Sierra Leone’s former president Ernest Bai Koroma has been summoned by the police for questioning as part of their investigation into a failed coup attempt last month, the information minister said on Thursday.
Koroma, who ruled the West African nation from 2007 to 2018, is expected to report to the Criminal Investigations Department in Freetown within 24 hours, according to a statement by Chernor Bah.
Koroma said he would honour the invitation and cooperate with the police.
“I maintain an open mind and stand ready to support the police investigations to the fullest. Let the rule of law reign supreme in our democracy,” he said in a statement, calling on the public to remain calm.
Deadly Attacks
On Nov. 26, gunmen attacked a military barracks, a prison and other locations in Sierra Leone, freeing about 2,200 inmates and killing more than 20 people in what the authorities said was an attempt to overthrow the government.
The government said the failed coup was led mostly by Koroma’s bodyguards, who were among the 71 people arrested so far in connection with the incident.
The arrests also include 45 serving military officers, seven serving police officers and 13 civilians, Bah said.
Koroma condemned the attacks in a statement shortly after they happened, saying they were “an affront to our hard-won peace and democracy”.
Political Tensions
According to a report by Reuters, the coup attempt has heightened political tensions in Sierra Leone, which is still recovering from a decade-long civil war that ended in 2002 and killed more than 50,000 people.
Koroma’s party, the All People’s Congress (APC), has accused the current government of President Julius Maada Bio of persecuting its members and supporters since it came to power in 2018.
Bio’s government has denied the allegations and said it is committed to upholding the rule of law and fighting corruption.
The United Nations, the African Union and other international partners have urged all parties to respect the constitutional order and refrain from violence.
They have also called for dialogue and reconciliation to address the root causes of the political crisis and foster national unity.
