By: Thaimu Bai Sesay
In an ongoing investigation related to a failed attempted coup, Sierra Leone’s Minister of Information and Civic Education, Chernor Bah, revealed that not only former but also current bodyguards of the former President, Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma, were actively involved in the coup. Bah disclosed this information in an interview on Friday, December 15, 2023, at AYV television to clarify whether the alleged assailants in custody were former or current bodyguards.
“The plotters and the individuals involved in this failed coup include both former and current guards of President Koroma. Some, like Yapoo, who was still residing in the ex-president’s house, are now on the wanted list,” clarified the information minister.
While the Minister couldn’t disclose all details of the ongoing investigation, he assured the public that the process was lawful and based on evidence and confessions obtained during the investigations. He emphasized that there was no witch hunt involved and that the focus was on following the law.
Bah went on to reveal that individuals who participated in the incident had come directly from former President Koroma’s house in Makeni to Freetown, engaged in the failed coup, and returned afterward. This information was shared to counter claims that the implicated bodyguards were no longer associated with the former President.
The Information and Civic Education Minister clarified that he wasn’t implying guilt on the part of the former President but aimed to provide an accurate account to the public. He reiterated that the investigation was still ongoing. Minister Bah emphasized that both former and current security guards around the ex-President were actively involved, citing evidence related to their participation in the planning and execution of the attempted coup.