By Foday Moriba Conteh
Minister of Information and Civic Education, Chernor Bah, in a statement on Saturday 9th December, 2023 revealed that former President of Sierra Leone, Ernest Bai Koroma, was granted bail on self-recognizance, with specific conditions set forth, following the end of questioning by the Sierra Leone Police at the Criminal Investigation Department in Freetown in relation to the November 26 failed attempted coup. According to him, the Ex-President’s questioning will continue today, Monday December 11, 2023.
The Minister furthered that under the bail conditions, President Koroma is required to remain within the confines of his property at Goderich, is allowed a restricted number of visiting guests of three from his family and three from his political party. He also divulged that the bail condition explicitly stated that the erstwhile President should not leave his house without the expressed permission of the Inspector General of Police adding that those conditions are to be applicable until the former President Koroma returns CID Headquarters for further probing on Monday at 11:00 am.
Interestingly, former President Ernest Bai Koroma on his Facebook page stated his return to his residence in Freetown after a morning visit to the Police.
Joseph Fitzgerald Kamara, commonly known as JFK , his Lead Lawyer or Attorney, unequivocally pointed out that the Statesman is not under house arrest as some may want to allude.
While there is an increased security presence around his residence and added caution on the traffic flow leading to it, however Joseph Fitzgerald Kamara has attributed such as measures emanating from decisions made by State Security, further emphasizing that the former President is not under any form of duress, saying the Police have implemented such measures to enhance the safety and security of the former President.
He assured that despite the circumstances, the former President remains committed to due process under the rule of law.
It would be recalled that in a surprising turn of events, the Sierra Leone Police on 7th December, 2023 summoned the former President of Sierra Leone, Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma, to report to the headquarters of the Criminal Investigations Department in Freetown within 24 hours for questioning regarding the failed attempted coup on November 26, 2023.
