SIERRA LEONE-POLITICS: ALLEGED COUP PLOTTERS FREED

By Lansana Fofana Reprint | | Print |

LANSANA FOFANA

FREETOWN, Nov 7 1994 (IPS) - FOUR BRITISH CITIZENS ACCUSED OF PLOTTING TO OVERTHROW THE MILITARY GOVERNMENT OF CAPT VALENTINE STRASSER WERE FREED MONDAY, AFTER A YEAR OF STANDING TRIAL.

THE FOUR MEN OF VIETNAMESE ORIGIN, NAHT BUILY, KELVIN SHU KEE LAW, BUI HAI LY AND BUI VINH LY, WERE ARRESTED IN OCTOBER LAST YEAR AND HELD IN FREETOWN MAXIMUM SECURITY PRISON.

THEY WERE ACCUSED OF BEING MERCENARIES IN THE PAY OF EXILED OPPOSITION SIERRA LEONEANS, PARTICULARLY FORMER NUMBER TWO MAN IN THE MILITARY REGIME, CAPT SOLOMON MUSA.

THE FOUR ACCUSED, WHO IT TURNED OUT WERE WAITERS FROM THE NORTHERN BRITISH CITY OF BIRMINGHAM, HAVE ALL ALONG CLAIMED THEY WERE ON HOLIDAY IN SIERRA LEONE.

IN MONDAY’S COURT ROOM DRAMA, THE CHARGES WERE DROPPED AGAINST THEM AND THE GOVERNMENT ORDERED THEIR IMMEDIATE DEPORTATION TO BRITAIN.

“I AM OVERJOYED THAT THESE POOR GUYS HAVE BEEN FINALLY LET OUT,” A BRITISH EMBASSY OFFICIAL TOLD IPS. “I BELIEVE IT WAS WISE THAT THE GOVERNMENT HERE RELEASE THEM SINCE IN MY VIEW THIS TRIAL WAS CRUCIAL, AS IS MANY OTHER ISSUES, TO RELATIONS BETWEEN BRITAIN AND SIERRA LEONE.”

OBSERVERS HERE BELIEVE THE RULING NATIONAL PROVISIONAL RULING COUNCIL (NPRC) SANCTIONED THE DROPPING OF THE CHARGES AGAINST THE FOUR IN AN ATTEMPT TO MEND FENCES WITH DONOR NATIONS.

THE EXECUTION OF 26 ALLEGED COUP PLOTTERS, AFTER A HASTY TRIAL BY MILITARY TRIBUNAL IN DECEMBER 1992, RESULTED IN AN AID FREEZE BY EUROPEAN COUNTRIES, LED BY BRITAIN.

“ONLY FOOLS WOULD LOOK AT THESE GUYS AND SAY THEY ARE MERCENARIES,” SAID POLITICAL ANALYST MICHAEL BRIMA. “AS FAR AS I AM CONCERNED, THESE WERE MERE WAITERS WHO SEEM TOO HARMLESS.”

PLAYWRITE JAMES SANDI SAID, “I THINK THE WHOLE EXERCISE WAS ANOTHER WAY OF WASTING GOVERNMENT MONEY. ”

“IN THE FIRST PLACE,” HE ADDED, “THE NPRC SHOULD HAVE EASILY DISMISSED THE TRIAL AND DROPPED THE IDEA. MAYBE THEY WERE TRYING TO BLEMISH THE NAME OF CAPT MUSA WITH WHOM THEY HAD FALLEN OUT.”