By Morlai Sesay
Alhaji Koroma, a member of the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF) who was arrested in connection with the November 26th failed attempted coup in Sierra Leone, has pleaded guilty to the charges levied against him.
‘I am guilty of the crime. I was used, sir. I never wanted to do it. I beg for mercy and don’t want to waste the court’s time. I am apologizing to this court and the President, Dr. Julius Maada Bio, to forgive me,’’ he cried for mercy.
Alhaji Koroma is among twenty-seven serving military officers facing a Court Martial presided over by Senior Magistrate Marke Ngegba and a panel of seven others in Freetown.
The court-martial revealed a staggering 88 charges levied against the accused individuals, exposing their deliberate roles in the November 26th failed coup.
The charges encompass a spectrum of offenses designed to destabilize the state, including mutiny, failure to suppress mutiny, aiding the enemy, communicating with the enemy, stealing of public or service property, fraudulent misapplication of public or service property, and the gravest charge of murder – potentially linked to casualties arising from the unsuccessful uprising.
After the charges were read to the accused persons, the first accused, Alhaji Koroma, pleaded guilty to 6 counts of charges of mutiny, aiding and aborting, and communication with the enemy among others. He also tendered an apology to the court and the Republic of Sierra Leone president, Dr Julius Maada Bio. He also stated that He was used to committing such acts and that he did the act but not wholeheartedly.
In the aftermath of the attempted coup plot in Sierra Leone, 48 personnel of the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF) have been dismissed, with 27 set to face charges on Thursday, January 10th. Colonel Issa Bangura, the Director of Communication and Public Relations Officer of the Ministry of Defence, provided details on the developments.
Referring to a joint press release issued last week, Colonel Bangura emphasized that the military personnel involved were ethically advised, and a code of conduct was established for them. He underscored the Ministry of Defence’s policies, prohibiting serving military officers from engaging in illegal military networks or political discourse that could disrupt peace and cohesion in the country.
Colonel Bangura highlighted an illegal WhatsApp group named “Joint Kalamera Peace and Security Network” (KPSN), formed by some serving military personnel and activated by the attempted coup plotters for communication purposes on Sunday, November 26, 2023.
He recounted a July 2023 briefing where he informed journalists about a joint military force with the Sierra Leone Police investigating intelligence related to certain activities by serving military personnel.
During the investigation, a vehicle belonging to Corporal Koroma was discovered abandoned at the joint communication unit of Wilberforce Barracks. A subsequent search revealed a list of serially arranged names belonging to RSLAF military personnel. Additionally, the illegal WhatsApp group owned by a civilian named Sheka Dumbuya contained a list of the attempted coup plotters. However, according to Colonel Bangura, Sheka Dumbuya is on the run.
Explaining the gravity of the situation, Colonel Bangura clarified that the intent of the serving military personnel, as evidenced by their list and WhatsApp group, was to engage in subversive activities towards carrying out an attempted coup on that fateful day. The dismissals and the court martial proceedings mark a significant step in addressing the attempted coup and maintaining discipline within the military ranks.
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