The ongoing treason trial at High Court #1 before Justice Komba Kamanda took a dramatic turn as one of the state witnesses, Sergeant Mani, also known as Pastor from the RSLAF, recounted his harrowing experience during yesterday’s hearing.
Sergeant Mani described being captured by armed men at Joint Command at Cockerill Headquarters, a moment that changed his life forever.
On November 26, Sergeant Mani was captured by masked armed men who claimed they were in the city to “clean the rotten system” in the country.
He vividly recalled the events of that day, starting with the sound of heavy gunfire in Wilberforce around 5 am. Despite the danger, he put on his uniform, prayed with his family, and left his unit, boarding a Kekeh towards Lumley.
At Lumley, he encountered Lieutenant Colonel Sandy and joined him in a vehicle heading towards Joint Command at Cockerill. However, upon arrival, their vehicle was surrounded by masked men, leading to a chaotic situation where Lieutenant Colonel Sandy managed to escape, leaving Sergeant Mani and another sergeant captured by the armed group.
Forced to assist the perpetrators, Sergeant Mani was coerced into helping upload weapons into a military vehicle parked outside the building. Emotions overwhelmed him as he recounted the terrifying moments, breaking down in tears during his testimony. Despite the judge’s offer for him to stand down, Sergeant Mani composed himself and continued his harrowing narrative.
The attackers asked him to do an inventory of dead bodies outside and inside the building, and when they attempted to shoot him in the foot, he managed to avoid the bullet by shifting his foot cleverly.
As the attackers drove away, Sergeant Mani seized the opportunity to flee to safety. The intense situation led to a request for an adjournment, with the matter postponed to Thursday the 9th, leaving a lingering sense of tension and uncertainty in the courtroom.
