confirmed that Sanna Sabally and Sadibu Hydara were arrested on lies. The two were arrested on suspicion of plotting to remove former president Yahya Jammeh.
Edward said the former President Yahya Jammeh had informed him of the plan by the two officers to depose him. Singhatey ended his third day of testimony on Monday.
He said Jammeh is afraid of Sanna and he made several attempts to convince him that Sabally and Sadibu would eliminate both of them if they had their way.
“Jammeh told me “if they come for me, they will come for you too”,” said Edward. “They see you as my ally.”
However, Singhatey admitted that Jammeh showed no evidence of a coup to him except few demonstrable impolite behaviors.
He also claimed that at the time Sanna and Sadibu were going to see Jammeh after being called to his office, Sabally went with his pistol cocked.
On his way to see Jammeh, he was arrested and taken to Mile 2. Jammeh later claimed Sanna came to his office with Sadibu and pointed a pistol at him. However, Edward confirmed that that basis upon which they were charged and jailed was wrong.
Edward described the National Intelligence Agency’s account of the “Sanna and Sadibu’s coup” as a “complete fabrication”.
“It did not occur like that… I deeply regretted the arrest of Sanna Sabally…,” said Edward.
Edward however said he could not have come out to correct an obvious lie stated by his former boss about the circumstances of the arrest of Sanna and Sadibu. Sanna told the truth Commission that him and Sadibu were severely tortured in custody leading to the death of Sadibu. However, Singhatey denied direct involvement in the torture of Sanna and Sadibu.