Alleged Coup plotters at the High Court
By Landing Ceesay
Sanna Fadera, the first accused person in the treason trial of alleged coup plotters, has denied the charges against him. The trial is being held before Justice Basiru B.V.P. Mahoney of the High Court of the Gambia.
Sanna Fadera, the first accused and alleged ringleader of the attempted coup, opened his defense in court today. He told the court that he has been in the army for 12 years, serving as a member of the navy. He also said that he attended Kwinela Upper Basic School, Muslim High School, and earned a bachelor’s degree in biology and chemistry.
Lance Corporal Fadera testified that he is aware of the treason charges against him. He denied any intention of overthrowing the government, calling the allegations against him “false.”
Fadera said that he knew Captain Mamut Jobe from their training together in Fajara. He denied that anything transpired between them in connection to the charges against him.Under questioning from his lawyer, LS Camara, Lance Corporal Fadera testified that he met Captain Jobe after their time at training school at the University of the Gambia (UTG). He also said that he never discussed overthrowing the government of the Gambia with anyone.Lance Corporal Sanna Fadera denied Captain Jobe’s testimony, calling it “false.” He also denied ever visiting Jobe to discuss overthrowing the Gambia government on December 26th. Fadera told the court that he had never shown Jobe an operational plan, nor did he inform him that he was the ringleader or that he was planning to travel to Farafenni to meet Sergeant Komma.Continuing his testimony, Lance Corporal Fadera told the court that he did not know Sergeant Komma and had never spoken to him. When asked by Counsel L.S Camara if he knew Sergeant Karamo Jatta, Fadera replied that he knew him as an instructor at the training school.
L.S. Camara, the defense counsel, showed Sanna Fadera evidence from Sergeant Karamo Jatta. Jatta claimed to have audio recordings of conversations between him and Fadera about a coup, as well as a photo of a purported operational plan. Fadera denied all of Jatta’s allegations.
Camara then gave Fadera the purported operational plan, which Jatta claimed was written by Fadera. Fadera denied being the author of the plan. He told the court that he had never seen the document before.
Counsel L.S Camara asked him whether he had any input in the document as alleged by Sergeant Karamo Jatta, Fadera said he did not have any input in the document because such documents are prepared by the high command of the Army.
L.S. Camara, the defense counsel, asked Lance Corporal Fadera if he was in charge of deploying commandos as planned in the purported operational plan. Fadera replied that he could not move a single commando, as only senior officers, such as lieutenants and corporals, have the authority to do so.
In response to Sergeant Karamo Jatta’s testimony that Fadera would mobilize men and prepare 200 cars to overthrow the government, and that officers were involved, Fadera denied all of these allegations. He said that he had never traveled to Farafenni and that he was not the author of the purported operational plan. He also said that he had never seen the document before.
Lance Corporal Fadera was asked by his Lawyer L.S Camara whether he told Sergeant Karamo Jatta about a meeting to be held in Kafuta, and that they met in Brikama Jah Oil and then drove to Kafuta on the 18th of December 2022.
Lance Corporal Fadera denied the allegation and told the court that he did not meet with Sergeant Karamo Jatta, Ebrima Sannoh, or Ebrima Baldeh for a meeting in Kafuta on December 18th.
Lance Corporal Fadera testified that Sergeant Karamo Jatta told the court that he reported the case to the authorities on December 12. Fadera said that there is no evidence to support the authorities’ conclusion that there was a meeting between him and Sergeant Jatta in Kafuta.
Lance Corporal Fadera testified that during the questioning that led to his cautionary statement, he was asked about a meeting that took place in Kafuta. He denied attending any such meeting.
Fadera also testified that during his interrogation, the panel members played an audio recording that they claimed was of a conversation between him and Sergeant Karamo Jatta. However, he said that the recording was of poor quality and was difficult to understand.
Fadera stated that he never had a conversation with Sergeant Jatta about transforming the military or the country, or about arresting the Chief of Defense Staff, Inspector General of Police, or any ministers. He also denied that he ever said that civilians would march in the streets in support of a coup, or that radio stations would announce a takeover.
Fadera concluded by saying that all of the allegations against him are false and that he never had any such conversations with Sergeant Jatta.
Lance Corporal Fadera denied ever having a discussion with Sergeant Karamo Jatta about the accused persons having weapons in their possession, and that the weapons were the ones used by the 30th December attempted coup attackers. He also told the court that he had no knowledge of the weapons used by the 30th December attackers.
Sanna Fadera testified in court that he did not have any communication with Sergeant Karamo Jatta on December 18, 2022. This includes any phone calls or in-person conversations.
Counsel L.S. Camara presented Exhibit P9 to Fadera and asked him who owned phone number 2********. Fadera responded that the number belonged to him.
Camara then asked Fadera if he had ever called any of the accused persons. Fadera said that he had and that he communicated with some of them. However, Fadera stated that he spoke to Fabakary Jawara (the 5th accused) frequently because they were family members.
Counsel L.S. Camara asked Lance Corporal Fadera why a call printout (exhibit 9)from Africell indicated Kiang Kwinela as the location of a call received area, even though Fadera had testified that he was in Kiang Nema at the time. Fadera explained that there is no Africell signal in Nema, so all calls made from Nema are picked up by the signal in Kiang Kwinela.
Fadera also said that he could not remember discussing anything about the alleged coup with anyone on the phone.
Counsel L.S. Camara showed Fadera Exhibit P10 and asked him if he knew the telephone number 7********. Fadera told the court that the number was his wife’s number. He explained that the SIM card was inserted into his phone while his wife’s phone was being repaired.
Fadera also told the court that the call records in the printout indicated Kwinela instead of Kiang Nema, where his wife also lives.
Camara then asked Fadera if Exhibit P10 had been shown to him before. Fadera replied that the document that had been shown to him was different from the one that was now before the court.
On the testimony of the first prosecution witness, Barra Touray, who told the court that Sanna informed him that he wanted to overthrow the government, and he wanted him to convince soldiers at Yundum Barrack to join him.
Lance Corporal Fadera told the court that he had not seen Barra Touray since he left the army to join the navy. However, he confirmed that he had spoken to Touray, but not about the alleged coup plot.
Counsel L.S. Camara asked Sanna Fadera if he knew Yaya Manjang (PW 2). Sanna replied that he had never met or known Yaya Manjang until the day he testified in court.
Sanna also told the court that he had not sent anyone to speak to Yaya Manjang, nor had he spoken to him himself, as Yaya had alleged.
At this point, Justice Mahoney adjourned the case until Monday for continuation.
It could be recalled that four members of the Gambia Armed Forces (GAF) and one member of the Gambia Police Force (GPF) are currently on trial for treason before Justice Mahoney of the High Court of the Gambia.
The five defendants are accused of attempting to overthrow the government of President Adama Barrow. They have been charged with five counts, including treason, concealment of treason, and inciting mutiny.
The defendants standing trial are; Lance Corporal Sanna Fadera (1st accused) Private Officer, Gibril Darboe (2nd accused) Corporal Ebrima Sannoh (3rd accused), and Corporal Omar Njie (4th accused), Fabakary Jawara (5th accused) is the Police Officer charged alongside the Soldiers.
However, Corporal Omar Njie (4th accused) has been freed by the court after his lawyer filed a “no case to answer” submission.