Ex-African President Who Certified Ruto’s Election Victory Summoned Over Unsuccessful Coup
The Sierra Leone police have called upon the ex-president, Ernest Bai Koroma, for questioning regarding an alleged unsuccessful coup on Sunday, November 26.
The Information Minister, Chernor Bah, issued the summons on Thursday, December 7, instructing Koroma to present himself to the Criminal Investigations Department in Freetown within 24 hours.
Koroma responded, expressing his willingness to comply with the summons and distancing himself from the coup attempt.
During a public address in Freetown, he emphasized his commitment to supporting the police investigations and upholding the rule of law in the country’s democracy.
“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.
According to reports, on November 26, unidentified gunmen carried out attacks on a prison, a military barrack, and various locations in Sierra Leone.
The incidents resulted in the death of approximately 20 individuals, and around 2,200 inmates were reported to have been freed.
The government of Sierra Leone has claimed that the assault was a purported coup attempt, and it is alleged that the attackers were led by the bodyguards of former President Koroma.
As of now, a total of 71 individuals have been arrested in connection with the recent events, including seven police officers, 13 civilians, and 45 military officers.
It’s worth noting that during this period, former President Koroma took on the role of leading the African Union Elections Observation Mission (AUEOM) to evaluate Kenya’s 2022 General Election.
This responsibility came about following an invitation extended by the Chairman of the African Union (AU) Commission, HE Moussa Faki Mahamat.
In presenting the mission’s report, Koroma observed that the elections were largely characterized by peace, freedom, and fairness.
He specifically commended the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), noting improvements and expressing confidence that they can conduct future exercises with greater efficiency.
“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.
Nevertheless, the opposition party Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) has contested the assertion that the election was conducted fairly.
The ODM has raised allegations against the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), accusing it of manipulating the votes to favor Ruto, the candidate in question.
This dispute reflects a divergence of views on the fairness and integrity of the electoral process, with the opposition party expressing concerns about potential irregularities or biases in the conduct of the election.
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Ex-African President Who Certified Ruto’s Election Victory Summoned Over Unsuccessful Coup
