The coup suspects currently standing trial at the Court Martial have claimed through their defense counsel that their salaries had been stopped by the authorities since April 2006.

During the sitting of 5th April 2007, lawyer LK Mboge, one of the defense counsels representing the 4th accused, Lt Pharing Sanyang, and the 8th accused, Corporal Samba Bah, told the court that he had been informed by his clients that their salaries had been stopped since April 2006.

In response Justice Agim said the court is not the right place to raise the issue as the accused persons are on a criminal trial. He however advised that they could write to the authority to remind them of the issue.

In a related development, the acting Director of Public Prosecution, Emmanuel Fagbenle, informed the court that he had received the written address of the 4th and 8th accused persons, 2nd Lt Pharing Sanyang and Corporal Samba Bah, through their lawyer, LK Mboge. He said he had also gone through the address but that he had no reaction to it. He added that he did not receive the written address of the other accused persons.

Lawyer LK Mboge for his part said he had filed a written address on behalf of his clients and that he relied on the relevant authorities and facts as is before the court.

Lawyer Lamin Camara also informed the court that substantially part of the address had been done. He said his constraint is how to get the legal authority within the country, which is necessary for determination of the issue before the court. He added that it is a criminal case and the charge against the accused persons is a serious one. He applied to the court to grant him extension of time to file in his address and supply the court with the authority cited in the address.

Sainabou Wadda-Ceesay and Neneh Cham-Chongan, two other defence counsels, also made applications for time extension to enable them complete their written address. Their application was granted but the court ordered them to file in their address latest Tuesday, 10th April 2007.