Alhaji MB Jalloh: Sierra Leone Telegraph: 21 March 2024:
A military personnel attached to the 3rd Infantry Brigade, Murray Town, allegedly shot himself dead in the early hours of Monday, March 11, 2024.
Usually reliable sources in the military identify the deceased as Lance Corporal Kanyako (Photo). While there are speculations that he was shot from the back, some sources alleged that the Lance Corporal, who had served for over 10 years shot himself with an AK 47 rifle belonging to one of his colleagues, Corporal Kovoma, also attached to the same Brigade.
It’s not yet clear why he allegedly committed suicide; as no suicide note was found, but military intelligence indicates that the alleged suicide cannot be unconnected to the backfiring of a ‘promotion for information deal’ between Kanyako and some senior military officers.
That deal, according to sources, relates to the identification of alleged coup plotter – Amadu Koita by Kanyako, as one of the assailants who attacked the Wilberforce Barracks during the security breaches of November 26, 2023, in Freetown.
As compensation, Kanyako was reportedly promised to be promoted during the next cohorts of promotions.
However, sources say that when the promotions came out a few weeks ago and Kanyako’s name wasn’t on the list, he was reassured by a certain Colonel that his name will appear on the supplementary list, but it didn’t.
It could be recalled that following the fateful events of November 26, there were considerable misgivings as to who actually led the assault on Freetown; especially the attack on the Wilberforce Military Barracks.
Kanyaoko’s statement
to the authorities ascertained the involvement of Amadu Koita, and formed the basis for his (Koita) being declared wanted; which eventually led to his arrest on December 4, 2023.
When I contacted the military spokesman, Colonel Ibrahim Bangura, he could not give any details regarding the circumstances of Corporal Kanyako’s death.
“The incident is currently under investigations, I will get back to you on completion of the investigations or when the circumstances of the incident are clear to the Armed Forces,” Colonel Bangura told me.
A senior investigating officer at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in Freetown asserted that an important point to start with the investigation would be to identify the senior officer who promised the late soldier promotion for identifying Amadu Koita and why that promised was repeatedly broken.
It is also noted that individuals who spent time with the deceased the night before he took his life should be there to throw light on the final thoughts of the deceased.
Meanwhile, a confirmed source intimated me last night that Corporal Kovoma is currently locked up at the Military Police Custodian Centre at Wilberforce, where he is helping investigators of the Military Police in their investigations.
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