Soldiers and police on arrest mission

Abubakar Hashim/Freetown

One of the key organisers of the attempted coup on November 26, Amadu Koita, who was a military bodyguard of former President Ernest Bai Koroma, has been arrested, along with two accomplices.

These arrests now bring to 60 the number of people arrested, vast majority of them are either serving or retired military personnel.

Vice President Juldeh Jalloh on official visit to the Pademba Correctional Centre, where 95% of inmates escaped

Amadu Koita has been at the top of the wanted list. He was arrested at midnight at the east of Freetown, where he was sheltered by two police personnel who were also arrested.

However, former President Ernest Koroma had earlier issued a statement condemning the November 26 coup attempt.

A total of 21 people were killed during the November attempted coup, including 14 soldiers who were buried today at the Lumley war cemetery.

Minister of Information, Chernoh Bah

In an earlier statement, the Chief of Defence Staff CDS, Lt Gen Peter Lavahun remarked that former President Koroma’s bodyguards, Idrissa, known as Leather Boot, who was shot on the foot and later died, Sorieba and now Koita, were involved in the attempted coup.

He did not, however, name former President Koroma as directly involved, stating further that these former military guards may have acted on their own.Koroma had earlier issued a statement condemning the November 26 coup attempt

At the interfaith ceremony today at the military headquarters at Cockeril, President Bio stated that robust investigations are still ongoing to further weed out more culprits.