By Joe Turay
Sierra Leone’s Attorney-General and Minister of Justice has discontinued criminal proceedings against former President Ernest Bai Koroma, ending a high-profile treason case that stemmed from the failed November 2023 military barracks attack.
In a public notice issued on Tuesday, the Attorney-General said a notice had been filed to discontinue the case against Koroma in accordance with Section 45 of the Criminal Procedure Act, 2024.
Koroma, who served as president from 2007 to 2018, had been charged with treason and misprision of treason in connection with the events surrounding the November 26, 2023 attacks on military installations, prisons and other strategic locations in Freetown.
The Attorney-General said the decision was taken in the exercise of powers conferred on the office by the laws of Sierra Leone.
“The proceedings are no longer before the court,” the notice stated, adding that Koroma’s bail arrangement had automatically come to an end with immediate effect.
The government also said Koroma, who had been granted permission to travel abroad on medical grounds while the case was pending, is now free to return to Sierra Leone upon completion of his medical treatment or at any time of his choosing.
In a statement issued shortly after the announcement from Abuja, Nigeria, Koroma welcomed the government’s decision and expressed gratitude to those he said had helped bring the matter to a close.
“I thank the Almighty God for the infinite grace and mercy to me and my family throughout this difficult period,” Koroma said. “My faith has remained anchored in His providence and in the enduring conviction that peace, justice and reconciliation must always triumph over adversity.”
The former president also acknowledged the role played by President Julius Maada Bio and the Government of Sierra Leone in resolving the matter.
“I acknowledge, with appreciation, the role played by His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio, the Government of the Republic of Sierra Leone and all those whose efforts, guided by our Constitution and the rule of law, have contributed to bringing this matter to its conclusion,” he said.
Koroma also thanked the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), ECOWAS Commission President Dr. Omar Alieu Touray, former African heads of state and Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for their support during the process.
He expressed special appreciation to Tinubu, the Nigerian government and Nigeria’s National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, for what he described as their “exceptional support, hospitality, friendship and generosity” since his arrival in Abuja.
Calling for national unity, Koroma said Sierra Leone had overcome greater challenges in the past by placing “nation above self” and working together for peace and prosperity.
“I remain committed to every sincere effort that advances peace, strengthens our democracy and promotes the welfare of our people,” he said.
The charges against Koroma arose after coordinated attacks on November 26, 2023, when armed men stormed the Wilberforce Military Barracks, the Pademba Road Correctional Centre and other security installations in Freetown. More than 2,000 inmates were freed from prison during the assault, while dozens of civilians, soldiers and police officers were killed in the violence.
The Sierra Leone government described the attacks as an attempted coup aimed at overthrowing President Julius Maada Bio’s administration.
Authorities subsequently arrested dozens of military personnel and civilians, including senior opposition figures, alleging they had participated in or supported the plot.
In January 2024, Koroma was charged with four offences, including treason, misprision of treason and two counts of harbouring suspects accused of participating in the attacks. He denied all the allegations.
The prosecution of the former president deepened political tensions in Sierra Leone, with the opposition All People’s Congress (APC) insisting the case was politically motivated, while the government maintained that no one was above the law and that the evidence warranted prosecution.
Following negotiations involving the Government of Sierra Leone, the APC and regional leaders, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) played a key mediation role aimed at easing political tensions and preserving stability.
As part of those efforts, Koroma was granted permission by the High Court in January 2024 to travel to Nigeria for medical treatment after the Nigerian government offered to host him.
Since then, he has remained in Abuja while undergoing medical treatment and complying with the conditions of his temporary leave.
Tuesday’s decision to discontinue the prosecution marks one of the most significant political and legal developments in Sierra Leone since the 2023 attacks.
The Attorney-General did not provide further reasons for withdrawing the case.
The move is expected to ease political tensions ahead of continued efforts at national dialogue and reconciliation, although questions remain over the fate of other individuals still facing prosecution in connection with the November 2023 attacks.
