São Tomé e Príncipe

On November 24-25, 2022, there was an attack on a barracks in the island nation of São Tomé e Príncipe. Think: coup d'état. The attack was conducted by four civilians and some number of military personnel. All but one of the civilians died in the attack; the civilian's civilian-court trial began in September. The military accuseds are standing trial before what seems to be an ad hoc tribunal, with an equally ad hoc reviewing body, as described here. Excerpt:

The government of Sao Tome and Principe on Thursday swore in sixteen members of the Defence and Security forces to the first and second instance military courts that will judge the case of the attack and deaths that took place in a barracks last year.

The second instance court will be presided over by army colonel Leopoldo Vaz Fernandes, known as ‘Rambo’, while the first instance court will be presided over by Major Chadlid Deni da Costa Vangente, who was absent at the swearing-in ceremony, which was presided over by the minister of defence and internal administration.

“When the 25 November case reaches this court, it will be treated like all the others,” said Colonel Leopoldo Vaz Fernandes.

The new president of the second instance of the military court rejected opinions that the court “was only formed to judge the 25 November case”, adding, without specifying the numbers, that there are “many cases pending to be judged”.

The second instance court will also include two members of the Migration and Border Services (SMF), namely the deputy president, Superintendent Arnaldo dos Ramos, and the presiding judge, Elsa Maria dos Santos.

Major Kenete do Nascimento from the Armed Forces and Commissioners Daniel Chaves and Adelson Vaz Pereira, respectively from the Captaincy of Porto [Captain of the Port] and the Tax and Customs Police Unit, will also be judges of this military court, with Deputy Commissioner Acácio da Graça, from the SMF, as secretary.

The first instance court will have National Police Superintendent Domingos Frota Vaz as its substitute president, and the judges will be Lieutenant Captains Ramoon do Nascimento and Maiquel Madre Deus from the Armed Forces, Commissioner Simão Vila Nova from the National Police, and Sub-Commissioners Domingos Sanches and Cosme Pires Neto, respectively from the National Civil Protection and Fire Service (SNPCB) and the State Officers Protection Unit (UPDE).

Asked about the legal skills of the members of the military court to carry out military justice, the president of the court admitted that they will need “a lot of support”.

The research team here in the glass-enclosed newsroom high above Global Military Justice Reform Plaza lacks a lusophone capability, so if any reader is able to shed light on what seems a jury-rigged procedure, we'll welcome help. The country's military code, assuming there is one, seems not to be available online.

The CIA's World Factbook reports:

Armed Forces of Sao Tome and Principe (Forcas Armadas de Sao Tome e Principe, FASTP): Army, Coast Guard of Sao Tome e Principe (Guarda Costeira de Sao Tome e Principe, GCSTP), Presidential Guard, National Guard (2023)

note: the Army and Coast Guard are responsible for external security while the public security police and judicial police maintain internal security; both the public security police and the military report to the Ministry of Defense and Internal Affairs; the judicial police report to the Ministry of Justice, Public Administration, and Human Rights.