In Sierra Leone’s capital of Freetown, the government has announced that former President Ernest Bai Koroma is facing charges of treason and misprision of treason. The latter charge refers to the concealment of knowledge about treasonable acts. These charges stem from an incident on November 26th when a group of gunmen attacked Freetown, breaching the country’s main armory and freeing over 2,000 inmates from a prison. The attack resulted in the deaths of at least 18 security personnel. Over 50 suspects, including military officers, have been arrested in connection with the incident. Koroma’s charges come on the heels of similar charges against a dozen others linked to the failed coup attempt.
Despite having officially retired from politics, Koroma remains influential within his political party and frequently hosts prominent politicians in his hometown of Makeni. These developments come amid political tensions in Sierra Leone following President Julius Maada Bio’s controversial reelection in June. In the aftermath of his reelection, several people, including senior military officers, were arrested for allegedly planning to use protests to undermine peace.
