A military court in Sierra Leone has convicted six soldiers for their roles in a failed coup attempt, sentencing them to lengthy prison terms, while one soldier was acquitted and discharged.
The verdicts, delivered during the 20th sitting of the General Court Martial, mark a significant development in the prosecution of military personnel accused of attempting to overthrow the government.
Major Bai Sesay, the first accused, was found guilty on all seven counts and sentenced to a maximum of 125 years in prison. Five other soldiers—Staff Sergeant Joseph Conteh, Sergeant Alimamy Alhaji Conteh, Corporal Alpha Wurie Conteh, Lance Corporal Ibrahim Kuyateh, and Lance Corporal Lahai Kemoh—were also found guilty on multiple counts and sentenced to terms ranging from 18 months to 130 years. Lance Corporal Kemoh had previously been dismissed in absentia due to desertion, a ruling that was reaffirmed by the court.
The seventh accused, Sergeant Baimba Bangura, was found not guilty on all charges and subsequently acquitted and discharged.
The convicted soldiers were part of the second group of military personnel tried in connection with the “bloody coup” attempt on November 26, 2023, which resulted in the deaths of 18 security personnel and two civilians. The first batch of soldiers, comprising 27 personnel, was tried between January and August 2024. Of those, 24 were convicted and sentenced to various prison terms, while one was acquitted and another was discharged due to mental illness.
The failed coup was the second major attempt to overthrow President Julius Maada Bio following his re-election. The first attempt, foiled on July 29, 2023, involved a group of military personnel and civilians engaged in subversive activities against the state. Those involved in that plot were sentenced in a separate court martial trial on February 12, 2025.
During the latest trial, the prosecution, led by 15 lawyers—including ten serving military officers—presented evidence through 20 witnesses and 25 exhibits. The accused were defended by a legal team that included I. Bangura, O.V. Garber, E. Saunders, C. Kamara, and M.K. Dauda.
The court martial was presided over by Judge Advocate Mark Ngegba, along with a panel of military officers, including Colonel S.M.O. George, Lieutenant-Colonel P.S. Brima, Major M.N. Sillah, Major S. Falama, Major I. Samura, and Warrant Officer Class 1 I. Fofanah.
These convictions mark another step in the government’s efforts to hold accountable those involved in destabilizing the country.
