Freetown 03 January 2024 – Sierra Leone’s former president, Ernest Bai Koroma, has just been formally charged with treason.
This revelation was made by a Notice issued by Ministry of Information and Civic Education.
“On Wednesday, January 3, 2024, in front of Magistrate Santigie Bangura at Magistrate Court 2, the Republic of Sierra Leone charged Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma for his alleged role in the failed coup of November 26, 2023,” the notice reads.
The former President is charged with four offences, including treason, misprision of treason, and two counts of harbouring.
Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma is represented by Joseph F. Kamara and other lawyers.
Yesterday, 12 people were charged with treason Amadu Koita, the man described by Information Minister Cherno Bah as top on the ‘Wanted List’ published by the police.
On November 26 2023, armed attackers engaged state security forces at two other military bases, in Cockril and Murray Town, according to the government.
They also breached the Pademba Road maximum security prison, freeing over 1000 inmates, among them people facing trial for an earlier alleged coup plot.
The government says 21 people died in the attack, 18 of them state security officers, who were honored in an interfaith funeral service.
At the event, President Julius Maada Bio vowed to ensure that everyone found to be involved with the attack will face the full force of the law, regardless of their status in society.
Over 80 people have been arrested as of Thursday, according to police, who say some of them were former security guards of Koroma. But Koroma was among the first to condemn the attack.
