By: Thaimu Bai Sesay
The Ministry of Information and Civic Education has on Thursday 7th December 2023 in a public notice informed members of the general public that the Sierra Leone Police (SLP) has on the same date served a summons to the former President of Sierra Leone Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma for questioning on issues surrounding the failed attempt coup on Sunday 26th November 2023.
“At around 11:00 am today, 7th December, 2023, the Sierra Leone Police served a summons to the former President of Sierra Leone, Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma – inviting him to report at the headquarters of the Criminal Investigations Department in Freetown within a period of 24 hours,” the Minister of Information and Civic Education informed.
For further clarifications, the Information Minister Chernor Bah revealed that the former President was invited to assist the police in the ongoing criminal investigations into the November 26th failed attempted coup in Sierra Leone. The Information and Civic Education Minister assured that his ministry would continue to provide updates as the investigation progresses.
In response to the summons on the same fatefully day, the former President, Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma, through an official press release appealed for calm over his invitation to the Criminal Investigation Department by the Sierra Leone Police.
On the press release the former President, Ernest Bai Koroma confirmed that he had on Thursday 7th December received an invitation from the Inspector General of Police in Freetown. He therefore clarified that he would be traveling to Freetown to honour the said invitation.
“I maintain an open mind and stand ready to support the police investigations to the fullest. Let the rule of law reigns supreme in our democracy”, former President Koroma expressed.
Koroma added that in that respect, he appealed for calm, for public support for the police investigation, and for the due process of the law.
The general public could recall that the Sierra Leone Police had launched a full scale investigation that aimed at ascertaining the fact of the failed attempted coup. Since then several arrests of alleged assailants had been made, and some of them were identified as bodyguards of the former President.
The invitation of the former President for questioning and to support the police in their investigations was seemed necessary by not only the police but also by members of the general public as about three of former President bodyguards had been apprehended as alleged assailants regarding the crucial matter.
However, the All People’s Congress (APC) in their press release dated 7th December, has acknowledge the invitation sent to their Leader and Chairman, Former President Ernest Bia Koroma. The party has called on it supporters to keep the peace and denounce all forms of violence. The release further urged for speedy, transparent, fair investigation into the 26th November,2023 failed coup attempt.