Freetown, Sierra Leone – The Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF) has disbursed over Le 116,000 in benefits to 36 military personnel convicted for their roles in the failed coup attempt of November 26, 2023.
According to military sources, the sum of Le 116,573 was paid through the Armed Forces Endowment and Loan Scheme (AFELS) as part of the convicts’ Cash Value Benefits. The payments were made on May 21, 2025, in the presence of custodial authorities at the Pademba Road Correctional Centre in Freetown.
Each convicted soldier personally received his allocated benefit, in line with AFELS policy. The Cash Value Benefit is a statutory entitlement payable to personnel who resign, retire, or are dismissed, including those dismissed following criminal convictions. The amount is calculated as the total individual contributions over a minimum of two years, plus a 25% interest. For those with less than two years of contribution, the interest is forfeited.
AFELS, which was officially launched in January 2022, forms part of a broader military reform agenda initiated by President Brigadier General (Rtd.) Julius Maada Bio, who also serves as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces and Chairman of the Defence Council. Upon assuming office in April 2018, President Bio pledged to transform the RSLAF into a modern, professional, and financially resilient force.
In addition to Cash Value Benefits, AFELS also manages Death Benefits and provides soft loans to serving personnel. The Death Benefit applies to the registered beneficiaries of deceased service members, and in cases where contributions fall below Le 2,500 or under two years, a flat payment of Le 2,500 is made.
AFELS loans, meanwhile, offer military personnel up to 40% of their annual salary, repayable over 12 months with a 10% interest rate. According to AFELS data, this initiative has significantly reduced reliance on commercial bank loans, which previously left many service members heavily indebted and financially strained.
Membership in the scheme is mandatory for all RSLAF personnel, with monthly contributions ranging between Le 75 and Le 500. These funds are actively invested to generate profits, which in turn help sustain the scheme’s benefits and interest payments.
The establishment of AFELS has been credited largely to Brigadier-General Roland Robin Gbondo, recently promoted and appointed as Chief Executive Officer of the newly created Defence Enterprise Services (DES), the Armed Forces’ investment arm.
“The transformation of RSLAF’s welfare system under AFELS continues to demonstrate our commitment to supporting the financial well-being of our personnel, even in the most difficult circumstances,” said Major Yayah Brima, Acting Director of Defence Public Relations and Information.
While the payments to convicted soldiers may raise public debate, officials emphasize that these are lawful entitlements as per existing military policy and not acts of leniency or reward.
