Former Sierra Leone President, Ernest Bai Koroma, is expected to return to the country this weekend after treason charges brought against him over a failed 2023 coup attempt were dropped.
Koroma, who governed Sierra Leone from 2007 to 2018, had been living in Nigeria after leaving his country in 2024, following his indictment over the deadly uprising.
The decision to drop the charges has now paved the way for his return.
Sierra Leone’s Vice President, Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh, announced Koroma’s planned homecoming during a gathering in Makeni.
Jalloh said the former president’s return was being facilitated in the interest of peace and national cohesion.
Koroma had consistently denied involvement in the November 2023 attempted coup, during which armed men attacked a military armoury and released prisoners from several correctional facilities.
The former president was subsequently charged with treason and other offences in connection with the incident.
The government later withdrew the charges, bringing an end to the legal proceedings against the former leader.
His return is expected to attract significant political attention as Sierra Leone continues efforts to promote reconciliation and ease tensions linked to the disputed 2023 elections and subsequent political developments.
Koroma’s homecoming could also mark a significant moment in the country’s efforts to strengthen national unity following years of political tension.
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