The high court in Sierra Leone has sentenced the rebel leader, Foday Sankoh, to death for treason in connection with the coup in May last year that briefly ousted President Tejan Kabbah.

The judge sentenced the former corporal, who heads the Revolutionary United Front, to hang after a jury found him guilty on seven counts of treason.

The judge said Mr Sankoh deserved death because the military government would not have been able to commit atrocities for so long without his support.

Foday Sankoh burst into war songs as he left the court room.

He has the right to appeal against the sentence.

Mr Sankoh was detained in Nigeria while the military Junta held power in Freetown.

He was returned to Freetown in July.

On Monday twenty-four soldiers were executed for their part in the coup