Court: Eleven People Found Guilty of Alleged Coup Plot in Sierra Leone
After an alleged coup attempt in Sierra Leone, a court found eleven people guilty and sentenced them for high treason and other offenses. Ten defendants received prison sentences for high treason and murder ranging from 30 to 112 years, according to a justice spokesperson of the AP news agency on Monday. The alleged ringleader was reportedly sentenced to 182 years in prison.
In November, dozens of armed men broke into a weapons store and a prison in the west African country, freeing over 2000 inmates. 18 security forces were killed in violent clashes. Authorities reported the arrest of around 80 suspects at the time. A trial was initiated against a dozen of them in January, including former President Ernest Bai Koroma, who was allowed to leave the country later for medical reasons.
The man now sentenced as the alleged ringleader is Amadu Koita Makalo, a former bodyguard of Koroma. Makalo has been noticed for sharp criticism of President Julius Maada Bio on social media. Since Bio's re-election last year, which the opposition claims was manipulated in his favor, the west African country has been experiencing political tensions.
The alleged ringleader of the putsch attempt, Amadu Koita Makalo, has been a vocal critic of President Julius Maada Bio on social media. This trial in Court follows the alleged coup attempt in the Sierras, which occurred years ago. Despite being a former bodyguard of former President Ernest Bai Koroma, Makalo was sentenced to a record-breaking 182 years in prison. The arrest and trial of the defendants, including Makalo, took place after the weapons store and prison break in November, resulting in the deaths of 18 security forces.
