The second Court Martial Board is expected to be constituted by next month to try an additional 15 military personnel, including five fugitives recently extradited from Guinea
The Court Martial Board, established in January 2024 to try 27 military personnel involved in the November 26 coup attempt, will dissolve tomorrow, following the conclusion of the trial of Lance Corporal Abu Bakarr Koroma, alias Opanday, according to Major Yayah Brima, the Media Operations Officer of the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces.
The dissolution marks the end of the first round of trials related to the bloody coup, which resulted in the deaths of 18 security personnel and two civilians. The trial of Koroma, who collapsed in court on August 8 due to epilepsy, would resume after a judge granted him medical treatment, ensuring he is now fit to proceed.
Colonel M.B.S. Kamara, Director of Defence Legal at the Ministry of Defence, indicated that the current Court Martial members who presided over the trials may not be empanelled for the next round of court proceedings.
The second Court Martial Board is expected to be constituted by next month to try an additional 15 military personnel, including five fugitives recently extradited from Guinea. These fugitives, all commissioned officers, were implicated in subversive activities against the state last July and were re-arrested after escaping custody during the coup.
The November 26 coup saw a mix of retired and active military personnel attack various military and custodial locations, intending to overthrow the government of President Julius Maada Bio. The assailants brutally killed 18 security personnel and two civilians, while also freeing 2,203 inmates from the country’s two major custodial centers.
Among the victims was Staff Sergeant Nabieu Marrah, who was beheaded with a rocket-propelled grenade, along with other fallen heroes who were posthumously promoted for their bravery.
As Sierra Leone continues to grapple with the aftermath of the coup, the upcoming trials are expected to bring further accountability to those involved in the attempted overthrow. The military and legal communities are now preparing for the next phase of trials, which will include high-ranking officers accused of betraying their country and joining the enemy forces.
