According to an official press release, Sierra Leonean authorities indicted 12 people on Tuesday, including Amadu Koita, for their roles in what is being called an attempted coup that happened on November 26.
previous soldier Koita, who served as previous president Ernest Bai Koroma’s bodyguard, is well-known for publicly criticising current President Julius Maada Bio on social media.
Koita was one of the eighty-five people (mostly military personnel) who were taken into custody on December 4 in connection with the events of November 26.
Sierra Leone Declares Nationwide Curfew Amid Coup Attempt
According to a news release signed by Information Minister Chernor Bah, the twelve accused, some of whom are former police officers, are charged with “treason, misprision of treason, harbouring, aiding, and abetting the enemy.”
In Freetown, the nation’s capital, eleven of the accused were brought before the judge. However, a health concern forced the postponement of one of the accused’s hearings.
All of the accused were guaranteed legal representation, according to the statement.
Armed attackers attacked a military armoury, two barracks, two jails, and two police stations on November 26. This resulted in violent altercations with security personnel.
Before authorities could retake control, hundreds of convicts managed to escape and 21 people were killed in the subsequent violence. These events have been described by the authorities as an attempted coup planned by military personnel.
UPDATE: ECOWAS Reacts To Coup Attempt In Sierra Leone
After coups in Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, and Guinea since 2020, this episode has increased concerns about another coup in West Africa.
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