Police Named Sierra Leone Former President Declared Suspect in November Coup Attempt

Former Sierra Leone President Ernest Bai Koroma has been declared a suspect in the ongoing investigation over last month’s attempted coup.

Mr. Koroma, who was granted bail on Saturday, has been on house arrest with restricted movements.

Inspector General of Police William Fayia Sellu on Tuesday said that Mr. Koroma is not in police custody as the police are giving him the respect he needs for now.

The police chief said that does not mean he is above the law.

He said that 80 suspects were in police custody, among them serving and dismissed military officers, serving and retired police officers, civilians, and a correctional service officer.

Mr. Koroma’s daughter, Dankay Koroma, has also been named among the other 54 suspects declared wanted in an updated list the police released on Tuesday as investigations continue.

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The government has promised a monetary reward to anyone who could help with information leading to the capture of the suspects on the run.

Koroma, who led Sierra Leone from 2007 to 2018, was questioned Tuesday for the fourth time by police in Freetown.

According to the authorities, some of Koroma’s former guards are also suspected of involvement in the unrest of 26 November.

They published a new list of 54 wanted persons, including the daughter of Koroma, in connection with the events.

According to the information minister, the security forces have recovered 29 of the 47 assault rifles and five of the seven rocket launchers plundered by the alleged coup plotters.

An overnight curfew imposed by the authorities from 9:00 pm to 6:00 am was eased on Monday and now runs from midnight to 6:00 am, due to the improvement in the security situation, according to the government.

West Africa has been hit by a series of coups since 2020, with the military taking power in Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger and Guinea.