Sierra Leone’s government has officially dropped all criminal charges, including treason, against former President Ernest Bai Koroma, according to local reports.
The 72-year-old former leader had been accused of involvement in a November 2023 coup attempt, during which armed attackers stormed a military armory and several prisons, freeing roughly 2 000 inmates. Koroma has always strongly denied any involvement in the plot.
While the Office of the Attorney General did not outline a specific reason for the abrupt decision to drop the case, Koroma had previously been granted medical bail to seek treatment in Nigeria, where he has been living in exile.
Responding to the news, Koroma shared his “enduring conviction that peace, justice, and reconciliation must always triumph over adversity.” He also expressed deep gratitude to Sierra Leone’s current President Julius Maada Bio, Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, and the West African regional bloc Economic Community of West African States for their roles in settling the bitter political feud.
–ChannelAfrica–
