Francis Misheck Minah (19 August 1929 – 1989) was a Sierra Leonean statesman, lawyer and

politician A politician is a person active in party politics, or a person holding or seeking an elected office in government. Politicians propose, support, reject and create laws that govern the land and by an extension of its people. Broadly speaking ...

who served as First Vice President of Sierra Leone from 1985 to 1987 under President Siaka Stevens. An ethnic Mende from the

Pujehun District Pujehun District is a district in the Southern Province of Sierra Leone. Pujehun District is one of the sixteen Districts of Sierra Leone. Its capital and largest city is the town of Pujehun . The other major towns in the district include Gando ...

, he became a member of the House of Representatives in 1967. He had previously served as

Minister of Foreign Affairs A foreign affairs minister or minister of foreign affairs (less commonly minister for foreign affairs) is generally a cabinet minister in charge of a state's foreign policy and relations. The formal title of the top official varies between co ...

Minister of Health A health minister is the member of a country's government typically responsible for protecting and promoting public health and providing welfare and other social security services. Some governments have separate ministers for mental health. Coun ...

Minister of Trade and Industry A Ministry of Trade and Industry, Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce and Industry or variations is a ministry that is concerned with a nation's trade, industry and commerce. Notable examples are: List *Algeria: Ministry of Industry and ...

and Attorney General and Minister of Justice. In 1987, Minah was investigated by Inspector General Bambay Kamara for plotting a coup against President Joseph Saidu Momoh. He was convicted along with 17 others after a five month trial and subsequently hanged for treason in 1989. A team of international oberservers from

Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and the ...

, Sweden, Switzerland,

Algeria ) , image_map = Algeria (centered orthographic projection).svg , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Algiers , coordinates = , largest_city = capital , relig ...

and

South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korean Peninsula and sharing a land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed by the Yellow Sea, while its eas ...

all concurred that the trial was justified, and was not politically motivated.

Early life and education

Minah was born on 19 August 1929 in Sawula,

British Sierra Leone The Colony and Protectorate of Sierra Leone (informally British Sierra Leone) was the British colonial administration in Sierra Leone from 1808 to 1961, part of the British Empire from the abolitionism era until the decolonisation era. The Crow ...

. He was a cousin of

Siaka Probyn Stevens Siaka Probyn Stevens (24 August 1905 – 29 May 1988) was the leader of Sierra Leone from 1967 to 1985, serving as Prime Minister of Sierra Leone, Prime Minister from 1967 to 1971 and as President from 1971 to 1985. Stevens' leadership was ofte ...

. He received his education at Methodist Boys High School and read law at King's College London. In 1962, he was called to the bar at Grays Inn. Minah was a member of the Mende ethnic group.

Career and politics

He operated a private law practice in Sierra Leone. He was one of Siaka Stevens' closest political allies. In 1967, he entered politics and became a member of Parliament for Pujehun South District rising through the ranks and eventually becoming Vice President of Sierra Leone. During his tenure, Minah became one of the most powerful politicians in Sierra Leone. Minah orchestrated the constitutional amendments necessary for President Stevens to pass over Vice President S.I.Koroma and make Brigadier General Joseph Saidu Momoh his successor. He returned to Sierra Leone and served in many capacities as Sierra Leone's

Minister of Justice A justice ministry, ministry of justice, or department of justice is a ministry or other government agency in charge of the administration of justice. The ministry or department is often headed by a minister of justice (minister for justice in a ...

and Attorney General and

Minister of Finance A finance minister is an executive or cabinet position in charge of one or more of government finances, economic policy and financial regulation. A finance minister's portfolio has a large variety of names around the world, such as "treasury", " ...

, under former president

Siaka Stevens Siaka Probyn Stevens (24 August 1905 – 29 May 1988) was the leader of Sierra Leone from 1967 to 1985, serving as Prime Minister of Sierra Leone, Prime Minister from 1967 to 1971 and as President from 1971 to 1985. Stevens' leadership was ofte ...

. He was later appointed the Vice President of Sierra Leone under former president

Joseph Saidu Momoh Major General Joseph Saidu Momoh, OOR, OBE (January 26, 1937 – August 3, 2003) served as President of Sierra Leone from November 1985 to 29 April 1992. Early life and education Joseph Saidu Momoh was born on January 26, 1937, in Binkolo, B ...

administration.

Trial and execution

On 23 March 1987, police raided a house in Freetown and reported the discovery of heavy artillery, including rocket launchers. Minah and 17 others (including

Jamil Sahid Mohamed Jamil Sahid Mohamed Khalil (1936 - 2000) was a Sierra Leonean-Lebanese businessman, diamonds and commodities trader. He attained prominence in the diamond industry across Africa and Antwerp and became an influential figure in the politics of Sierr ...

) were arrested and accused of planning to assassinate President Momoh and intending to stage a

coup d'état A coup d'état (; French for 'stroke of state'), also known as a coup or overthrow, is a seizure and removal of a government and its powers. Typically, it is an illegal seizure of power by a political faction, politician, cult, rebel group, m ...

in order to make Minah president of Sierra Leone. In October 1987, after a five-month trial and four hours of deliberation, the jury delivered a guilty verdict. The former First Vice President and 17 others were convicted of treason and sentenced to death.

Legacy

He is survived by his children Katie Minah, John Minah, Feimatta Otusanya nee Minah, Vandi Minah, Francis Minah and Christian Minah, his sister Paramount Chief Matilda Lansana Minah MP (Sierra Leone), his brother, Jacob Minah and many nieces and nephews.

References

External links