BY: MOHAMED SAHR
After an extensive nine months proceedings at the High Court of Sierra Leone, Judge Advocate Mark Ngegba has sentenced 25 convicts who were guilty in the 26th November 2023 failed coup to more than 500 years of incarceration for each according to 88 count charges. The final verdicts came in after an hour of deliberation by the seven Board Members between 10:00PM to 11:00PM on Friday 9th August 2024.
When passing his verdicts, the Judge Advocate told the court that as a standard institution, the military upholds its core values which include discipline, loyalty and integrity. Therefore he ruled on the basis of those elements in accordance with the Sierra Leone Army Forces Act of 1964.
The maximum years of imprisonment were 120 years for each convict in respect of the 88 count charges. However, the minimum year for each convict was one year also according to the offences.
Judge Advocate Mark Ngegba said their prison terms would run as the same time.
However, RSLAF 18167293, Sitta Dumbuya was gracefully pleaded not guilty of all the 88 count charges levied against him, and was acquitted and discharged with tears and despair drenched on him like a wet tower.
Lawyer I. Bangura from Legal Aid Board, J. Cole, and others from the defence counsel made plead of mitigations on the circumstances of the offences committed by the 25 convicts whiles in the dock. They asked the Judge Advocate for justice to be granted with mercy as they were first time offenders having host of families to feed.
Concurrently, all the 25 convicts also pleaded to the Judge Advocate to temper justice with mercy, as most of their children are still in school and have no support.
Notwithstanding, the Judge Advocate told the court that in lieu of 18th convict’s health condition, there would be separate verdict to be granted. Stating that it would be accompanied with a written notice and date for the trial.
