The Court Martial proceedings for the first group of 27 military personnel implicated in the November 26, 2023 coup will conclude today, August 20, 2024.
After
closing arguments were presented on August 8, the trial of the 18th accused,
Lance Corporal Abu Bakarr Koroma, also known as Opanday, was delayed due to a
medical emergency. Koroma has since recovered and will face trial today.
The
Court Martial board, which has been overseeing the trials, will be dissolved
immediately after the conclusion of Koroma's trial. The Ministry of Defence has
announced that a new board will be formed next month to handle the trials of a
second batch of 15 accused military personnel. This group includes five
officers recently extradited from Guinea.
These
fugitives, all commissioned officers, were initially arrested for subversion in
July 2023 but managed to escape custody and join the coup plotters. They were
captured in Guinea in June 2024 and are expected to face charges related to
their involvement in the coup.
The
November 26 coup attempt resulted in the deaths of 18 security personnel and
two civilians. The attackers also freed over 2,200 inmates from the country’s
two main prisons, adding to the chaos.
The
military personnel who lost their lives in the coup attempt were posthumously
promoted in recognition of their service. The fallen soldiers include:
- Colonel
Wilfred Sao Samai
- Lieutenant
Colonel John Robert Mboma
- Warrant
Officer Class 2 Kelifa Kelly Marrah
- Warrant
Officer Class 2 Nabieu Marrah
- Staff
Sergeant Thomas Rogers
- Staff
Sergeant Abdul Conteh
- Staff
Sergeant James Gbessay Mbayo
- Sergeant
Steven Sannoh
- Sergeant
Sam Kabba
- Sergeant
Edmond Conteh
- Sergeant
Kai Mondeh
- Sergeant
Alimamy Alfred Kamara
- Corporal
Nabieu Bangura
- Corporal
Abu Bakarr Koroma
- Lance
Corporal Chernor Sulaiman Bah
In
addition to these military personnel, Police Corporal Claude Roberts, Police
Constable Sheik-Man Kamara, and Corrections Service Officer Third Class Obi
Isaac Johnson were also killed during the coup attempt. Two civilians, Micheal
Fayiah Kpudeh and Kema Foday Kai, tragically lost their lives in the violence
as well.
The
Ministry of Defence's decision to form a new Court Martial board highlights the
ongoing seriousness with which the government is treating the coup's aftermath. As the trials of the remaining accused approach, the government aims to
ensure that all those involved in the coup are held accountable for their
actions.
This
significant chapter in Sierra Leone's history will continue to unfold as the
military justice system seeks to deliver verdicts on those who conspired
against the state. The tragic loss of life, both among security personnel and
civilians, serves as a stark reminder of the high stakes involved in the
country's ongoing fight against subversion and instability.