Sierra Leone's former president, Ernest Bai Koroma, has been charged by a court with treason and two counts of failing to appear in court for his alleged involvement in a November 26 attempt to overthrow the government, Sierra Leone's Information Ministry said.
The judge granted Koroma bail on a number of conditions, including not leaving the house without permission and limiting the number of people in the house. In addition, Koroma must provide two sureties, the statement said.
The ministry added that the former president's trial has been postponed until January 17, when the state will be ready to start calling witnesses.
Koroma, who led the West African country from 2007 to 2018, was summoned for questioning by police in early December, following the detention of his former security aide. The former president then said he would comply with the police summons, since he wanted to actively cooperate with the investigation.
In mid-December, Sierra Leonean police announced that Koroma had been identified as a suspect in the November attacks, which the former president condemned in a statement shortly after they occurred.
On November 26, dozens of militants stormed Sierra Leone's capital, entering the country's main arsenal and prison, freeing most of the more than 2,000 prisoners. A day later, Sierra Leone's President, Julius Maada Bio, announced that most of the attackers' leaders had been arrested.