By Enyichukwu Enemanna
A former bodyguard to ex-President of Sierra Leone, Ernest Bai Koroma, has been found guilty of treason and sentenced to 182 years imprisonment over a failed coup in the country last year.
Amadu Koita Makalo, a former soldier, was sentenced along with ten others on charges of treason, murder and shooting with intent to murder.
Heritage Times HT recalls that in October last year, gunmen had launched an attack on a military barracks. Also in November, similar attack happened on a prison facility which authorities said was an attempt to overthrow the government.
More than 2,000 prisoners were freed and at least 20 people killed before the government regained control.
It came months after a disputed election in which President Julius Maada Bio was narrowly re-elected for a second term.
Makalo, who was widely followed on social networks where he criticised the government, was accused of being among the organisers of the failed coup.
The former presidential bodyguard had shown no remorse throughout the trial, local newspaper quoted a judge as saying on Monday during his 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,” the judge, Komba Kamanda was quoted as saying.
It reported that Makalo’s co-accused received between 39 and 182 years in jail.
At least 80 people were arrested in connection with the failed coup, most of them military personnel.
