By Alimatu Kargbo
In a historic ruling, Justice Alhaji Momoh Jah Stevens of the Freetown High Court sentenced two military officers, Alie Badara Kanu and Thaimu Bangura, to 120 years in prison each after a jury found them guilty of treason and misprision of treason.
The prosecution alleged that between June 24, 2023, and June 29, 2024, Kanu and Bangura conspired to overthrow the Sierra Leonean government by unlawful means.
Additionally, between January 1 and April 16, 2024, they knowingly concealed information about a coup plot involving Captain Senesie, Captain John Conteh (alias Caesar), and others.
During the trial, defense attorneys S. Turay and E. Sunder argued that there was no concrete evidence linking the convicts to the alleged coup, emphasizing that no proof of weapon purchases, meeting attendance, or WhatsApp group activity was presented. They insisted the prosecution failed to prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt.
However, state counsel Yusuf Isaac Sesay countered that the convicts had made confessional statements, confirming their involvement in the coup plot. The judge ruled that their statements, including references to military attacks and phrases like “kick the bucket” (interpreted as a death threat), amounted to an admission of guilt.
After deliberation, the jury returned a guilty verdict. In their final pleas, both convicts begged for mercy, citing their roles as family men and breadwinners. Their defense lawyers echoed this appeal, but the judge emphasized the gravity of the crime.
“Once a person makes a confessional statement, it is equivalent to pleading guilty,” Justice Stevens declared before handing down the 120-year concurrent sentences, marking one of the toughest rulings on treason in recent history
