By Landing Ceesay
Sergeant Karamo Jatta of the Gambia Armed Forces (GAF) said that Sanna Fadera (1st accused) will not be able to command a battalion under “normal circumstances” when he was questioned by defense lawyers in court.
Sergeant Karamo Jatta of the GAF is a witness in a trial of five people accused of plotting a coup and facing five charges, including treason.
The accused are four soldiers: Lance Corporal Sanna Fadera (1st accused), Private Officer Gibril Darboe (2nd accused), Corporal Ebrima Sannoh (3rd accused), and Corporal Omar Njie (4th accused); and one police officer: Fabakary Jawara (5th accused).LS Camara, the lawyer for the 1st and 5th accused persons, asked Sergeant Jatta if the 1st accused person could move a battalion. He said no.
“It is correct that the 1st accused (Sanna Fadera) is not in a position to move commanders,” Counsel LS Camara asked.
“In this case, I cannot tell,” Sergeant Jatta responded to LS Camara.
“Is the 1st accused (Sanna Fadera) In a position to move a Battalion,” Counsel LS Camara asked again.
“Under normal circumstances, no,” Sergeant Jatta responded.
“Is the 1st accused (Sanna Fadera) in a position to move a platoon?” Counsel LS asked.
“Under normal circumstances, no,” Sergeant Jatta responded. Sergeant Jatta said he did not know if the 1st accused was an Armory man when Counsel LS Camara asked him. He said he had known the 1st accused since their recruitment, and he trained him then.Counsel LS Camara asked Sergeant Jatta if he was well-trained in the GAF. He said yes. He said he was senior to the 1st accused person and knew the military hierarchy.Sergeant Jatta testified that he is familiar with some military terms and formations. However, he admitted that he is not familiar with all military formations.
Sergeant Jatta confirmed to the court that the 1st accused is a low ranking military, and he is not even an officer.
“Do you know how many men he (1st accused) can move as Lance Corporal,” Counsel LS Camara asked.
“Maximum, he can move six people,” Sergeant Jatta responded.
“Can you name them for me,” Counsel LS Camara asked. “He can move a fire team,” Sergeant Jatta responded.
“Are you sure a Lance Corporal can move a fire team,” Counsel LS Camara asked again. And Sergeant Jatta responded in the positive.
“As a Lance Corporal, you know that he (1st accused) doesn’t have command responsibility,” Counsel LS Camara asked again. Sergeant Jatta insisted that Lance Corporal has command responsibility for people under him.
On the issue of the purported operational plan, Sergeant was shown the document, and he said It was a copy of the operational plan that Sanna Fadera showed him in Farafenni and the one he took a photo of.
Sergeant Jatta told the court that, as a soldier for more than 20 years, he has never seen an operational plan like this before.
Sergeant Jatta said It is correct that operational plans are common in the military.
“Every soldier at some point gets to see operational plans and movement of troops during training and after,” Counsel LS Camara asked.
“It is always with Officers,” Sergeant Jatta responded.
Sergeant Jatta told the court that he had never seen an operational plan.
“When you have military drills with live weapons, are you not shown operational plans to avoid fatality,” LS Camara asked.
“We are not shown, we are only given command,” Sergeant Jatta told the court.
“So why is an operational plan made by an officer,” Counsel LS Camara asked.
“Because he moves with men,” Sergeant responded. Sergeant Jatta confirmed that the operational plan in court was a photocopy from somewhere. He also confirmed that it had no name, number, or signature on it.
On the issue of recording his conversation with the 1st accused regarding the alleged coup, Sergeant Jatta told the court it was recorded automatically due to the setting of his phone.
“During the conversation, did you or did you not tell the 1st accused that you were coming to the Kombos, and he should wait for you,” Counsel LS Camara asked.
“No, I did not,” Sergeant Jatta responded.
“Since when did you start recording your conversation with the 1st accused,” Counsel LS Camara asked again.
“On the 3rd of December 2022, “Sergeant Jatta told the court.
Sergeant Jatta told the court that he saved his telephone conversation with the 1st accused on his phone.
“How many conversations between you and Sanna Fadera (1st accused) have you saved in your phone,” Counsel LS Camara asked.
“I remember saving 5 conversations,” Sergeant Jatta told the court.
“Did he call you, or you call him on those conversations,” Counsel LS Camara asked.
“I called him sometimes, and he called me sometimes,” Sergeant Jatta told the court.
The case was adjourned to Tuesday 9 May 2023 for the continuation of cross-examination.