Former Sierra Leone President, Koroma Faces Treason Charges In Alleged Coup Plot

Sierra Leone has charged former president Ernest Bai Koroma with treason and other offences related to his purported involvement in what authorities describe as an attempted coup on November 26.

Koroma, who served as the leader of the West African nation from 2007 to 2018, had previously undergone questioning, with authorities identifying him as an official suspect in orchestrating the coup attempt.

“The former president is charged with four offences, including treason, misprision of treason, and two counts of harbouring,” a statement signed by Information Minister Chernor Bah said.

On Tuesday, Sierra Leone pressed charges of treason against 12 individuals linked to the coup attempt, among them Amadu Koita, a former soldier and one-time bodyguard of Koroma.

Koita, known for his significant following on social media platforms, used these channels to criticize the government of the current President, Julius Maada Bio.

On November 26, armed assailants attacked a military armoury, two barracks, two prisons, and two police stations, engaging in confrontations with security forces. The violent incident resulted in the loss of twenty-one lives, and numerous prisoners escaped before authorities managed to regain control.

The authorities deemed the event a coup attempt orchestrated by members of the armed forces.

The occurrence of such violence raised concerns about the potential for another coup in West Africa, a region that has witnessed coups in Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, and Guinea since 2020.