By Saio Marrah
Sierra Leone’s former President, Ernest Bai Koroma has appeared at a Magistrate court in Freetown on a four-count charge of treason, misprison of treason, and harboring alleged treason-related offenses.
Koroma who appeared at the Pademba Road Court No. 2 on Wednesday 3rd January 2024, was accused of having on diverse days between the 5th and 26th of November 2023, prepared to overthrow the government of Sierra Leone and between the 20th and 25th of November last year, in his preparedness to overthrow the government, harboured Sorieba Manasaray, Yapo Sesay, Ibrahim Thorlu Bangura alias Tiger, Sergeant Emmanuel Salifu Kamara, and Kabba Dumbuya in his premises.
It is further indicated in court that the former head of state between the 26th of November and 1st of December 2023, in his endeavour to overthrow the government, haboured Sesay and Bangura at his premises.
For count two, misprision of treason, Koroma was alleged to have between the 20th and 29th November last year in Makeni Northern city of the country, knowing that Mansaray, Bangura, and Sesay had prepared to overthrow the Government, allegedly concealed the commission of the said treason.
He was also alleged to have between the 26th and 29th of November last year, in the same northern city, knowingly harboured
Bangura and Sesay in his premises when he (accused) had reasonable grounds to know that the persons had committed treason.
The Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Mohamed Lamin Tarawally led an eight-man team from the Law Officers Department, while Joseph Fitzgerald Kamara, former Attorney General led 11 lawyers to represent the former president in the treason case.
In the courtroom, all seats reserved for lawyers, and journalists including those at the public gallery had been taken.
There was a heavy presence of armed Police around the periphery of the court. Koroma was accompanied by a host of top hierarchy from his political party, All People’s Congress (APC) including the Chairman and Mayor of the Freetown Municipality who were seated next to him at the designated space for accused persons.
Seated on one of the court registrars’ wooden chairs, Koroma was dressed in a white and brown African shirt and brown trousers.
Amidst all this, Koroma never stopped from showing his usual broad.
He was mostly seen focused on the battery of lawyers, who were signaling pleasant gestures to him.
After the presiding magistrate had taken his seat, the former president name, Ernest Bai Koroma, was called upon by the court registrar.
After answering to his name, he was instructed to stand in the dock.
He declined the offer of sitting in the dock saying he was fine standing. This was after a request by his lead lawyer, Joseph F. Kamara for him to sit.
Before the adjournment of the preliminary hearing to the 17th of January this year, his defence served the bench a document termed High Court Orders, which served as bail for the former president.
His appearance in court came after a day when the sub-regional bloc, ECOWAS addressed a letter to Sierra Leone’s sitting President, Julius Maada Bio, requesting for a temporary relocation of the former president, to Abuja in Nigeria to take place on the 4th of January this year.
The request further requested that the Government of Sierra Leone discontinue all legal and administrative procedures against him and that the government continue to disburse to him his benefits as a former president.
The state was also urged to secure the former president’s residents across the country and to refund his medical and travel expenses.
Sierra Leone’s Minister of Foreign Affairs confirmed receipt of the letter but could not comment further.
In the early hours of Sunday 26th November 2023, an Army armory at the Wilberforce Barracks was broken into by unknown gunmen, which subsequently led to sporadic attacks on key security installations across the capital Freetown.
The incident also led to the opening of the male and female maximum correctional centres and police cells across Freetown. 18 security personnel lost their lives in that fateful attack.
Ernest Bai Koroma served two terms as President of Sierra Leone after winning the 2007 and 2012 general elections. He relinquished power in April 2018 after President Julius Maada Bio defeated his party’s candidate, Samura Kamara in that election.
Copyright © 2024 Politico (10/01/24)
