A former bodyguard of Sierra Leone’s ex-President Ernest Bai Koroma, Amadu Koita Makalo, has been sentenced to 182 years in prison for his role in a failed coup last year. Makalo, a former soldier, was found guilty of treason, murder, and shooting with intent to murder, alongside 10 others.
According to local newspaper Awoko, the judge remarked during sentencing, “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.”
Komba Kamanda, a judicial spokesman, emphasized the severity of the sentence, stating, “This sentence is meant to deter others from attempting such actions.”
The failed coup, which occurred in November, involved attacks on a military barracks and prisons, resulting in over 2,000 prisoners being freed and at least 20 people killed. The government regained control, terming the attack an attempt to overthrow the government.
Makalo, who was widely followed on social networks for his criticism of the government, was accused of being among the organizers of the coup plot. He showed no remorse throughout the trial, according to reports.
The sentencing comes after a disputed election saw President Julius Maada Bio narrowly re-elected for a second term. Former President Koroma, who ruled Sierra Leone for 11 years until 2018, was also charged with treason in connection with the coup attempt but denied the charges and has yet to return to Sierra Leone after being granted permission to travel to Nigeria on medical grounds.