Police Grant Former President Koroma Bail with Restricted Movement
BY Mohamed Konneh
Sierra Leone former President Ernest Bai Koroma has been granted self-bail with restricted movement. The former president made his second appearance at the Criminal Investigation department in Freetown on Saturday 9th December 2023 to answer to questions relating to the failed November 26th coup. This was his second interview with the police and was granted self-recognizance bail.
The bail conditions according to the tweet by the Minister of Information and Civic Education, Chenor Bah, the former president should stays in the confines of his property at Goderich with restricted number of visiting persons (3 from his family and 3 from his party).
The conditions include that he can’t step out of his house without the expressed permission of the inspector General of police. These terms will apply until his return to the police to continue the questioning today Monday at 11am.
Former President Ernest Bai Koroma on Friday 8th December appeared at the Criminal Investigation Department to answer to questions after he was invited by the Sierra Leone police in relation to the November 26th failed coup attempt. This is the first time a former president in Sierra Leone is been invited by the police to answer to questions.
The Sierra Leone former President was invited by the police after a failed coup that left state security personnel dead and many more wounded. The fallen soldiers and police officers died as they were fighting to repel insurgents who rain terror on citizens on that faithful day. Ernest Bai Koroma was interview for about four hours and was later release to go home and to report the next day at nine hundred hours.
On the night of the 26th November 2023, when the people of this country least expected, men in military fatigue entered the city Freetown and stormed the Wilberforce military barrack and break into the armoury department and catered away weapons including AK 47, RPG, Grenade bombs and other military hardware.
The aim according to report was to overthrow the government of President Julius Maada Bio but could not succeed. They were dislodged by the presidential guards and some loyal military officers of the Sierra Leone Armed Forces.
At cockerel military headquarters, the attempted coup plotters launched rocket propelled grenades that killed a military officer and injured some personnel. Having failed in their attempt, they went to the Pademba Road maximum prisons; open the prison gate for prisoners to escape.
A good number of the plotters have been arrested, including Koita Makola a former body guard to Former President Ernest Bai Koroma. 57 suspects are now in police custody helping with investigation.
In line with the investigation, the former president was invited by the police who is now helping the police with investigation. The former president was granted bail on Saturday with restricted movement and that he can only step out of his Goderich home with expressed permission of the Inspector General of police.
