Private Alhagie Nying, one of the alleged suspects in the 21st March 2006 foiled coup, last Saturday told the general court martial that he was forced by members of the panel set up to investigate the coup to say what he did not know.

In his testimony on the trial within a trial on his cautionary statement, Private Nying informed the court martial that he was arrested on the 4th of April 2006 while on duty at the State House military garage unit. He said while on duty on that day, one Sabally from the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), accompanied by two soldiers, told him that he was needed at the NIA headquarters. He said on arrival at the NIA, he was taken to the panel of investigators, adding that before he was introduced to the panel, he was searched and relieved of both his cell phone and wallet.

He adduced that at the panel Capt. Musa Jammeh and Alhagie Martin sat behind him. He said he was first addressed by Capt. Musa Jammeh, who told him: “I know we all work at the same place,” before reminding him of his status as just a Private soldier. Private Nying further testified that Capt. Jammeh then informed him that they wanted to use him as a state witness against one Alieu Jobe, adding that he told Capt. Jammeh that he did not know anything about Alieu Jobe.
Private Nying further disclosed that Hydara also asked him the same question and he replied that he worked on Alieu Jobe’s vehicle and that Alieu Jobe had once told him about a dream. He reported that he told Alieu Jobe on that occasion that he could not interpret dreams but that Alieu Jobe further told him that he dreamt that he became president. He said he however told the panel that he still yet maintained his inability to interpret dreams in that discussion with Alieu Jobe. He said he was then told that if he wanted they could call Alieu Jobe to testify as he was in one of the rooms nearby.

Still testifying, Private Nying recalled that Hydara told him that he would play him a tape and that he indicated to Hydara that the idea was welcome but that Hydara did not play the tape. He claimed that Capt. Musa Jammeh then threatened that if he failed to say anything he would jump on him. So saying, he continued, Capt. Jammeh went into one of the rooms and returned to tell him what Alieu Jobe was purported to have said he should put on his statement.
He said the panel was at that time writing what he had said and what Musa Jammeh said. He said he was taken to one of the rooms, and Abdoulie Sowe took the papers from the panel and copied his exact statement. He said Capt. Musa Jammeh came and stood behind him with a MP5 rifle and asked Abdoulie Sowe to write all what was said at the panel. He said he was not beaten but was insulted and told that he was involved in the foiled coup.
He stated that he told Abdoulie Sowe that he (Abdoulie Sowe) only wrote what he wanted, but that he had never had any discussion with Alieu Jobe concerning any coup. He stated that he was at length forced to sign the statement already written by Sowe, which he did.

Private Nying added that there was no independent witness during the recording of his cautionary statement.

He said he was threatened that if he refused to sign, he would be beaten. He said as the statement was not read over to him after the recording, he therefore did not know the content of his statement.

He said he was taken back to the NIA office again after months, where Abdoulie Sowe told him that they were going to copy his statement made on the 4th April 2006, because they wanted to use him as a state witness before he would be released.

He said he asked whether it was necessary for his lawyer to be present but was replied in the negative. He said that in the ensuing argument between him and the panel, he was told that if he refused he would be locked up in a cell at the NIA until nightfall.