By Amara Thoronka
Mohamed Lamin Tarawally, Esq., Sierra Leone’s Attorney General and Minister of Justice has said the treason trial against former president Ernest Bai Koroma, 12 other civilians and 27 serving military personnel is not a witch-hunt, but rather one that is based on evidence and due process.
The Justice Minister was speaking at a joint press conference held on Friday, 19th January, 2024, by the Office of the Attorney General and Minister of Justice and the Ministry of Information and Civic Education at Guma Building in Freetown.
“Of the civilians charged, the former president Ernest Bai Koroma was also charged with four counts; two counts of treason and two counts of harbouring. Generally, we did not pick and choose. As state attorneys, we are convinced that we have evidence against those we have charged to court. We did not charge any individual out of sentiment. This is not a witch-hunt. We charged based on the evidence we have.
We don’t want to derail the trial process. We want to expedite it. The matter for the civilian accused persons will commence on 1st February 2024. The suspects were all identified and served with the necessary documents to ensure that we don’t charge the wrong persons,” he explained.
The Attorney General and Minister of Justice cited the number of those already charged to court and their offences.
“We have charged to court 27 serving military personnel and 13 civilians on various offences. For the military personnel, we charged them with 7 counts of mutiny, 2 counts of failure to oppress mutiny, 7 counts of aiding the enemy, 24 counts of communicating with the enemy, 2 counts of stealing public, or service property, 2 counts of fraudulent misapplication of public or service property, 2 counts of receiving public or service property, 1 count of retaining public or service property, 1 count of wilful damage of public or service property, 1 count of conduct to the prejudice of military discipline and public order,” said the Justice Minister.
“For the civilians, we charged them with treason, misprision of treason, harbouring, murder, etc. So, for the military is 88 counts, while for the civilians it is about 20 counts,” he added.
Mr. Tarawally noted that they are still before the court, adding that of the military personnel charged, first accused person Alhaji Koroma, attached at Kambia District, has pleaded guilty to five counts, saying he is now awaiting sentencing.
He emphasized that, apart from Alhaji Koroma who has pleaded guilty, no one has been found guilty. “The others are still presumed innocent until proven guilty,” he said.
He said the decision for the former president to seek medical attention was not taken by government, but rather by the court. “We respect the decision of the court. However, that does not indicate the end of the case against the former president. We are in court again on 6th March 2024,” he said.
In his statement, Information Minister Chernor Bah said the State has charged the accused persons based on sufficient evidence pointing to the intention to overthrow the government of President Julius Maada Bio.
Mr. Bah mentioned that the trial process is guided by the principles of justice and the rule of law, reiterating that the treason case is not to witch-hunt anyone.
The former president is reported to have travelled to the Republic of Nigeria.
It could be recalled that on Sunday, 26th November, last year, the government disclosed that an ‘unidentified persons’ attacked the armoury at Wilberforce Barracks, the Pademba Road Central Prison and some police stations, causing panic, release of prisoners and loss of lives.
President Julius Maada Bio has in a recent address to the nation said those responsible will face the ‘full force of the law’ in line with the rule of law and due process.
Copyright –Published in Expo Times News on Monday, January 22nd, 2024 (ExpoTimes News – Expo Media Group (expomediasl.com)