They are, former chief of defence staff, Lt Gen Lang Tombong Tamba and former navy chief, Rear Admiral Sarjo Fofana.
Sheriff Tambadou and Lamin Mboge urged the five-judge panel chaired by Chief Justice Ali Nawaz Chowhan to overturn the sentence of the two men before they adjourned the case to May 6 for judgment. The convicts turned to the Supreme Court in a fresh appeal after the Court of Appeal upheld their conviction and sentence last year. Addressing the court, Tambadou adopted his brief of arguments on behalf of Lt Gen Tamba.
“Having regards to the arguments, I urged my lords to allow the appeal and quash the conviction and sentence of Lt Gen Tamba and enter a verdict to acquit and discharge,” Tambadou said.
The same prayer was made by Fofana’s lawyer, Lamin Mboge. The chief prosecutor responded to the lawyers’ plea and urged the panel to dismiss the appeal of the two men. Tamba and Fofana were sentenced to 20 years in prison in 2011 by the high court. They were found guilty on four counts of treason in connection with the 2006 foiled coup allegedly masterminded by one Colonel Ndure Cham, who had since fled. They were escorted to court amid heightened security.
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