COURT MARTIAL TRIAL (EPISODE 19)
12th February, 2025
Following the re-election of President Julius Maada Bio on 24th June 2023, TWO MAJOR ATTEMPTS were made in that year to UNSEAT the newly re-elected President.
The first attempt was FOILED on 29th July 2023—about five weeks after the re-election. On diverse dates between the 24th of June, 2023, and the 29th of July, 2023, a group of military personnel and civilians engaged in SUBVERSIVE ACTIVITIES to overthrow the President.
The second attempt was ABORTED on 26th November 2023, after another group of military personnel and civilians staged a BLOODY COUP with the intent to also overthrow the President. In the execution of the coup, 18 security personnel and two civilians were BRUTALLY KILLED by the assailants.
In connection with the SUBVERSIVE ACTIVITIES on 29th July 2023 and thereafter, some military personnel and civilians were arrested and detained at the country’s custodial facilities while several others went on the run. In the wake of the bloody coup on 26th November 2023, these detainees escaped from the custodial facilities and joined the assailants.
However, sometime in May 2024, Corporal Mohamed Koroma (who had been on the run for the said subversion) was arrested in his hometown near Mile 91 in Tonkolili District. A month later, Major Foday Sumana Kamara and Major Ibrahim Abu Bakarr Bangura (who had also been on the run in connection with the subversion) and Major Patrick Abu Ordende Sesay, Major Juana Kabbah, and Lieutenant Zainab Amara Suwu (who had, as well, been detained for the said subversion but later escaped from the custodial facilities during the bloody coup) were all arrested and extradited from neighboring Guinea.
On 17th October 2024, all the above-named military personnel were arraigned before the Court Martial for eight (8) counts of mutiny, failure to suppress mutiny, and desertion. They all pleaded “NOT GUILTY.”.
However, during the 26th sitting of the Court Martial held today (12th February 2025) with regards to the said SUBVERSIVE ACTIVITIES to UNSEAT President Bio, the following verdicts and sentences were pronounced on all six accused persons:
1. Major Major Patrick Abu Ordende Sesay, alias PAO (1st Accused). GUILTY of all five (5) counts and SENTENCED to a maximum jail term of 75 years.
2. Major Juana Kabbah (2nd Accused). GUILTY of all four (4) counts and SENTENCED to a maximum jail term of 60 years.
3. Major Foday Sumana Kamara (3rd Accused). GUILTY of all four (4) counts and SENTENCED to a maximum jail term of 60 years.
4. Major Ibrahim Abu Bakarr Bangura (4th Accused). GUILTY of all four (4) counts and SENTENCED to a maximum jail term of 50 years.
5. Lieutenant Zainab Amara Suwu (5th Accused). GUILTY of all four (4) counts and SENTENCED to a maximum jail term of 50 years.
6. Corporal Mohamed Koroma (6th Accused). GUILTY of all five (5) counts and SENTENCED to a maximum jail term of 75 years.
VIII. During the said trial titled “The State versus Major Patrick Abu Ordende Sesay alias PAO and 5 Others,” the State was represented by 15 prosecution lawyers led by JAK Sesay and PA Williams of the Law Officers’ Department and Colonel MBS Kamara of the Directorate of Defence Legal of Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF). Ten (10) of the prosecution lawyers are serving military personnel. To prove their case, the prosecution lawyers led 16 prosecution witnesses and tendered 47 exhibits.
IX. The accused persons, on the other hand, were represented by the following defense lawyers: I. Bangura, S. Elleamoh, OV. Garber, E. Sanders, C. Kamara, A. Yankay-Kargbo, and JK. Kobba. To disprove the prosecution’s case, all six accused persons separately testified in their defense.
X. The court martial trial was presided over by the following:
1. Mark Ngeba
Judge Advocate
2. Colonel SMO George
Court Martial President
3. Lieutenant-Colonel PS Brima
Board Member
4. Major MN Sillah
Board Member
5. Major S. Falama
Board Member
6. Major I. Samura
Board Member
7. Warrant Officer (Class 1) I, Fofanah, Waiting Board Member
XI. In subsequent EPISODES, we will look at the EVIDENCE tendered by both the Prosecution and the Defense to prove and disprove their cases, respectively.
XII. Meanwhile, the Judge Advocate will deliver another summing-up of evidence and direction to the Court Martial President and Board Members on Thursday, 13th February 2025, at 9:00 am for the case of The State versus Major Bai Sesay and 6 Others. The accused persons in this case are connected with the BLOODY COUP in which 18 security personnel and two civilians were BRUTALLY KILLED.
NOTE:
Major Yayah Brima,
Media Operations Officer,
Army Headquarters,
Cockerill Barracks,
Freetown
Phone/WhatsApp: 078 452 876
