**The only soldier convicted in connection with the death of Iraqi Baha Mousa claims that he witnessed an Army officer abuse other prisoners.**Former corporal Donald Payne told a public inquiry into Mr Mousa’s death that he saw a group led by Lt Craig Rodgers “kick and/or punch” prisoners.
Mr Mousa, 26, died in Basra in 2003 while in the custody of the former Queen’s Lancashire Regiment (QLR).
Lt Rodgers has denied assaulting “any of the detainees at any time”.
Mr Mousa, a hotel receptionist, was found to have suffered 93 separate injuries.
Payne, who formerly served with the QLR, became the first member of the UK armed forces to be convicted of a war crime when he pleaded guilty at a court martial to inhumanely treating civilians.
He was part of a group headed by Lt Rodgers which was known by the call sign G10A.
Payne told the inquiry that he had covered up the extent of the abuse of Iraqis by British soldiers out of “misguided loyalty”.
“I did not hit, punch, kick or physically assault any of the detainees at any time”
Lt Craig Rodgers
He said in a statement: "I now disclose that in adopting the routine I did each time, I returned to the temporary detention facility to ensure the detainees were awake, the degree of force I applied was greater than I have so far admitted.
“Moreover at one time or another I saw all the members of the multiple in call sign G10A emulate me.”
Apart from claiming to have seen Lt Rodgers’ men assaulting the Iraqi detainees, Payne said he also saw Lt Rodgers place a jerry can of petrol in front of a young boy.
“He poured water over him and then lit a match. This took place in the middle room. Another member of the multiple was with Lt Rodgers but I do not now recall his identity,” he said.
Lt Rodgers, who left the Army in March 2007, issued a statement in which he said: “I did not hit, punch, kick or physically assault any of the detainees at any time.”