Sierra Leone Court Sentences 11 in Coup Case

A Sierra Leone high court has sentenced 11 individuals, including soldiers and police officers, to long prison terms for their roles in a failed military coup on November 26, which resulted in the deaths of over 20 people and the escape of approximately 2,200 inmates. The leader of the coup attempt, Amadu Koita Makalo, received a staggering 182 years in prison for treason, murder, and other charges, while the sentences for the other convicts ranged from 30 to 112 years. The former president, Ernest Bai Koroma, who was accused of being linked to the coup, was allowed to leave the country on medical grounds despite facing related charges. The coup attempt has heightened tensions in Sierra Leone, echoing the unrest from its brutal civil war. Critics of the current government, including Koroma's former associates, have alleged political motivations behind the charges. The court's verdict highlights the ongoing instability in a nation still grappling with its tumultuous past.