Sierra Leone's government has dropped treason and other charges against former President Ernest Bai Koroma, who had been arrested in connection with an attempted coup nearly three years ago. The charges were dismissed on health grounds, according to Information Minister Chernor Bah.
Koroma, 72, has consistently denied any involvement in the November 2023 incident, during which gunmen raided a military armory and several prisons, leading to the release of nearly 2,000 inmates. The uprising resulted in approximately 20 fatalities.
In a statement following the dismissal of charges, Koroma expressed his belief that "peace, justice and reconciliation must always triumph over adversity." He also conveyed his gratitude to Sierra Leonean President Julius Maada Bio, Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, and the West African regional bloc Ecowas for their support during the legal proceedings.
Following Koroma's arrest and placement under house arrest in 2023, Ecowas facilitated an agreement that allowed the former president to go into exile in Nigeria, where he could receive medical attention. The attorney general subsequently filed to discontinue the case and drop the charges.
"The former president is therefore free to return to Sierra Leone at a time of his choosing and to go about his normal business," Bah stated.
Koroma served as Sierra Leone's president for 11 years, concluding his term in 2018 when the current president, Bio, was elected. The 2023 election that saw Bio narrowly re-elected for a second term was disputed by Koroma's All People's Congress and faced criticism from international observers for a lack of transparency in the vote count.
In 2024, eleven civilians and 24 soldiers were convicted for their roles in the coup attempt and received lengthy prison sentences.