On November 26, gunmen assaulted military barracks, a prison, and several other locations, resulting in the escape of about 2,200 inmates and the deaths of more than 20 people.
After the coup attempt failed, 12 individuals were charged with treason in January. On Monday night, a unanimous jury found 11 of them guilty on 20 counts, including treason, murder, and improper use of military uniforms.
The remaining defendant, Bai Mahmoud Bangura of the opposition All People’s Congress (APC) party, is undergoing a separate trial due to health concerns.
Sentenced to multiple concurrent terms ranging from 40 to 70 years, Amadu Koita Makalo, a retired army major and former bodyguard to ex-president Ernest Bai Koroma, was convicted of several crimes.
A female police officer and a female prison guard were also sentenced. Halimatu Hassan Bangura, the police officer, was handed a 30-year prison term for sheltering Koita.
According to the government, the coup attempt was chiefly carried out by bodyguards of Koroma.
Although Koroma faced four related charges, he was allowed to exit the country for medical reasons.
The failed coup was condemned by Koroma, whose lawyers described the charges as “trumped up” and driven by a “political vendetta”. This reaction emphasizes the intense political discord surrounding the case.
As tensions mount, Sierra Leone faces renewed unrest, reminiscent of the 1991-2002 civil war that resulted in over 50,000 casualties.