Former Sierra Leone President, Ernest Bai Koroma, has been charged with four counts of treason in connection with a failed military attempt to overthrow the West African country’s government in November, as announced by a court in the capital Freetown.
The charges stem from a series of events last November when gunmen raided a military armory and multiple prisons in Freetown, releasing nearly 2,000 inmates.
The violent clashes resulted in the deaths of at least 18 security force members, with more than 50 suspects, including military officers, subsequently arrested.
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Ernest Bai Koroma vehemently denies any involvement in the attack, which claimed the lives of approximately 20 people.
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The charges against him were unveiled a day after a dozen individuals were charged with similar offenses linked to the failed coup.
Political tensions in Sierra Leone escalated following the disputed reelection of President Julius Maada Bio for a second term in June.
Two months post-reelection, police apprehended several people, including senior military officers, accusing them of planning to exploit protests to “undermine peace.”
