Authorities in Sierra Leone have detained a former presidential bodyguard in connection with last month’s thwarted coup.
Amadu Koita, who once served in protecting Ernest Bai Koroma during his presidency that ended five years ago, was apprehended on Monday, along with two police officers accused of sheltering him, as stated by Sierra Leone’s Information Minister, Chernor Bah.
Koita, previously a soldier, was described by Bah as “at the top of the wanted list.”
The incident on November 26 saw armed individuals infiltrating an armory and multiple prisons in the capital city of Freetown, resulting in the escape of nearly 2,000 inmates.
The violence during the episode led to the deaths of at least 19 people, including 13 soldiers, according to the country’s military.
The recent arrest of Koita and the two accompanying officers brings the total count of individuals detained in connection with the coup attempt to 60.
The government disclosed on Monday that among the arrested were 57 individuals, comprising 37 military personnel, 10 civilians, four discharged military personnel, five members of the police force, and a retired police officer.
