On his fifth day of giving evidence in his defence, the former interim leader of the defunct Revolutionary United Front, Issa Sesay has said that following his overthrow in 1998, the former leader of the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC), Johnny Paul Koroma arrived in Kailahun with some quantity of diamonds.
Sesay said the diamonds were taken from Johnny Paul by the then RUF battlefield commander Sam Bockarie alias Mosquito.
He said after the AFRC troops had left Koidu for Kailahun, the RUF leadership were informed by one of Johnny Paul’s bodyguards that the former junta leader was planning to move to Ghana with his family and was in possession of diamonds.
He said when Mosquito received the information he convened a meeting of all senior RUF officials and asked that the bodyguard repeat what he had told him, which he did. Mosquito then ordered that Johnny Paul, who was at the time at Kangama, be immediately arrested.
“We then headed for Kangama where the [Johnny Paul’s] bodyguards were disarmed and the diamonds taken from [him].”
Asked by his lawyer Wayne Jordash if anything was done to Makuta, Johnny Paul’s wife, Sesay replied, “nothing was done to her…she only complained that she was tired.”
It was reported that Makuta had been violated by RUF rebels.
The trial continues today.
ADVERTISEMENT