It adds that this statutory provision states that if a soldier remains in custody for a longer period than eight days without trial by a court martial, a special report should be made on “the necessity for further delay”, and at every eight days, a similar report should be also made until the soldier is arraigned before the court martial for trial. Hence, as persons subject to military law, the three military personnel are still being held at the custodial centre in accordance with the said provision.

The release went on to state that the MoD/RSLAF would also like the public to know that all the three military personnel are being held under “Open Detention”, and as such they can freely move within the confines of the custodial centre and they have NEVER been transferred to the Pademba Road Prisons, unlike in 2013, when Private Momoh Kargbo and 13 other military personnel (who were accused of mutiny at Teko Barracks in Makeni) were placed behind bars with hard core criminals for almost two years.

The MoD/RSLAF would further like the public to know that Captain Patrick Kamara and the two others have NEVER been denied access to their family members, lawyers and human right organizations. On daily basis, their family members visit and talk with them.

It added that recently, one of their lawyers, Ady Macauley (the former ACC Commissioner) also visited and spoke with them.

Most importantly, the MoD/RSLAF would like the public to know that since the retirement of the former President in April this year, all the military personnel that were part of his security detail have NEVER been dismissed, arrested and detained in contrast to what is FALSELY REPORTED by a particular newspaper. However, they have all been re-assigned to other posts. For instance, Lieutenant Colonel Sheku Tejan Sesay (who first served as Officer Commanding the former President’s security detail and later as ADC to the former President) is currently working at the AU Headquarters as Military Operations Officer. Besides, Colonel Paul Koroma (who last served as ADC to the former President) is now Director of Training and Education. All the other military personnel are currently working in various units and formations across the country.

 However, the MoD/RSLAF would like to REMIND the public that Captain Kamara and the two others are ONLY being detained and investigated for an apparent disappearance of a large cache of ammunition and some arms, which they had ALLEGEDLY signed for, collected and kept while working in the former President’s security detail. The MoD/RSLAF believes that the disappearance of such ammunition and weaponry poses SERIOUS THREAT to national security.