Freetown, Sierra Leone – A military court in Sierra Leone has handed down a 120-year prison sentence to Corporal Edward Koroma, known by the alias “Smallie,” marking him as the sixth individual convicted in connection with the violent attempted coup on November 26, 2023, that claimed the lives of 18 security officers and two civilians.
The Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF) Court Martial delivered the verdict following weeks of proceedings in the case titled *The State versus Staff Sergeant Alhaji Koroma and 26 Others*. Prosecutors presented compelling evidence showing that Corporal Koroma played an active role in the coordinated attacks aimed at toppling the government of President Julius Maada Bio.
Among the evidence were chilling audio recordings in which Koroma was heard calling for the execution of any security personnel who refused to join the plot. Photographs also placed him at the scene armed with a rocket-propelled grenade launcher during the assault.
The failed coup saw simultaneous strikes on several key installations, including Wilberforce Barracks, Cockerill Barracks, Murray Town Barracks, and the Pademba Road Maximum Security Correctional Centre, where more than 2,000 inmates were forcibly freed. The attackers, a mix of serving and former military and police personnel, killed three loyal soldiers at the Murray Town logistics depot alone: Staff Sergeant Kelkifa Kelly Marrah, Sergeant Thomas Rogers, and Corporal Sam Kabba.
In total, 18 members of the armed forces, police, and correctional services were killed while defending state institutions. The fallen officers have since been posthumously promoted in recognition of their sacrifice.
The court found that Koroma had conducted prior reconnaissance and was specifically tasked with neutralizing loyal troops guarding critical military supply points.
He was found guilty on all 14 charges, including mutiny and murder, and received the maximum cumulative sentence allowed under military law.
The ruling reinforces the military judiciary’s determination to hold all participants accountable for what prosecutors described as a deliberate and well-orchestrated attempt to seize power by force.
Sentencing for the remaining co-accused continues.
