By Omar Wally
Brigadier General Musa Savage has reacted to allegations made by Papa Faal, Gambian-born retired Sergeant of the US Army, that he (Savage) was part of the 30 December 2014 attackers of State House and that he had betrayed the attackers at the last minute.
Yesterday The Standard published this version of Papa Faal who claimed General Savage was part of the attack but later betrayed them and the 1st Infantry Battalion that was supposed to join them too did not show up.
Responding to these allegations, Savage challenged Faal to corroborate his story by providing proof, adding that he (Savage) is not a kid.
He said Bai Lowe, one of the attackers had already cleared his name on Freedom Radio and he doesn’t need any further proof of his innocence.
“Up to now some of the attackers did not know what transpired inside State House. The attackers stopped at the entrance and went back, and this Papa Faal, escaped through Barra. I know it very well,” said Savage.
He added: “Some of these people are just followers; maybe they did not even know what the mission of the attackers was. In fact you are making me laugh when you ask me this question. If I was part of it do you think Yahya Jammeh will spare me?”
Savage said everything has time and he does things at the right time, adding that he will grant The Standard an exclusive to explain his side of the story. “The TRRC is coming; maybe the case may come up and it will be a platform for me to come out and explain,” he said.
He went on: “I don’t even have an iota of idea of the attack; it was a surprise to me that State House was attacked. Faal was one of the attackers, but let him find out from other attackers who are God-fearing to explain whether before, during and after the operation, he (Faal) had the opportunity to talk to him and what was the proof that he (Savage) was part of them?”
Savage said some of the attackers falsely used his name as a tactic to make their followers confident in joining the coup plot. “Once they told them Savage is with us, the followers will be keener to join the attack. But I challenge anybody who is God-fearing to prove that I was part of it.
“I heard the story on the radio. The evidence he gave was weak. Let him mention another person besides Laminn Sanneh who can corroborate his statement.
“Another thing is that the phone records are there to prove my innocence. It is simple logic. If I was part of them, why were shots fired by the attackers? According to investigators, he was the first guy to open fire,” he said.
Savage also said he was promoted from a Lieutenant Colonel to a General not from major and he was promoted because he did what was the right thing to do at that material time.
