Law Court Building
The first convict Amadu Koita Makalo has been sentenced to a jailed term of one hundred and sixty two years. According to Justice Komba Kamanda, the convict Amadu Koita Makalo is to serve fifty two years each on counts one and two, and for counts 3,4, 5 and 6 he is to serve seventy years, to run concurrently. All other convicts to also serve their different sentences concurrently.
The sentence, Justice Kamanda said will serve as a deterrent to any coup plotter, and the reason for the sentence of the first convict is that he never showed any remorse throughout the trial.
Members of the Jury panel yesterday found Amadu Koita Makalo and ten others guilty of treason for the attempted coup on the 26th November, 2023 in Freetown. They were convicted after all twelve Jurors headed by a foreman Richard Bendu had unanimously delivered a guilty verdict.
In their plea mitigation, the 4th convict Ramatu Kamanda Conteh, 6th convict Hassan Leigh, 9th convict Ibrahim Mansaray and 11th convict Kabba Kamara begged for mercy.
While the other convicts including the 1st convict Amadu Koita Makalo said they had nothing to say.
The first convict Amadu Koita Makalo was found guilty on two counts of treason, six counts of murder and one count of shooting with intent.
Defense Counsels pleaded with the trial Judge, Justice Komba Kamanda to temper Justice with mercy, and extended thanks to both the prosecution and members of the Jury for the journey in the trial.
The lead State Prosecutor Ahmed Joseph Maxwell Bockarie asked the Judge to discountenance the cry of a bread winner as pleaded for by some of the convicts. He further asked for consecutive sentences and not concurrently.
On counts 1&2, State Counsel prayed for sentence of ninety years on each for the first convict Amadu Koita Makalo, and on count 3 asked for seventy years and forty five years on count 4.
The minimum sentence prayed for is five years which is for the counts of harboring and fifty years for misprision of treason.
