A military court in Sierra Leone has sentenced 24 soldiers to extended prison terms for their involvement in a failed coup attempt against President Julius Maada Bio’s government last November.
The court issued sentences ranging from 50 to 120 years on Friday, with the most severe penalty handed to a lieutenant colonel.
The 24 soldiers were part of a group of 27 men court-martialed for their roles in the November 26 attempted coup, which included attacks on military barracks, two prisons, and other locations.
The insurrection resulted in the release of approximately 2,200 inmates and claimed the lives of over 20 people.
This sentencing follows the earlier imprisonment of 11 civilians, as well as police and prison officers, in July for their roles in the insurrection.
The seven-member military jury found the majority of the soldiers guilty on charges that included mutiny, murder, aiding the enemy, and theft of public property.
Judge Advocate Mark Ngegba, a former military officer, stated that the harsh sentences were intended to convey a strong message of zero tolerance for such actions within the military.
One of the three remaining individuals was found not guilty, another had already been sentenced for pleading guilty, and the trial of the third will continue at a later date.
Family members of the convicted soldiers were visibly distressed during the reading of the sentences.
The failed coup followed a contentious election in which President Bio narrowly secured a second term.
The main opposition APC party disputed the results, and some local and international observers questioned the transparency of the electoral process.
