Sierra Leone police have summoned the country's former president, Ernest Bai Koroma, for questioning over a failed coup attempt alleged to have happened on Sunday, November 26.
Information Minister Chernor Bah summoned Koroma on Thursday, December 7, ordering the former president to avail himself to the Criminal Investigations Department in Freetown within 24 hours.
Koroma, in response, stated that he would honour the summons as he distanced himself from the failed coup.
"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", Koroma stated while addressing a public gathering in Freetown.
Reports alleged that on November 26, unknown gunmen attacked a prison, a military barrack, and several other locations in Sierra Leone, killing about 20 people and freeing 2,200 inmates.
Sierra Leone's government alleged that the attack was an attempted coup allegedly led by Koroma's bodyguards.
Up to now, 71 people have been arrested, among them seven police officers, 13 civilians, and 45 military officers.
Koroma led the African Union Elections Observation Mission (AUEOM) in assessing Kenya's 2022 General Election, following an invitation from the Chairman of the African Union (AU) Commission, HE Moussa Faki Mahamat.
Delivering the mission's report, Koroma noted that the elections were largely peaceful, free and fair and that the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) had demonstrated an improvement and, going forward, can conduct more seamless exercises.
"There was (a) notable improvement in the overall voting exercise across the country. Polling stations opened on time, voters were identified easily by digital kits, and no major security incident was reported," Koroma certified President William Ruto's victory.
However, the opposition party Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), refuted the claims that the election was conducted fairly and has since then accused IEBC of manipulating the votes in favour of Ruto.
