A seven-person military jury in Sierra Leone found 24 soldiers guilty Friday of mutiny, murder and other charges in a 2023 failed coup attempt. After the decision by the jury, the judge handed the 24 soldiers lengthy sentences ranging from 50 to 120 years in prison.

A lieutenant colonel, the highest-ranked member of the group, was handed the 120-year sentence. Judge Advocate Mark Ngegba stressed that the length of the sentences was due to the gravity of the offenses. The men had attacked military barracks in Wilberforce, Sierra Leone in November 2023. Some of the convicts served in the civil war during the 1990s and served in the Sierra Leone military for decades. In July, 11 civilians were jailed for their role in the attack as well.

According to a statement released by then-Sierra Leonean Minister of Information and Civic Education Mustapha Jambai Massaquoi, the attackers were rebuffed when they tried to break into the military armory at the Wilberforce barracks. The government assured the public that state security forces were in control, and citizens were strongly advised to stay indoors with the curfew in effect.

The attack followed the months-long social unrest within the country after the June 2023 presidential election, which resulted in President Bio of the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) winning with a 56.17 percent majority vote. However, the result became controversial as his main competitor, Samura Kamara of the All People’s Congress (APC), who came second with 41.16 percent, rejected the result for lack of transparency and asked to initiate a thorough investigation into the electoral process. The APC also accused the military of shooting live ammunition and tear gas at their office one day after the election when APC staff and supporters sifted through vote data. However, the EU Election Observation Mission (EOM)’s final report found the result credible despite the lack of transparency and the violent incident.

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) released a statement on Sunday, condemning the disturbances in Sierra Leone and reiterating its “zero-tolerance for unconstitutional change of [g]overnment.” Notably, the region is facing a surge in military coups and six African countries have been taken over by juntas over the past three years, including Gabon and Niger in 2023.