Monday, July 22, 2024
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Former Bodyguard of Sierra Leone's Ex-Leader Sentenced to 182 Years for Failed Coup
Sierra Leonean soldiers patrol the streets in response to last November's attacks on military barracks and prisons, which were part of a failed coup attempt.
A former bodyguard of Sierra Leone's ex-President Ernest Bai Koroma has been found guilty of treason and sentenced alongside ten others over a failed coup last year. Amadu Koita Makalo, who is also a former soldier, received a 182-year prison sentence on charges of treason, murder, and shooting with intent to murder.
These charges stem from attacks by gunmen on a military barracks and prisons last November, following a disputed election that saw President Julius Maada Bio narrowly re-elected for a second term.
During the attack, more than 2,000 prisoners were freed and at least 20 people were killed before the government regained control, deeming the incident an attempted coup. Makalo, who had a significant following on social networks where he criticized the government, was accused of being one of the coup plot organizers.
Local newspaper Awoko reported that during his sentencing on Monday, the judge remarked that Makalo had shown no remorse throughout the trial. Judge Komba Kamanda stated, "The purpose of this sentence is to serve as a deterrent for people to know that coups or attempted coups to overthrow any legitimate government is no longer accepted."
Makalo's co-accused received jail terms ranging from 39 to 182 years. A judicial spokesman told the AFP news agency that the exact lengths of their sentences were not specified, as the court documents had not yet been stamped and signed. At least 80 people were arrested in connection with the incident, most of them military personnel. In January, 12 people, including former police officers, were charged with treason and other offences.
That same month, ex-President Koroma, who ruled Sierra Leone for 11 years until 2018, was charged with treason in connection with the coup attempt, a charge he denied. Despite these charges, Koroma was granted permission to travel to Nigeria on medical grounds. The court allowed him to be away for no more than three months, but he has yet to return to Sierra Leone.
