By Binta A Bah
The prosecutor in the trial of five soldiers in connection with last December’s alleged coup plot has asked the high court to grant a state witness to give evidence behind closed doors for his safety.
The witness, an undercover agent was supposed to testify as the fifth prosecution witness yesterday but Counsel Yusuf told the judge, Basirou Mahoney, that testifying in public will expose the witness and blow his cover which will not be in the interest of national security.
The request was objected by one of the defense lawyers Lamin S Camara who said the application is not genuine because the prosecutor failed to detail the conditions why the undercover agent should give evidence in camera. Other defense lawyers agreed with Camara’s position.
At this point, the judge asked the two parties to see him in his chamber after which the case resumed with the judge ordering the state prosecutor to make a formal application for the witness to testify in camera latest tomorrow and for the defence to reply on points of law, if any, by next Tuesday.
The trial continues today with other prosecution witnesses expected to testify.
The soldiers, Corporal Sanna Fadera (alleged ring leader), Sergeant Gibril Darboe, Corporal Ebrima Sano, Corporal Omar Colley, and Sub-inspector Fabakary Jawara are facing two counts of treason, concealment of treason and incitement of mutiny. They denied all charges.
