Koroma, who strongly condemned the assault, stated he was ‘able to help the police investigations to the fullest’.
A former president of Sierra Leone has been referred to as in for questioning by police over latest assaults that officers say was a failed coup, an official stated on Thursday.
The police summoned ex-president Ernest Bai Koroma to its headquarters “for questioning on the failed tried coup” on November 26, info minister Cherno Bah stated in an announcement.
Koroma, who led the West African nation for 11 years till 2018, has been requested to seem on the legal investigations division within the capital, Freetown, inside 24 hours, the knowledge ministry stated.
His summons follows the sooner arrest of his former safety aide.
Dozens of gunmen launched a brazen assault final month in Freetown throughout which they broke into Sierra Leone’s key armoury and into a jail, releasing many of the greater than 2,000 inmates.
Not less than 18 members of the safety forces have been killed throughout the clashes, whereas greater than 50 suspects – together with navy officers – have been arrested up to now.
Amongst these arrested was Amadu Koita, who labored as a safety guard for Koroma till 2018 when the previous president left workplace. Police on Wednesday launched a picture that they are saying reveals Koita with a gun in a surveillance picture captured when the jail was attacked. A bodyguard of the previous president was additionally killed throughout the assault.
Koroma stated that he would honour the police summons, and requested his supporters to be calm, in response to an announcement issued by his workplace.
“I preserve an open thoughts and stand able to help the police investigations to the fullest. Let the rule of regulation reign supreme in our democracy,” stated the previous president who had “strongly condemned” the assault when it occurred.
Though he has formally retired from politics, Koroma stays an influential determine inside his political get together and sometimes hosts distinguished politicians in his hometown of Makeni.
There have been political tensions in Sierra Leone since President Julius Maada Bio was re-elected for a second time period in a disputed vote in June. Two months after he was re-elected, police stated they arrested a number of folks, together with senior navy officers planning to make use of protests “to undermine peace”.