12th February, 2025, in the case of “The State versus Major Patrick Abu Ordende Sesay alias PAO and 5 Others”, all the six military personnel, who had been standing trial at the General Court Martial for SUBVERSION against the State, were found guilty and sentenced to various jail terms.
Today, at the 20th sitting of the Court Martial in the case of “The State versus Major Bai Sesay and 6 Others”, the following verdicts and sentences were ALSO pronounced on all the seven accused persons:
Major Bai Sesay (1st Accused). Found GUILTY of all the seven (7) counts. DISMISSED from the Armed Forces and SENTENCED to a maximum jail term of 125 years.
Staff Sergeant Joseph Conteh alias Boy Pikin (2nd Accused). Found GUILTY of one (1) out of five (5) counts. DISMISSED from the Armed Forces and SENTENCED to a maximum jail term of 18 months.
Sergeant Alimamy Alhaji Conteh alias Next Man (3rd Accused). Found GUILTY of all the six (6) counts. DISMISSED from the Armed Forces and SENTENCED to a maximum jail term of 120 years.
Corporal Alpha Wurie Conteh (4th Accused). Found GUILTY of all the five (5) counts. DISMISSED from the Armed Forces and SENTENCED to a maximum jail term of 125 years.
Lance Corporal Ibrahim Kuyateh (5th Accused). Found GUILTY of all the five (5) counts. DISMISSED from the Armed Forces and SENTENCED to a maximum jail term of 120 years.
Lance Corporal Lahai Kemoh (6th Accused). Found GUILTY of all the five (5) counts. DISMISSED from the Armed Forces and SENTENCED to a maximum jail term of 130 years.
Note that Lance Corporal Kemoh had been DISMISSED on grounds of prolonged absence without leave when he was on the run. During today’s sentencing, the dismissal was endorsed.
Sergeant Baimba Bangura alias Maggie (7th Accused). Found NOT GUILTY of all the five (5) counts. ACQUITTED AND DISCHARGED
The above-named military personnel were arraigned before the Court Martial on 17th October, 2024 for ten (10) counts of Conspiracy to Commit Mutiny, Mutiny, Failure to Suppress Mutiny, Communicating with the Enemy, Conduct to the Prejudice of Military Discipline and Desertion.
The said military personnel were the SECOND BATCH of soldiers tried in connection with the BLOODY COUP on 26th November, 2023, in which 18 loyal security personnel and two civilians were BRUTALLY KILLED by the assailants.
The FIRST BATCH of soldiers was tried from 7th January, 2024 – 9th August, 2024. The said batch comprised 27 military personnel.
On the first day of the said trial, the 1st Accused, Staff Sergeant Alhaji Koroma pleaded “GUILTY” to nine (9) out of the twenty (20) counts with which he was charged. Hence, he was sentenced to a maximum jail term of 30 years after the Prosecution dropped the remaining counts.
VII. Subsequently, only 26 military personnel went through the full trial. At the end of the trial, 24 of them were found GUILTY and sentenced to various jail terms, one was acquitted and discharged and one was discharged on grounds of Insanity (Disease of the Mind).
VIII. In 2023, after the re-election of President Julius Maada Bio, TWO MAJOR ATTEMPTS were made to OVERTHROW the newly re-elected President.
The first attempt was FOILED on 29th July, 2023 – about five weeks after the re-election. During the trial, the Prosecution’s evidence proved that on diverse dates between the 24th June, 2023 and 29th July, 2023, a group of military personnel and civilians engaged in SUBVERSIVE ACTIVITIES to overthrow the President. Hence, all the six military personnel, who were standing trial in respect of the said SUBVERSION, were yesterday slamed with lengthy jail terms after they were found GUILTY of the offences preferred against them.
The second attempt was ABORTED on 26th November, 2023. During the trial, the Prosecution’s evidence also proved that on 26th November, 2023, another group of military personnel and civilians staged a BLOODY COUP also with intent to overthrow the President. In the execution of the said coup, 18 loyal security personnel and two civilians were BRUTALLY KILLED by the assailants.
Like the other cases, in the case of The State versus Major Bai Sesay and 6 Orhers, the State was also represented by 15 Prosecution Lawyers led by JAK Sesay and PA Williams of the Law Officers’ Department and Colonel MBS Kamara 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 20 Prosecution Witnesses and tendered 25 exhibits.
The accused persons, on the other hand, were represented by the following Defence Lawyers: I Bangura, OV Garber, E Saunders, C Kamara and MK Dauda. To disprove the Prosecution’s case, all the seven accused persons separately testified in their defence.
This Court Martial trial was, as well, presided over by the following;
1. Mark Ngegba
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
In subsequent EPISODES, we will look at the EVIDENCE tendered by both the Prosecution and the Defence for all the cases.
Major Yayah Brima,
Media Operations Officer,
Army Headquarters,
Cockerill Barracks,
Freetown
Phone/WhatsApp:
078 452 876
