A Sierra Leone court issued an arrest warrant for Samura Kamara, the opposition leader who came in second in the country’s presidential election last June, citing corruption charges.
The Court of Appeal “has ordered the immediate arrest of former All People’s Congress Party (APC) presidential candidate Dr Samura M.W. Kamara” for his alleged involvement in a transaction that involved the sale of shares held by the Sierra Leone government in a mining company in 2012, the court said in a statement.
At present, Kamara’s lawyer has not been reached for comment regarding the court’s decision. Despite finishing as the runner-up in the June 2023 presidential election, which was won by Julius Maada Bio, Kamara contested the results.
The APC, his party, accused the elections—presidential, parliamentary, and local—of being rigged and opted to boycott parliament and local councils.
A resolution was eventually reached between the government and the APC in October, with the latter agreeing to end their boycott in exchange for an assurance to cease politically motivated detentions and court cases.
Since assuming office in 2018, President Bio initiated an aggressive campaign against widespread corruption and mismanagement of public assets prevalent in the country. Numerous high-ranking members of the Koroma administration faced allegations.
The APC, the former ruling party, decried this action as a “witch-hunt.”
Kamara has been on trial since December 2021 on charges of embezzling over $2.5 million in public funds while serving as the foreign minister, allegedly misappropriating funds for the renovation of the consulate in New York.
Recent unrest unfolded in Freetown, described by the government as an “attempted coup.” Armed assailants raided a military armoury, two barracks, two prisons, and two police stations in the early hours of November 26, engaging in clashes with security forces.
Official figures reported 21 casualties: 18 members of the security forces and three assailants. Subsequently, 80 individuals have been arrested in connection with these events.
Police named former President Koroma as a suspect in organizing the November 26 events and subsequently placed him under house arrest after the announcement.
The West African region has witnessed a series of coups since 2020, with military takeovers occurring in Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, and Guinea.
