Sierra Leone News: Court Martial: Over 34,000 Rounds of Ammunition Missing
By Stephen V. Lansana
The eleventh prosecution witness in the ongoing Court Martial trial, Captain Chrispin K. Dumbuya, who is the Ammunition Technical Officer, has testified on Tuesday January 29, 2019, that over 34,000 rounds of ammunition were missing at the former Joint Presidential Guard Forces (JPGF).
The ammunition missing include 4,245 AA rounds of 12.7mm; 3,828 AA rounds of 14.5mm; 11 RPG Bomb; six rounds of 7.2 by 39mm ball, 11, 476 rounds of 7.62 by 39mm; 14, 100 rounds of 7.62 by 39mm, 6740 rounds of 7.62 by 51mm and 515 rounds of 9 by 18 mm ball.
In the above missing ammunitions, the Court Martial trail is only based on the 12.7mm of Anti Aircraft (AA) rounds and 14.5mm of AA rounds which were found in the septic tank at the back of the Presidential Lounge at Hill Station in Freetown. The other categories of ammunitions are not included in the charges of the three accused persons.
The three accused officers include Captain Patrick E. Kamara, 1st accused; Warrant Officer Class 1, Samuel Conteh, 2nd accused; and Warrant officer Class 2, Abu Bakarr Jalloh, 3rd accused; are facing charges of willfully damaging service property; conspired to steal ammunition; involved in a conduct prejudicial to the group order and military discipline.
The eleventh prosecution witness in the ongoing Court Martial trial, Captain Chrispin K. Dumbuya is responsible to give advice on the storage and management of arms and ammunition, and safety and security of ammunitions, among others, at the Joint Logistics Unit at Murray Town in Freetown.
In his testimony, Captain Dumbuya said that on June 20, 2018, he received a directive from his Officer Commanding through the outgoing Commandant Col. A.S. Bockarie to retrieve all the issued vouchers from our archives on ammunitions issued to the former JPGF.
“I and my team went to the archive and retrieved all issued vouchers of former JPGF ranging from 2009–2012. We compared the Issue vouchers as against the receive vouchers, [physical holding of ammunition] which the back-loaded to the Joint Logistics Units (JLU),” Captain Dumbuya testified. “I prepared a report and sent it through the chain of commands and I keep a copy in our file.” He produced and tendered the report and it was marked as exhibits K1–3.
Explaining exhibits K, which is titled status of ammunitions received from the JPGF, he said in roll one, 10, 000 of 12.7mm of AA rounds were issued from the Supply Services Squadron (SSS) to former JPGF but only 5755 rounds were back-loaded and 4245 were missing.
Captain Dumbuya said: “In roll two, 8000 of 14.5mm of AA round were issued, but only 4172 rounds were received, while 3828 rounds were missing. In roll three, 85 RPG were issued, but only 64 were back-loaded, 10 was used for JPGF level one and level two training, while 11 RPG bomb were missing. In roll six: 2000 rounds of 7.2 × 39mm ball were issued, 1994 rounds was back-loaded, while six rounds was missing. In roll seven, 46, 270 rounds of 7.62×39mm were issued, 21 304 rounds were received [back-loaded], 14490 rounds were used for training, while 11, 476 rounds were missing. In roll eight, 14, 100 of 7.62×39mm tracer was issued it were neither received nor used on training, meaning it was missing. In roll nine, 20, 000 rounds of 7.62×51mm ball links were issued, 7, 260 were received, 6000 rounds were used for training of JPGF level one and two, while 6740 rounds were missing. In roll eleven, 1062 rounds of 9×18mm ball were issued, 222 rounds were received, and 325 rounds were used by former JPGF level one and two training, while 515 rounds were missing.”
Captain Dumbuya said, “I noted the deficiency or missing ammunitions and they have not been recovered.”
He produced and tendered all the Issued vouchers he compiled from the archive from 2009–2012, and it was marked as exhibits L1–13.
Captain Dumbuya testified that L1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, and L13, among others were received by the 1st accused person by the then Lieutenant Patrick E. Kamara, but now a captain.
We also retrieved Issued vouchers on training for the former JPGF. He produced and tendered it, and it was marked exhibit M1–9.
He said that roll six of exhibits M3 indicates ammunition type 14.5mm of AA and the quantity was 900, whilst roll seven indicates 12.7mm of AA rounds with a quantity of 600 rounds.
According to the principle of RSLAF, “you are not allowed to use any first line holding of ammunition issued to you. All ammunition for training should come from JLU which has the second line holding,” he said. “If you want to train, you have to make a special request.”
He added, “When ammunitions are issued for training or operation, whether it is being used or not, you should account for it through the weekly ammunition returns that go through the Joint Force Command.” On the returns, he said, “you should indicate the issue voucher number, quantity, type and purpose.”
He explained that on July 12, 2018, he received an instruction from Officer Commanding SSS through the Commandant at JLU Col. A.S Bockarie to conduct an inspection at CID on ammunitions.
He said that he went to CID with his team. “I first try to check the quantity, after confirming the quantity, and I did a physical inspection; after the inspection, I wrote a report and send it through a chain of commands and I retained a copy in our file,” he said.
He identified the ammunitions as 12.7mm of AA rounds and 14.5mm of AA rounds. He produced and tendered the report he wrote after physically examining the ammunitions at CID, and it was marked as exhibits N1–2.
He said according to the physical condition of the ammunition, these ammunitions where placed after the March 2018 Elections, probably after one or two weeks. “I made this conclusion based on the physical conditions of the ammunitions,” he testified. “The physical conditions of the ammunitions were very poor; during the physical examination, I noticed that some of the ammunitions are rusty and some are not.”
He testified that, according to the International Ammo Technical Guidelines (IATC), UN Safeguard, Joint Service Publication 482 (JSP 482), ammunitions should be stored within it required humidity and the required temperature. “In required humidity, ammunitions should be stored between 15–35 degree centigrade. Any ammunition that is stored below 15 percent may develop rust, damp and corrosion leading to ineffectiveness during firing.”
He said that the ammunitions that where beneath have temperature below 15 degree whilst the ones that were on the top are above 35 degree centigrade.
During that cross-examination, defense council Ady Macaulay asked “When you test fire the ammunitions, did anyone malfunction?”
Captain Dumbuya said, “I did not test fire anyone but I can tell by the physical condition.”
“Since you used the rusty to determine the length of period, now tell the court how long the ones without rusty have stayed in the pit?” Lawyer Macaulay asked. Captain Dumbuya said in a high tempered voice, “probably eight to 10 weeks from the time it was placed to the time it was found.”
Asked whether he spoke with the 1st accused when preparing exhibits k1–2, he answered in the negative.
Asked if he made reference to 10:33 voucher, he said yes. Lawyer Macaulay asked if ammunitions are expended, there will always be a deficiency or missing. He responded, “In the accounting procedure of RSLAF, no unit is allowed to expend or use the first line holding. If we give you 500 rounds for example, you are required to back-load 500. If you did not bring it, it will be deficiency.”
The evidence in chief and the cross-examination of Captain Dumbuya last for about 7hours.
According to the particulars of the offense, It was alleged that the three accused personnel between January 1, 2008 and June 19, 2018, in Freetown, with intent to steal from the Government of Sierra Leone, conspired with other persons unknown to steal by unlawfully agreeing to steal 4,245 rounds of 12.7 millimeter AA rounds; 3,828 rounds of 14.5 millimeter AA rounds; 11 guns of RPG 6 rounds of 7.62/39 milimetres; 11,476 rounds of 7.62/39 milimetres gun; 14,100 rounds of 7.62/39 millimeters tracer; 6,740 rounds of 7.62/51 millimeters bird wink; 515 rounds of 9/18 millimeters, all to the value of $80,402.30 equivalent to Le 683,490,550, property of the Government of Sierra Leone (GoSL).
In count two, the investigators alleged that the men committed a civil offence contrary to Section 72 of the RSLAF Act №34 of 9161 as amended, that is to say larceny by servant contrary to Section 17(2) (a) of the Larceny Act of 1916.
The particulars of offence stated that the men stole the said ammunition listed in count one above.
According to the statement of offence, in count three, the men willfully damaged service property contrary to Section 49(c) of the Armed Forces of the Republic Sierra Leone Act of 1961. It was alleged that the accused persons on the same date and place, willfully damaged 1,600 rounds of 14.5 mm anti-aircraft ammunition and 178 rounds of 12.7mm anti-aircraft ammunition, all to the value of US$10,401.40 (Le88, 401,900) property of GoSL.
In count four, the soldiers were charged with willful neglect and ordering damage to service property contrary to Section 49(b) of the Armed Forces of the Republic Sierra Leone Act №34 of 1961 as amended.
The particulars of offence state that the accused persons by means of willful neglect, ordered damage to the said property listed in count three.
It was also alleged in count five that the accused’s conduct was prejudicial to the group order and military discipline contrary to Section 71 of the Armed Forces of the Republic Sierra Leone Act of 1961.
The prosecution alleged that the accused persons on the same date and place, being members of the Armed Forces of the Republic Sierra Leone, were involved in a conduct prejudicial to the group order and military discipline being that they improperly disposed of all the ammunition listed in count one.