Former Sierra Leonean President Ernest Bai Koroma returned to Freetown on Sunday following the dismissal of criminal charges related to an alleged coup attempt. Koroma, 72, arrived from Nigeria, accompanied by former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, and was welcomed by Sierra Leone’s Foreign Affairs Minister Mohamed Rahman Swaray.

The charges against Koroma, including treason, were dropped in July, effectively concluding a legal case stemming from a failed coup attempt in November 2023. The incident involved an attack by gunmen on a military barracks and two prisons in Freetown, which resulted in the escape of more than 2,200 inmates. Clashes during the attacks left at least 21 people dead, including 14 soldiers.

Authorities had accused Koroma of backing the attackers, an allegation he has consistently denied. Following the initial charges, Koroma was placed under house arrest but was later granted bail on medical grounds. In January 2024, he was allowed to travel to Nigeria for treatment before returning to Sierra Leone this week.

Koroma served as president of Sierra Leone from 2007 until 2018 and has remained a significant political figure in the country. His return marks a notable development after nearly three years of legal and political turmoil linked to the 2023 events.