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The State Counsel in the ongoing Court Martial trial, Joseph Sesay, on Tuesday made a strong case for the conviction of all 27 military officers accused of mutiny.
27 military personnel, including a Lieutenant Colonel, stood accused of involvement in the November 2023 coup attempt against the Sierra Leone government.
In a dramatic address to the Board Members, Sesay labeled the accused as “enemies of the State” and insisted that the prosecution had irrefutably proven their guilt.
A key piece of evidence presented by the prosecution was an audio recording extracted from the mobile phone of one of the accused, Edward Koroma. The recording detailed plans to break into the arms store and subsequently attack the Wilberforce Barracks. Sesay argued that this audio, along with other digital evidence, unequivocally demonstrated the accused’s intent to overthrow the government.
The prosecutor also highlighted the testimonies of several witnesses, including soldiers and civilians, which corroborated the prosecution’s case. He emphasized the gravity of the attack, citing the use of an RPG, a weapon typically reserved for serious conflicts.
Several accused officers offered conflicting accounts of their whereabouts during the attack, which Sesay argued further incriminated them. He pointed to discrepancies in their testimonies and presented evidence to counter their claims.
This is the first court marshall that has taken so long compared to others in the past This means the Govt really want to prove beyond every reasonable doubt the innocent or guilt of each and every accused . The matter is now left with defence and Court. We are hoping for the best for the country. Let justice prevail.