Sierra Leone’s authorities have terminated the criminal proceedings against former President Ernest Bai Koroma over allegations linked to the country’s 2023 failed coup attempt, bringing an end to a case that had attracted significant political attention.
The Attorney-General and Minister of Justice announced on Tuesday, July 14, 2026, that the charges against Koroma had been discontinued.
The government did not state why it decided to withdraw the case, but the move effectively lifts the legal restrictions previously placed on the former president and allows him to return home.
Koroma, 72, had been accused of offenses including treason following the November 26, 2023 unrest in Freetown, where armed attackers targeted military and correctional facilities in an attempt that authorities described as an effort to destabilize the government. The incident resulted in about 20 deaths and the release of nearly 2,000 prisoners.
The former president rejected the allegations from the outset, insisting that he had no connection to the violence. After his arrest, he was placed under house arrest before being permitted to travel to Nigeria for medical care through an agreement facilitated by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
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In his reaction to the decision, Koroma expressed appreciation to President Julius Maada Bio, Nigerian President Bola Tinubu and ECOWAS for their involvement in resolving the matter. He also reiterated his commitment to peace, justice and reconciliation.
Koroma served as Sierra Leone’s president between 2007 and 2018, when he was succeeded by Bio following the 2018 presidential election. He remained an influential opposition figure within the All People’s Congress (APC).
The legal proceedings followed months of political tension after Sierra Leone’s June 2023 presidential election, which saw Bio re-elected for a second term.
The APC disputed the outcome, while international observers raised concerns about the transparency of the electoral process.
The withdrawal of the charges closes a major chapter in Sierra Leone’s post-election tensions and could create room for renewed political engagement between the government and opposition.