Sierra Leone court finds 11 involved in alleged coup guilty. Leader sentenced to almost 200 years

Associated Press

FREETOWN, Sierra Leone (AP) — A Sierra Leone court found 11 people guilty of treason and other offenses following what authorities have called an attempted coup, with their leader sentenced to almost 200 years in prison. In November, dozens of gunmen broke into the country’s armory and into a prison. The clashes left 18 security forces dead. Authorities charged dozens in January, including former president Ernest Bai Koroma, later granted medical leave. The man accused of leading the attack, Amadu Koita Makalo, an ex-bodyguard of Koroma, was sentenced to 182 years in prison, the judiciary’s spokesperson told the Associated Press Tuesday. The other 10 also received lengthy prison sentences ranging from 30 to 112 years.