Africa-Press – Sierra-Leone. The government of Sierra Leone has dropped the charges against former president Ernest Bai Koroma, including the charge of treason, who was arrested in connection with a coup attempt nearly three years ago.
The Minister of Information, Shernor Bah, stated that the charges were dropped for health reasons. The former president, who is 72 years old, has always denied his involvement in the coup attempt that occurred in November 2023, when armed individuals stormed a military warehouse and several prisons, leading to the release of around two thousand inmates.
In commenting on the dropping of the charges against him, Koroma affirmed his “steadfast belief that peace, justice, and reconciliation must always prevail over adversity.”
Koroma also expressed his gratitude to Sierra Leonean President Julius Mada Bio, Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, and the regional bloc of West African states (ECOWAS) for their support.
After charges were brought against Koroma and he was placed under house arrest, ECOWAS mediated an agreement with the Sierra Leonean government, allowing the former president to seek medical treatment in Nigeria.
Bah stated that the Attorney General had previously requested to drop the case against Koroma and dismiss the charges against him. He added, “Therefore, the former president is entitled to return to Sierra Leone at any time of his choosing and live his life normally.”
Koroma ruled Sierra Leone for 11 years until 2018, when the current president Bio was elected. Eleven civilians and 24 soldiers were convicted of involvement in the coup attempt and were sentenced to long prison terms in 2024.
About 20 people were killed in the uprising, which erupted five months after a controversial election in which President Bio was re-elected by a narrow margin for a second term.
The All People’s Congress party, led by Koroma, rejected the election results. International observers also criticized the elections, highlighting the lack of transparency in the vote counting process.
