-All 11 accused guilty
– Koita, Mohamed Jalloh get 162 years imprisonment each
By Yusufu S. Bangura
After spending months in custody, Amadu Koita Makalo and Mohamed Jalloh have yesterday finally been convicted and sentenced to 162 years imprisonment each by Justice Komba Kamanda for treason, murder and other related offenses.
After making his summing up address to the jurors, Justice Komba called on the 12 panel of jurors to ensure that the sacred duty entrusted in them is executed with integrity, fairness and independence.
The jurors were later taken to a separate room where they deliberated on the evidence and after 1 hour 30 minutes, they returned a guilty verdict against all the accused persons.
Before the convicts were sentenced, they all pleaded with the judge to temper them justice with mercy, backed up by their various defense lawyers.
At that juncture, Justice Kamanda ruled that the purpose of the sentence is to serve as a warning to others who may want to commit such act.
He therefore sentenced the 1st convict, Amadu Koita Makalo, who was found guilty on 6 counts of treason, murder, shooting with intent to kill and three others.
The 2nd convict, Mohamed Jalloh was also sentenced to 162, which must also run concurrently.
The 3rd convict, Sergeant 10020 Emmanuel Salifu Kamara was sentenced to 92 years, the 4th convict Ramatu Kamanda Conteh was sentenced to 44 years.
The 5th convict, Halimatu Hassan Bangura was sentenced to 65 years, the 6th convict, Hassan Leig was sentenced to 39 years, the 7th convict, Mohamed Woodie was sentenced to 52 years, the 9th convict ASP Ibrahim Sesay was sentenced to 44 years.
The 10th convict, Tamba Yamba was sentenced to 112 years, the 11th convict, Kabba Kamara was sentenced to 112 years and the 12th convict, Abdul Sorie Hassan Kamara was sentenced to 11 years imprisonment.
“This sentence will serve as a deterrent to all coup plotters,” Kamanda said.
The State was represented by lawyer Ahmed J.M Backarie, O.V Robmison Senior, Aruna Jalloh and Yusifu Issac Sesay.
The convicts were represented by Lawyer Musa Pious Sesay, Ady Macauley, Africanus S. Sesay, Foday Mansaray, Hassan Kamara, Ibrahim, among others.
