Sierra Leone ex-president returns after treason charges dropped
On Sunday, Ernest Bai Koroma, the former president of Sierra Leone, made his way back to Freetown after the treason charges against him were dismissed. Koroma, who served as the nation's leader from 2007 to 2018, had been residing in Nigeria since 2024 for medical reasons, ultimately extending his stay for over two years. He was joined by former Nigerian president Olusegun Obasanjo and Nigerian Foreign Minister Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu. Upon his arrival, he was greeted by Sierra Leone's Foreign Minister Mohamed Rahman Swarray and members of the opposition All People's Congress (APC). The accusations, linked to a violent army uprising in 2023, were dropped by the justice ministry in July without any clarification. Koroma expressed his joy at being home, marking a notable political shift in Sierra Leone, where the APC holds the position of the main opposition party.
Key facts
- Ernest Bai Koroma returned to Sierra Leone on Sunday.
- Treason charges against him were dropped in July.
- He was accompanied by Nigerian ex-president Olusegun Obasanjo and Nigerian Foreign Minister Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu.
- He was welcomed by Sierra Leone's Foreign Minister Mohamed Rahman Swarray and APC officials.
- Koroma led Sierra Leone from 2007 to 2018.
- He had left for Nigeria in 2024 for medical treatment but stayed more than two years.
- The charges were related to a deadly 2023 army uprising.
- Koroma is a member of the opposition All People's Congress (APC).
Entities
Institutions
- All People's Congress (APC)
- Agence France-Presse
Locations
- Sierra Leone
- Freetown
- Nigeria