Blyden Challenges Legal Basis and Motives Behind Koroma Case Dismissal

Blyden Challenges Legal Basis and Motives Behind Koroma Case Dismissal

APC figure Dr. Sylvia Olayinka Blyden has formally questioned the Sierra Leonean government's decision to discontinue criminal proceedings against former President Ernest Bai Koroma. While acknowledging the move as a step toward reconciliation, Blyden raised concerns regarding the specific legal mechanism employed and potential political undertones.

Specifically, Blyden challenged the use of Section 45 of the Criminal Procedure Act, 2024, to end the proceedings. She argued that Section 46 would have provided a more definitive conclusion, whereas Section 45 effectively "keeps a stick behind the door" by leaving the door open for future legal action. 

This choice, she suggests, indicates a lack of government confidence in the former president's sincerity.

Furthermore, Blyden linked the timing of the discontinuance to President Julius Maada Bio’s regional ambitions.

She posited that reconciling with Koroma could bolster President Bio’s image among regional leaders as he seeks a second term as Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

Ultimately, Blyden maintained that any genuine effort toward national cohesion must be anchored in truth, accountability, and transparency.

She emphasized that for reconciliation to be effective, it must address the impact of the November 2023 events through a platform of sincerity rather than political expediency.