Africa will gain immensely from the recent acquittal of a former Sierra Leonean leader, writes MONDAY PHILIPS EKPE
Year 2023 did not end exactly the way former Sierra Leonean President, His Excellency, Dr Ernest Bai Koroma, had anticipated. Out of the blues, allegation of a coup plot to violently unseat the government of President Julius Maada Bio was weaved around his neck. The investigations that followed didn’t unravel any concrete evidence against him. Yet, in the manner of what obtains in countries without strong, unbiased justice systems, it was clear that the legal processes could go wrong rapidly. That apprehension went outside the borders of the idyllic but beleaguered West African country. However, a timely relief, a “deus ex machina”, came his way in the form of a bail to seek medical attention in Nigeria.
And last week, well over two years after that intervention, Dr Koroma received another good news. The Office of Sierra Leone’s Attorney General and Minister of Justice announced the termination of all the criminal charges raised against him. It derived its powers from the country’s Section 45 of the Criminal Procedure Act, 2024. The Information Minister of Sierra Leone, Chernor Bah, was reported to have told the BBC that the sudden u-turn occurred on health grounds. Whatever the rationale, the significance of the moment mustn’t be confined to narrow motivations and interpretations. An action capable of redefining and realigning an entire nation is now in motion. Sierra Leone is due for general elections in two years’ time. So, bringing the symbolic head of the main opposition party, All People’s Congress (APC), back to the country would indeed be a smart move by the government in power if it’s keen on demonstrating a commitment to cohesion, equity and electoral decency.
